The town of Del Mar ("of the sea" or "by the sea") is located about 15 miles north of San Diego, along the between La Jolla and Solana Beach. Apart from the charming village and expensive-view properties, Del Mar is probably best known for the Del Mar racetrack and fair grounds. More on that later.

Del Mar is an affluent community of around 4,400 residents (2000 census) with a downtown area centered along Camino Del Mar (Route 101) which is lined with upscale shops (clothing, children's clothing, home furnishings, jewelry), galleries, real estate offices, trendy and casual restaurants (Jake's - see photo bottom left - and The Poseidon are located directly along the beach), small business services, and more.

Another main street in this small city is Jimmy Durante Boulevard, named for the well-known actor who frequented the race track along with other celebrities. There is another shopping area along Via de la Valle by the fair grounds.

The town was supposedly named by Ella Loop, wife of Thomas Loop, who worked for the railroad, who built a tent city on the beach in the area in 1882 when the railroad began service from San Diego to San Bernardino.

The Stratford Hotel was built in the 1890s by the South Coast Land Company, which became a popular destination for Hollywood celebrities and a focal point of the town. Development really took off in the 1920s when electricity was received from SDG and E.

There are several hotels near the Del Mar downtown area, with the most upscale, L'Auberge Del Mar Resort and Spa in the heart of Del Mar; others, such as the Hilton and The Jockey Club, are located over near the fairgrounds/race track, and a few straddle the beach just north of town. Sea Grove Park, just a block west of the main drag, overlooks the ocean.

Parking can be a challenge, especially in the crowded summer months, and is monitored carefully by the local parking officials. It's not hard to end up with a pricey parking ticket so pay close attention to the meters and the signage. The business and retail part of town is easily walkable from end to end, and bicyclists are a common sight.

Like the other coastal towns, Del Mar has beautiful beaches for residents and visitors to enjoy. Dog Beach (a.k.a. North Beach) is well known for, you guessed it, dogs, and is located at the north end of town.

There is plenty of public access in the Del Mar Beach colony area, and surfers parked along the public streets are a common site. Torrey Pines State Reserve and beach is just south of town, with a gorgeous stretch of public beach and plenty of parking, as well as one of the wildest areas of coast in southern California and home of the rare Torrey Pine..

The Del Mar Fairgrounds and Racetrack (located on the fair grounds) are popular venues, and home to a variety of events, in addition to the thoroughbred racing seasonthat runs from July to early September.

Opening Day is a social highlight, attracting folks from all over the area and celebrities from Los Angeles. Racing season tends to cause a great deal of traffic, on the nearby freeway as well as on the local streets - so be aware - and many condos and homes in the area become rentals (at a significant price) during this time.

The San Diego County Fair takes place before racing season starts, and there are multiple expos and trade shows throughout the year (home and garden, bridal, antiques, to name a few). There are a good number of concerts there as well, during the fair as well as stand alone events.

There are a number of residential areas that are fairly well known, including the Del Mar Beach Colony (north end of town west of the 101 along the beach), Del Mar Heights, and Olde Del Mar (the area just along the coast road). There are a few gated communities in town (Torrey Point, for example).

The Del Mar real estate market has an expensive reputation, rivaled only by Rancho Santa Fe (the most expensive), La Jolla and Coronado (downtown). The most expensive sale of a residential property in San Diego County took place earlier this year (4 lots and a multi-building home directly on the ocean) in the Del Mar Beach Colony sold for a total of almost $50 million; a 6-acre oceanfront parcel with large home in need of renovation is for sale near Torrey Pines State Park for $76 million. As of September 2007 the median price of a detached home in Del Mar was $1,625,000.

As of this writing, there are 87 detached homes for sale in the Del Mar real estate market, ranging in price from $995,000 to $6,900,000 (plus the $76 million property noted above) - there are only 3 homes under $1 million, which is typical.

Attached Del Mar homes for sale (36) are priced from $251,000 for a small 1 bedroom condo to $1,900,000. You will find a range of housing styles, from traditional and craftsman to very contemporary, and many properties are oriented toward views of the ocean, which of course adds to the price and the allure.

Lots tend to be fairly small and building codes restrict residents from razing older homes and building McMansions on small lots in certain areas and obstructing residents' views (the size of homes is limited to a percentage of the lot square footage). Projects must be reviewed and approved by the Design Review Board. Much of the land near the ocean is already built out so you will find few brand new construction homes, typically spec homes.