Sold Oct 28
$2,588,888
Falcon Bluff Street
5 bd · 5 ba · 4,293 sq ft
97.7% of list price
Listing courtesy of Real Broker
San Diego Neighborhood Guide
4S Ranch is a master-planned community in unincorporated San Diego County, between Rancho Bernardo and Black Mountain Ranch in the inland hills of northern San Diego. Although homes carry San Diego, CA 92127 mailing addresses, the community is outside the City of San Diego and is governed by the County under the 4S Ranch Specific Plan. Built mostly in the 2000s by Newland Communities, it is known for newer homes, more than 10 miles of walking trails, large open-space areas, Poway Unified schools and a central shopping and library hub at 4S Commons.
Quick Facts
| Planning area | Unincorporated San Diego County, San Dieguito planning area (4S Ranch Specific Plan); not part of the City of San Diego |
|---|---|
| ZIP code | 92127 |
| Boundaries | Roughly Rancho Bernardo and Interstate 15 to the east, Black Mountain Ranch (Del Sur) to the west and south, and the San Dieguito River valley and Lake Hodges area to the north; Camino del Norte is the main route to I-15. |
| Founded | 1984 (County adopted the 4S Ranch Specific Plan); business park from 1987; homes built mainly from the early 2000s |
| Home types | Mostly single-family detached homes built from the early 2000s onward |
| Signature style | Newer master-planned homes built in the 2000s and 2010s, set along landscaped streets, parks and trail corridors |
| Price tier | Upper |
| Best for | buyers who want newer construction, a trail-linked master-planned community, Poway Unified schools and quick access to I-15 |
Jeff’s Take
I’ve sold and leased a lot of homes in 4S Ranch, and it’s one of the places I take luxury buyers who want a newer home in a polished master-planned community.
Homes were built mostly in the 2000s, with parks, trails and a shopping center at the heart of the community.
Who it’s not for: 4S Ranch is in unincorporated County territory and every home has a master association. If you want City services and fewer HOA rules, look at Rancho Bernardo.
4S Ranch vs. Rancho Bernardo: 4S Ranch offers newer homes and one master association under County governance. Rancho Bernardo has older, more varied neighborhoods and City of San Diego services.
What buying in 4S Ranch often looks like
Say you find a 2000s home near the center of 4S Ranch. Before we write, I check the master and sub-association dues and rules, any Mello-Roos or special taxes on the bill, and the fire-zone status of the lot.
Market Snapshot
| Measure | Oct 2026 | Oct 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $1,850,000 | $1,875,000 | −1% |
| Avg. price per sq. ft. | $699 | $701 | 0% |
| Homes sold | 23 | 23 | 0% |
| New listings | 28 | 31 | −10% |
| Median days on market | 15 | 36 | −58% |
| % of list price received | 99% | 98% | +1% |
| Months of inventory | 2.0 | 3.1 | −35% |
Single-family homes, ZIP 92127, as of October 2026. Source: San Diego Multiple Listing Service (SDMLS) closed sales, compiled by Jeff Brick. ZIP 92127 also includes Black Mountain Ranch and part of Rancho Bernardo.
| Measure | Current listings |
|---|---|
| Median asking price | $2,972,500 |
| Median asking price per sq. ft. | $754 |
| Homes for sale | 70 |
| Median days on market (current listings) | 56 |
| Months of supply | 4.2 |
| HouseCanary 1-year price forecast | 2.0% |
Single-family homes, ZIP 92127, listings on the market as of November 3, 2026. Source: HouseCanary Market Insights. Asking prices are what sellers are listing for, not final sale prices.
Jeff’s note (Q4 2026): 23 homes sold in October at a median of $1,850,000, about flat from a year ago. At 2 months of inventory the market is fairly balanced: well-priced homes sell, and overpriced ones sit.
A Few Recent Sales
Not every sale, just a few recent closings I picked to show what buyers are actually paying in 4S Ranch right now. Updated monthly · November 2026.
