Solana Beach real estate has its own architectural personality. The homes in Solana Beach range from brand new tract housing to one of a kind craftsman classic homes. Several architectural styles began in southern California and spread to the rest of the country.

Some of the earliest Mission style homes were built here. The style spread eastward, but most Mission homes are located in the southwestern states. Deeply shaded porches and dark interiors make these homes particularly suited for warmer climates. Celebrating the architecture of Hispanic settlers, Mission style houses feature arched dormers and roof parapets. Some resemble old Spanish mission churches with twin bell towers and elaborate arches. By the 1920s, architects were combining Mission styling with features from the craftsman and Prairie movements.

Some of the earliest Mission style homes were built in this area. The style spread eastward, but most Mission homes are located in the southwestern states. Deeply shaded porches and dark interiors make these homes particularly suited for warmer climates. Celebrating the architecture of Hispanic settlers, Mission style houses feature arched dormers and roof parapets. Some resemble old Spanish mission churches with twin bell towers and elaborate arches. By the 1920s, architects were combining Mission styling with features from the craftsman and Prairie movements.

The Panama Exposition held in Balboa Park inspired a variety of Spanish Colonial Revival and Mediterranean styles of homes. This home style was popular in the city from 1915 to 1940. Step through the stucco archway, linger in the tiled courtyard, and you might think you were in Spain. Or Portugal. Or Italy, or northern Africa, or Mexico. North America's Spanish inspired homes embrace the entire Mediterranean world, combine it with ideas from Hopi and Pueblo Indians and add flourishes that would make Walt Disney proud. It's hard to know what to call the style. In Santa Barbara and other parts of California, these homes are usually described as Spanish Colonial Revival, suggesting that they borrow ideas from early settlers. Many architects prefer the term Hispanic or Mediterranean, while others simply say that the houses are Spanish Eclectic.

The Craftsman Bungalow is an all American housing style, but it has its spiritual roots in India. Native houses in the province of Bengal were called bangla or bangala. British colonists adapted these one-story thatch-roofed huts to use as summer homes. For their comfortable bangla, the British arranged dining rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms around central living rooms. This efficient floor plan became the prototype for America's Craftsman Bungalows.

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