I also live in Encinitas and have investment property in both Encinitas and Escondido.
I agree with the statement that Encinitas is easier to self manage than Escondido.
I would not consider currently buying a SFR in Encinitas for investment based on current prices since they don’t really cash flow, even with the current record low rates.
I think it is a mistake to think in terms of only SFRs if part of your thinking is that you want to invest in a place that you yourself would consider living in. That is a false comfort zone. Also, if you are new and not sure you are comfortable being a landlord, going very low end might be less risk if you decide you don’t like being a landlord and want to bail. The lower end is a bit more liquid of a market.
So I would not only be looking at condos, but would be looking at 2-4 unit multifamily as well. There are a lot of older 2-4 multi=family properties in Escondido. They tend to cash flow much better than SFRs, if you can buy right.
