Living in Tijuana and owning property in San Diego: how our clients do it

The cross-border profile is the most common among our clients. Areas, real crossing times and what to consider if you keep your life on both sides.

A good share of our clients don’t move: they keep their home, business and family in Tijuana, and buy in San Diego as an investment, for their children’s schools or to have a base on the other side. It is a profile with very specific needs.

The variable that decides everything: the crossing

If you are going to cross often, the distance to the border crossing weighs more than almost any other feature of the property. And here you have to be realistic: crossing times vary enormously with the hour, the day and whether you have SENTRI or Global Entry.

The minutes we give per area are from the border crossing to the property, not counting the wait to cross. That wait is the big variable, and it is the one you have to measure on your own schedule before deciding.

Areas by time from the border crossing

• Chula Vista: 15–20 minutes. The natural choice for the cross-border profile.
• Downtown: 25–30 minutes. A good one if the reason is investment rather than personal use.
• Point Loma: 25–30 minutes.
• Coronado: 30–35 minutes. The closest premium coastal area.
• La Jolla: 35–40 minutes.
• Carmel Valley and Del Mar: 45–50 minutes. They are chosen for schools or for the beach, not for proximity.

Fast-crossing programs

If you are going to cross regularly, SENTRI changes the experience completely. The application takes time and has requirements, but for anyone who crosses several times a week it is decisive. It is worth starting even before you buy.

What to think through carefully

1. The real times on your schedule. Crossing at 6 a.m. on a Tuesday is nothing like crossing on a Sunday afternoon.
2. Where the children will study. If they go to school in San Diego, the daily crossing becomes the axis of the family’s logistics.
3. Your tax situation. Having property and income in both countries calls for an accountant who handles both systems.
4. The real use of the property. If you will use it only a few weeks a year, it may make sense for it to earn rent the rest of the time.

The most common mistake

Buying in a beautiful area without measuring the crossing at the real time of use. We have seen families who bought in the north of the county and discovered six months later that the daily commute was unsustainable. Measure before, not after.

If you want the full process, see the Mexican Buyer’s Guide.

Tell us your crossing routine and we’ll tell you which areas make sense.