Backcountry Real Estate.
Veteran Expertise.
Starlene Bennin & Ashlyn Windsor serve buyers, sellers, and property owners across rural San Diego and Riverside County — a mother-daughter team with deep roots in the veteran community.
Starlene Bennin · Marine Veteran · DRE #01730188 · GRI
Ashlyn Windsor · Coast Guard Veteran · DRE #02224221
Full-service real estate for the backcountry — and beyond.
Buying, selling, and property management across rural San Diego & Riverside County. From ranch properties and rental portfolios to the nuances of VA buyer transactions, we bring the experience and attention to detail rural real estate requires.
Buy & Sell
From ranch properties to mountain retreats, backcountry real estate takes more than a quick showing. We research the details, walk the land when it matters, and take time to understand what gives a property its value.
Explore services →Property Management
Full-service management for rural and suburban rentals — tenant screening, rent collection, maintenance coordination, owner reporting, and year-end records. Tenant-placement service is available if you don’t need full management.
Explore services →Veterans
VA home loans, trusted lender referrals, relocation help, and links to official resources for California veteran tax and DFAS retired-pay questions. Starlene and Ashlyn both served. They understand the move.
For veterans →On the market now
A hand-picked selection of our current backcountry San Diego listings
Backcountry properties Star & Ashlyn just closed.
37882 Montezuma Valley Road
Ranchita, CA
Listed by Starlene & Ashlyn
Listing Office: Chameleon/Red Hawk Realty
30857 Palette Rd
Murrieta, CA
Starlene & Ashlyn represented the buyer
Listing Office: Century 21 Masters
36025 Old Wilson Road
Ranchita, CA
Starlene represented the buyer
Listing Office: HomeSmart Realty West
Based on information from the California Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. as of Sep 16, 2026, 11:21 AM PT. This information is for your personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties you may be interested in purchasing. Display of MLS data is usually deemed reliable but is NOT guaranteed accurate by the MLS. Buyers are responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information and should investigate the data themselves or retain appropriate professionals. Information from sources other than the Listing Agent may have been included in the MLS data. Unless otherwise specified in writing, Red Hawk Realty and its agents have not and will not verify any information obtained from other sources. The broker providing these data believes them to be correct, but advises interested parties to confirm them before relying on them in a purchase decision.
© 2026 California Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. All rights reserved.
Helping veterans navigate VA purchases for rural homes, ranch properties, and backcountry living.
Backed by a clear look at the wells, septic, solar, and fire-zone details backcountry parcels actually come with.
Post-Service Freedom
Space, privacy, and the ability to live on your own terms — exactly what a lot of us came home wanting.
Off-Grid Capable
Off-grid here means the power setup. Water and septic are a separate question — and many grid-tied homes still use both. We help you look at how the property actually runs.
VA Loan in Rural Markets
Rural VA purchases can involve extra appraisal questions, manufactured-home requirements, and access or property-system details the lender and appraiser will want to see. We help buyers think those through and coordinate with a qualified VA lender.
Room to Breathe
From Julian and Santa Ysabel to Warner Springs and Ranchita — acreage, room for animals, night skies, and the kind of quiet where privacy is part of the lifestyle.
A dozen small markets, not one.
Backcountry San Diego isn't one market — it's a dozen small ones. Here's where we work.
Julian
Julian is a historic gold-rush town in the Cuyamaca Mountains of backcountry San Diego County (ZIP 92036), at about 4,200 feet. That elevation is enough for cooler summers, a real fall apple harvest, and winter snow some years — light in some seasons, enough to matter for access in others. Founded in the 1870s and a designated California Historical Landmark, Main Street still works as a small town: pie shops, cider, tasting rooms, and gold-mine history. Outside town, the land opens into orchards and cideries along Wynola and Highway 78, dark night skies, and trailheads at Volcan Mountain, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, and Lake Cuyamaca. It is rural, largely no-HOA country — cabins, ranches, and acreage on wells and septic, sometimes with solar or off-grid power — for buyers who want space and quiet about an hour to an hour and a half from the city.
Santa Ysabel
Quiet Valley and Mountain Meadows sit between Julian and Ramona — pastoral ranch country, old oaks, and long views. Dudley’s Bakery is the local landmark. Mesa Grande sits above the valley, with some parcels looking out toward Lake Henshaw. It is backcountry living in two registers: the valley floor, and the higher ground above it.
Ranchita
Very remote high-desert living at about 4,000 feet — larger parcels and room to spread out. The valley floor is one kind of living. North Mountain and the San Felipe Hills / Grapevine Canyon country are another: rock, longer views, more private ground. Some homes are off-grid. The Pacific Crest Trail runs through this corridor. It is not for everyone — perfect for some.
Ramona
Closer to urban San Diego than Julian or Warner Springs, and still rural in the ways that matter: acreage, horse property, and room to breathe. Ramona Valley AVA wineries, a real Main Street, and everyday amenities the farther backcountry does not have.
Warner Springs
Remote backcountry setting with wide-open land, varied geography, beautiful mountain and valley views, and access to the Pacific Crest Trail. Known for its historic ranch and hot springs roots, the North Mountain Wine Trail, and its surprisingly close proximity to Temecula, it appeals to those seeking privacy, space, and a slower rural lifestyle.
Palomar Mountain
Palomar Mountain sits above the backcountry at more than 5,000 feet — pines, cooler air, and night skies that still go dark. Palomar Observatory is the landmark. This is not the valley floor. Parcels are forested, winters are real, and the place is small on purpose.
Real words from people Star and Ashlyn have helped.
“Starlene and Ashlyn were wonderful to work with. There were many rounds of negotiations in our land acquisition and they were both attentive and aggressive in getting us the property we wanted at the best possible price for our unique situation.”
Backcountry land acquisition
“Star and Ashlyn were great — had great recommendations of companies to use to get the property ready for selling. They were right there and available whenever I had questions or concerns regarding the sale. Highly recommend.”
Sold in Ramona, CA
“As a military family, you don't always have the option to fly out and look at properties. Based on many conversations, Star found us our house — because she truly listens when you speak! We bought our house sight unseen and laid eyes on it the day we got our keys.”
Military family · Bought in Oceanside, CA
Discipline. Integrity. Service.
Starlene Bennin is a Marine veteran who built her real estate work the same way she served — with discipline, integrity, and a commitment to the people around her. Ashlyn Windsor is a San Diego County native who served six years in the U.S. Coast Guard and brings that same standard to the work. Whether you are a veteran using VA benefits, a buyer looking for land, or an owner who needs property management — start with a conversation. We’ll help you look at the property and the next right step.
10 Must-Knows Before Buying Rural San Diego Land
Water, septic, power, access, fire zones, zoning, VA-loan quirks — the ten things Starlene and Ashlyn wish every backcountry buyer knew before they made an offer. Written from 20 years of San Diego transactions with rural and backcountry experience of nearly a decade.
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