$2,588,888
Falcon Bluff Street
5 bd · 5 ba · 4,293 sq ft
97.7% of list price
Listing courtesy of Real Broker
$2,500,000
Cayenne Ridge Road
6 bd · 5 ba · 3,990 sq ft
100.4% of list price
Listing courtesy of eXp Realty of California
$488,000
Alva Road
2 bd · 2 ba · 899 sq ft
102.7% of list price
Listing courtesy of Compass
$1,050,000
Hollingsworth Way
3 bd · 3 ba · 1,455 sq ft
98.6% of list price
Listing courtesy of Pacific Sotheby's International Realty
$1,410,000
Deer Ridge Road
5 bd · 3 ba · 2,043 sq ft
100.8% of list price
Listing courtesy of eXp Realty of California
$1,840,000
Cayenne Creek Place
4 bd · 4 ba · 3,116 sq ft
104.2% of list price
Listing courtesy of Person Realty
$2,175,000
Santa Cristobal Street
5 bd · 3 ba · 3,390 sq ft
98.9% of list price
Listing courtesy of Cabrillo Mortgage & Realty Service
$2,010,000
Ralphs Ranch Road
6 bd · 3 ba · 2,739 sq ft
101.2% of list price
Listing courtesy of PAS Properties Inc.
$1,335,000
Cherry Blossom Lane
5 bd · 3 ba · 2,112 sq ft
98.9% of list price
Listing courtesy of RE/MAX Connections
$2,120,000
El Caballo Avenue
5 bd · 5 ba · 3,639 sq ft
94.2% of list price
Listing courtesy of 360 Residential
Sold information from the San Diego MLS (SDMLS®), deemed reliable but not guaranteed. These homes may have been listed and sold by other brokerages; they are shown to illustrate the local market, not as Jeff Brick’s own sales. Want the full list of recent sales or a value estimate for your home? Ask Jeff.
History
The land that became 4S Ranch was inland ranch country southwest of the old town of Bernardo. In 1918 W. J. Stowe of Los Angeles bought about 3,000 acres from the Eucalyptus Culture Company, planning to raise hay, grain and cattle. Ranchers had to register a livestock brand with the County, and on October 1, 1918, the Stowes recorded the “4S” brand, standing for the four family members who ran the ranch: William J. Stowe, his wife Ada, and their sons Perry and Gardner. The Stowes sold within a few years, but the brand name stayed with the land. Local histories record a Spanish-style ranch house built in 1928 overlooking Lake Hodges, and later ownership by the family behind the Ralphs grocery chain, who used the ranch for farming and recreation. San Diego County adopted the 4S Ranch Specific Plan in 1984, a business park followed in 1987, and Newland Communities built out the residential neighborhoods beginning in the early 2000s.
Newland Communities was the master developer of the residential community, working with The Prescott Companies, which helped set up the 4S Ranch Master Association, its governing documents and operations and has managed the association since its start. The County of San Diego guided the land plan through the 4S Ranch Specific Plan, adopted in 1984 and amended over time. The association reports more than 3,700 homes with about 4,015 planned at build-out. The family that owned the larger ranch kept land to the north, much of it designated as natural open space.
Architecture
4S Ranch is a 2000s-era planned community, so its homes share a newer-construction look: modern floor plans, attached garages and stucco exteriors, with neighborhoods grouped around parks, trail corridors and landscaped collector streets. Production builders worked within the County’s 4S Ranch Specific Plan and the master association’s governing documents, which produced a consistent streetscape rather than the mix of eras found in older communities such as Rancho Bernardo. Hillside lots look out over the open space that surrounds the community. There are no historic districts or notable architect-designed homes in the residential neighborhoods, and the oldest surviving structure tied to the land is the 1928 ranch house that local histories place above Lake Hodges.
4S Ranch has no designated historic districts; its homes date mostly from the 2000s. Its history survives in the name, which comes from the “4S” livestock brand the Stowe family registered with San Diego County in 1918, and in street and place names such as Ralphs Ranch Road. Because 4S Ranch is unincorporated, any historic designation would go through the County of San Diego rather than the City’s historical resources program.
