619-990-4436
609 South Orange Ave, El Cajon 92020
(4) 2 bed 1 bath
(1) 3 bed 2 bath
609 South Orange Ave, El Cajon 92020 – 5-Unit Income Property Case Study
Property Overview
609 South Orange Avenue is a rare five-unit multifamily offering in the heart of El Cajon, one of East County’s most supply-constrained rental markets. The property consists of five detached houses across a well-utilized lot:
(4) two-bedroom / one-bath homes
(1) three-bedroom / two-bath residence
This configuration offers investors a blend of privacy, stable family-oriented tenancy, and lower operating friction—an uncommon mix in the small-unit inventory class.
Investment Highlights
Sold For: $1,199,000
Property Type: Five detached rental homes
Unit Mix: (4) 2BD/1BA + (1) 3BD/2BA
Parking: Private driveways + onsite surface spaces
Tenant Profile: Long-term renters with strong payment history
Submarket: El Cajon – high rental demand, limited supply
The property’s layout reduces vacancy risk and attracts tenants seeking the privacy of a single-family rental with the affordability of multifamily pricing.
El Cajon Submarket Insight
El Cajon continues to be one of San Diego County’s most resilient and high-absorption submarkets. A combination of strong workforce housing demand, proximity to transit corridors, and rapidly rising replacement costs has made small-unit assets increasingly attractive to private buyers.
This micro-pocket near Main Street offers:
Consistent rent growth
High occupancy levels
Diverse tenant demand (families, long-term residents, tradespeople)
Lower turnover compared to traditional apartments
These dynamics positioned the property as a highly competitive opportunity despite its modest unit count.
Strategic Advisory Narrative
Arby advised ownership on pricing strategy, buyer targeting, and positioning the asset for maximum exposure within the small-multifamily buyer pool.
Key strategic steps included:
Comprehensive valuation using real-time El Cajon cap rate and GRM data
Identification of buyer profiles most likely to pay premium pricing
Highlighting the unique “detached homes” configuration to differentiate the asset from traditional 4–6 unit properties
Tight management of showing windows to optimize urgency and competition
Arby’s submarket expertise and advisory approach ensured a streamlined process with minimal disruption to existing tenants, ultimately attracting well-qualified private investors.
Outcome
The property closed at $1,199,000, aligning with aggressive pricing for the submarket and asset type. Detached dwellings, strong in-place income, and the scarcity of similar inventory contributed to a competitive marketing period and a successful closing for the seller.
This case underscores Arby’s track record in the small-multifamily sector and his ability to extract maximum value from niche asset types across San Diego County.
Considering a Sale?
If you’re exploring whether now is the right time to sell an apartment building in San Diego, get an expert-level brokerage opinion backed by real submarket data.
Request a confidential valuation:
https://www.sandiegoapartmentexpert.com/sell
