Welcome
Beachy ‘Highlands’ cottage where heritage architecture meets modern optionality. Come tour this oversized lot with elevated feel and loftlike spaces that spill natural light across crisp white walls and warm oak flooring. Thoughtful site placement, soulful floor plan, and expressive design elements frame an indoor-outdoor experience and your passport to an authentic Olde Encinitas lifestyle. SEE virtual tour for video, brochure, and ‘ADU’ context.

Home and Floor Plan
Approaching 636 Arden Drive evokes the original spirit of Southern California living. A simple gabled roof. Crisp white trim over clean lap siding. Large windows and excellent site placement combine to create magical natural lighting. Nothing feels more welcoming than a modest roof overhang with Dutch door entry.

The top door open and bright kitchen beyond make a cozy living area live larger than its footprint.  Well preserved original red oak flooring, freshly painted white walls, and newly added light fixtures make a timeless living room feel like your own private gallery.

A light and bright kitchen, with newly installed countertops, sink, faucet, and cabinet pulls, open onto the soul of the home; a raised living nook with balcony that overlooks a spacious backyard.

French doors and oversized windows cover the south and west walls of a large, freshly carpeted primary suite capturing elevated views of lush green landscaping between neighboring luxury homes.  A large primary bathroom and walk in closet await your personal touch.

The retro-awesome hall bath and clawfoot tub can benefit from a shower conversion.  Two standard bedrooms each enjoy good sunlight with one being a bit roomier than the other.

Well maintained steps from the soulful living nook lead to the large back yard and lower-level bonus space (‘ADU’).

Lower-Level Bonus Space
Beneath the rear split-level portion of the home is approximately 800 square feet of additional space, opening directly to the backyard. Originally exterior and later enclosed when the upper addition was completed, this area includes a large living area with wood-burning stove, full kitchen, full bathroom, and a low-ceilinged ‘bedroom’.

This area is unpolished and rough around the edges. Best viewed as bonus space and not core living area. Ideal for future reconfiguration, either integrated with the home itself, or reimagined as a proper ADU or creative space. Buyers should independently verify permitting and allowable uses. The value here is flexibility and optionality, not reliance.

It is worth noting that even if this space was integrated into the primary home, the current footprint should still (subject to City approval) leave ample room to accommodate a fully permitted ADU elsewhere on the property, while still preserving yard space and long-term value. Prospective buyers are encouraged to check with the City to verify allowable uses, permits, and development potential.

Improvements
-    New exterior paint
-    Overhauled exterior siding
-    New interior paint
-    Refinished floors where needed
-    New kitchen countertops, sink, faucet, cabinet pulls
-    New carpet in primary suite and ‘ADU’
-    New baseboards
-    Replaced primary suite window glass
-    New light fixtures
-    New electrical cover plates
-    Newer A/C
-    New toilet
-    Refreshed landscaping
-    Power-washed stairs
-    Repaired carport roof

Yard
While this listing report includes good photography, the backyard should be seen in person to appreciate its potential.  The site placement of the home itself leaves about 40% (or roughly 4,000sf) of the oversized lot open for backyard open space along with future potential pool and/or ADU (subject to City approval).  Lush mature landscaping and wide buffers between neighboring homes lend a luxurious olde California feel.

Garage
A one-car garage plus attached covered carport offers a practical and period-appropriate solution for daily coastal living.  The street outside can also comfortably accommodate two parked cars.

Development Potential
First time on market since 1955, this property offers amazing potential and optionality.  It features a rare, oversized lot, with gently-sloping west-facing backyard, and a home with good bones, elevated feel, and versatile site placement. It also checks every box for those seeking to develop a spectacular compound; perfect for a main residence, accessory dwelling unit, garage/workshop, swimming pool, and more.  Finding all of this is increasingly uncommon, especially this close to the beach.

Neighborhood
With citrus tree accents, old growth trees, and a saltwater breeze, the renowned Encinitas Highlands is like living in a Hawaiian countryside just steps from town. Surrounding homes reflect ongoing reinvestment, with substantial remodels, thoughtful expansions, and new construction revitalizing the neighborhood. This micro-area has quietly become one of the fastest-appreciating pockets in Encinitas, driven by lot size, walkability, and lifestyle.

Lifestyle 
Walk to town. Walk to surf. Living in Encinitas Highlands is like being submersed in the beauty and simplicity of a Hawaiian countryside, but with all the comforts and conveniences of modern life.  Beach lovers enjoy a strong connection to the sea, paying ritualistic homage to legendary surf breaks across “101”.  Sufficiently far enough away to feel insulated, but close enough for easy convenience, you take “E Street” to town, hit the rail trail for a jog, skate to Cali Cream for a double-scoop, or “go in” (east) to El Camino Real, where a quick left leads to everything mass-market, from Trader Joe’s to Target, and everything in between. 

Move here, and instantly plug into award-winning schools, world-class surf, great restaurants, farmers markets, shops, galleries, Coastal Rail Trail, Encinitas Community Park, Cardiff Sports Park, nature trails, train station, freeway access, historic Hwy 101, Cardiff Towne Centre, Downtown Encinitas, and Cedros Design District and everything North County has to offer.  No HOA or Mello Roos.

Disclosures
-    Lower-level Bonus Area was originally open space below a permitted primary suite room addition that was enclosed without permits (not an ‘ADU’)
-    Septic system is old but functional (Buyer may wish to consider City sewer upgrade)
-    Roof over rear portion of house is old but functional