Living Here
Housing is mostly single-family detached homes built from the early 2000s onward. The master association reports more than 3,700 homes and about 4,015 planned at build-out. All homes belong to the 4S Ranch Master Association, and some neighborhoods also have a sub-association, so buyers should confirm every HOA due that applies. Newer master-planned communities in this area often carry Mello-Roos special taxes for schools and infrastructure, so buyers should check the property tax bill for any special assessments.
Daily life in 4S Ranch centers on its trails, parks and the 4S Commons shopping area, where the San Diego County Library’s 4S Ranch branch sits on Reserve Drive. The master association counts more than 10 miles of walking trails and about 1,600 acres of open space, along with a Boys and Girls Club with a Junior Olympic pool and a large indoor gym. Seasonal community events include summer movies in the park and a fall concert in the park. Rancho Bernardo’s restaurants, golf and the Bernardo Winery are a short drive east.
Getting Around
4S Ranch is served by Poway Unified School District, even though it lies outside the City of San Diego. Del Norte High School, which opened in August 2009 at 16601 Nighthawk Lane on a 62-acre campus at the edge of 4S Ranch and Del Sur, is the district’s newest comprehensive high school. Elementary and middle schools within and next to 4S Ranch serve the community. School assignments follow attendance boundaries, so buyers should confirm the schools for a specific address with the district.
More than 10 miles of community walking trails, about 1,600 acres of open space, neighborhood parks run by the master association, and the San Dieguito River valley and Lake Hodges just to the north.
Explore 4S Ranch
Public and charter schools closest to the heart of 4S Ranch.
Poway Unified
Poway Unified
Poway Unified
Poway Unified
Poway Unified
Poway Unified
Poway Unified
School assignment depends on the exact address, so confirm the schools for any home with the school district. Source: California Department of Education, 2024–25 school sites. Report cards link to the official California School Dashboard.
4S Ranch sits in the inland hills of northern San Diego County, west of Interstate 15 and Rancho Bernardo. Black Mountain Ranch, including Del Sur, lies to the west and south, and the San Dieguito River valley and Lake Hodges lie to the north. Mailing addresses say San Diego, but the community is unincorporated and served by County agencies.
Local Favorites
Coffee shop (San Diego-based roaster)
10550 Craftsman Way, Ste 187, San Diego, CA 92127
Directions →Mexican restaurant (San Diego-based group)
10514 Craftsman Way, San Diego, CA 92127
Directions →Photos, ratings and links from Google Maps
FAQ
No. 4S Ranch is an unincorporated community governed by San Diego County, even though mailing addresses read San Diego, CA 92127. The County handles land use through the 4S Ranch Specific Plan, the County library runs the local branch, and the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District provides fire service.
Walkability depends on the neighborhood. Homes near 4S Commons can walk to shops and the library, and the community has more than 10 miles of trails, but most errands still require a car.
Life centers on trails, parks, the Boys and Girls Club and the 4S Commons shopping area. It is a quiet, newer master-planned community with seasonal events such as summer movies in the park.
4S Ranch is in Poway Unified School District, including Del Norte High School, which opened in 2009 at the edge of 4S Ranch and Del Sur. Confirm the assigned schools for any address with the district.
Every home is in the 4S Ranch Master Association, and some neighborhoods have an additional sub-association. Special taxes such as Mello-Roos are common in newer master-planned areas, so check the tax bill for the specific property.
Downtown is usually about 30 minutes by car without traffic via Interstate 15. The coast at Del Mar is roughly 25 minutes west.
4S Ranch is newer, built mostly in the 2000s under County rules, while Rancho Bernardo was built from the 1960s through the 1980s inside the City of San Diego. Both are served by Poway Unified schools and sit near I-15.
Work With Jeff
Jeff Brick, San Diego REALTOR® at Compass, DRE# 02156850. Million Dollar Service at All Price Points. Call or text 858-324-4448.
Nearby neighborhood guides: Carmel Valley · Scripps Ranch · Rancho Bernardo · Rancho Peñasquitos · Mira Mesa
Header photo: Peard33 (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
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