Some homes have character. This one has a story. North of Adams Ave and a short stroll to the village of Kensington, this 1926, 3-bedroom/1.5 bath Spanish bungalow with a bonus 1-bd/1ba studio casita is the kind of home that you’ll never want to leave. There is a warmth here, a sense that this home was genuinely loved, that every updated luxury detail was chosen with care and intention. The courtyard is shared with the main house and a fully equipped casita with a studio layout, kitchenette, and full bath, ready to welcome guests, house extended family, or generate short or long-term rental income. It is a thoughtful bonus that adds both flexibility and real value to an already exceptional property. As you walk in the main house, the living spaces draw you in immediately. Rich white oak hardwood floors with mahogany inlay, dramatic arched focal windows that frame the outside world like a painting, and custom wrought iron details accenting the archways toward the dining room. Custom wood plantation shutters soften the afternoon light. Built-in shelving with stained glass accents lines the walls, and an original Batchelder tile fireplace anchors the space, a rare and treasured piece of American Arts and Crafts history you simply cannot find in new construction. This is a home you will want to come back to every single day. The kitchen is where the artistry of this home really comes alive. Picture yourself cooking on a Bertazzoni Italian 6-ring gas stove beneath a hand-sculpted custom hood, surrounded by custom cabinetry, Azul granite countertops, and a hand-painted Spanish mural that turns the wall above the stove into something you will point out to every guest who visits. Wooden beams overhead hold a hanging pot rack, and custom artwork on the tiles gives every corner of the room its own moment. This is not a kitchen you renovate. It is a kitchen you fall in love with. A large skylight in the dining room spills natural light across the space throughout the day, and the graceful archways connecting each room create a sense of flow that feels both open and intimate at the same time. There is a rhythm to how this home moves, room to room, that is hard to describe and easy to feel. The primary bedroom opens to the enclosed courtyard through French doors, so your mornings can begin outside if you want. A custom barn door leads to a private den or 3rd bedroom with built-in shelving and a half bath, a flexible and beautiful space that could be a nursery, home office, a reading room, a creative studio, or simply a quiet retreat from the rest of the world. Carrera marble floors in both bathrooms. AC throughout the home, and two water tanks ensuring fast hot water whenever you need it. And then there is the courtyard. Fully enclosed and utterly private, it is the kind of outdoor space that becomes the heart of a home with a built-in BBQ area and French doors opening from the primary bedroom. This is where dinners stretch into late evenings, where coffee tastes better on a Sunday morning, where guests never want to leave. Kensington is one of San Diego’s most cherished communities, and for good reason. Its walkable village along Adams Avenue is lined with cafes, wine bars, and neighborhood favorites where people linger over weekend mornings and evening strolls. Neighbors know each other by name. Mature trees canopy quiet residential streets. It has the feeling of a small European village tucked into the heart of a great city, with Balboa Park, the beaches, and downtown San Diego all within 15 to 20 minutes. Once people find Kensington, they tend to stay. Homes like this do not come along often. In one of San Diego’s most beloved neighborhoods, with this much history, craft, and heart woven into every room, 4820 Vista Street is ready for the next person lucky enough to call it home.
AGENT: Kate Goodwin LISTING BROKERAGE: eXp Realty of Southern CA
Courtesy of eXp Realty of Southern CA. Disclaimer: All data relating to real estate for sale on this page comes from the Broker Reciprocity (BR) of the California Regional Multiple Listing Service. Detailed information about real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than The Agency RE include the name of the listing broker. Neither the listing company nor The Agency RE shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless. The Broker providing this data believes it to be correct, but advises interested parties to confirm any item before relying on it in a purchase decision. Copyright 2026. California Regional Multiple Listing Service. All rights reserved. 4820 Vista ST
San Diego, CA
Property Details
Price:
$1,795,000
MLS #:
NDP2604402
Status:
Active
Beds:
3
Baths:
2
Type:
Single Family
Subtype:
Single Family Residence
Neighborhood:
92116normalheights
Listed Date:
May 27, 2026
Finished Sq Ft:
1,211
Lot Size:
6,404 sqft / 0.15 acres (approx)
Year Built:
1926
Spanish92116 – Normal Heights92116normalheightsSan Diego UnifiedFranklinWilsonHooverNeighborhood
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Schools
School District:
San Diego Unified
Elementary School:
Franklin
Middle School:
Wilson
High School:
Hoover
Interior
Appliances
DW, RF, GR, GS, BBQ, WHU
Bathrooms
1 Full Bathroom, 1 Half Bathroom
Cooling
CA
Flooring
WOOD
Heating
CF
Laundry Features
DINC, WINC
Levels
A
Exterior
Architectural Style
SPN
Common Walls
NCW
Community Features
SDW, SUB, CRB
Garage Spaces
1
Parking Spots
4
Parking Total
4
Patio And Porch Features
PTO, PO
View
CY, NE
Financial
Map
Community
- Address4820 Vista ST San Diego CA
- CitySan Diego
- CountySan Diego
- Zip Code92116
