Sometimes, you may want more than just a home, you want a piece of history. Those searching the World Wide Web may find that, among the many real estate sites offering homes and land, you can find something a little different – sometimes a whole town for sale. Surrounded by the rough California terrain is the small town of Campo, sprawling with dirt roads and weather-beaten buildings, and it just happens to be on the market for $6.6 million.
Still reflecting the long-ado unsettled American frontier, Campo is a small unincorporated community that sits just a mile from the Mexico border. Campo is located in the southeastern part of San Diego County in a rural area known as the “Mountain Empire,” which is a hilly, rugged terrain among the Laguna Mountains. Visitors heading to Campo will feel as though they have traveled back in time to a place where settlers and pioneers headed to “manifest destiny.”
This unusual real estate listing hit the market, and Top Gun Commercial Real Estate is managing the listing, trying to entice buyers to purchase the entire town by highlighting its Western charm. Listing agent, Nick Hernandez, stated that Campo “is known for its natural beauty, historical significance, and close-knit community.”
Hernandez is teaming up with agent Joseph Barela, and the Mission-Valley based duo are leading the charge to the town of Campo sold to the highest bidder. They two have produced a promo video to entice buyers, as well as contacting potential buyers and creating other marketing material. But this is not the first time Campo has been up for sale, and Hernandez revealed that the town’s residents are eager for a new owner to come in and improve their beloved community.
Campo is currently owned by Las Vegas real estate investor John Ray, who has owned most of the town since 2000. However, Ray was unsuccessful in his attempt to sell Campo back in 2019, and has delegated the task to Hernandez and Barela.
Unfortunately, the town’s isolated location makes the sale more challenging for the agents, and Hernandez stated that “There is a lack of jobs in the immediate area… John has received offers in the past but has never been able to agree on price with those buyers.”
The sale includes three privately-owned adjoining parcels that sprawl across 16 total acres. The land for sale encompasses more than 20 buildings in downtown Campo, which is a mix of single-family homes, apartments, and commercial properties to rent out, as well as worn-down structures that are ready for renovation and new uses. Campo is home to about 150 residents, with another 3,000 individuals living in the surrounding area, but that is not part of the real estate listing, according to Hernandez.
With residents ready to revitalize the town and make it a destination spot for tourists, Top Gun CRE is seeking buyers who are interested in redeveloping Campo by renovating existing buildings. The opportunities available that would allow a new owner to build new housing or add manufactured units for both commercial and residential uses are selling points for potential buyers.
Hernandez stated that, “We are open to working with creative and visionary investors who have unique ideas of what they want to do with the town.” And hopefully a new owner will take advantage of the opportunities Campo offers and reshape the community and redirect the pathway of this old Western town’s charm.
