Roofing direct mail in Imperial Beach:
a neighborhood-by-neighborhood plan
By Best Direct Mail, San Marcos · Numbers from USPS and the US Census Bureau
Imperial Beach is its own city, at the southern end of the county, and all of it is in one ZIP Code, 91932. Most homes are small single-family houses and duplexes from the 1950s and 60s, with condos and apartments near the beach and more owner-occupied houses on the east side. Many of the older houses have low-pitched or low-slope roofs, and the whole town lives with salt air from the ocean and the bay.
Many homes are rented, so reaching the owner is half the job. Below is what we'd mail where, starting with the public numbers for 91932: how many homes there are, how old they are, how many are houses and who owns them.
Imperial Beach by ZIP Code
| ZIP Code | Built before 1980 | Single-family houses | Owner-occupied | Median home value | New movers a month (average) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91932 All of Imperial Beach | 67% | 42% | 31% | $856,900 | about 90 |
What the columns tell you:
- Built before 1980: the share of homes more than 45 years old. Many are on their second or third roof, and the higher it is, the more owners are due for a replacement.
- Single-family houses: the share of homes that are detached houses. The higher it is, the fewer EDDM® cards go to apartments and condos, where the association or the landlord decides on the roof.
- Owner-occupied: owners buy roofs. Renters don't.
- Median home value: higher values point to tile, metal and premium shingle roofs. Elsewhere, financing and a clear price matter most.
These figures cover whole ZIP Codes, and single routes inside them can be quite different. Our EDDM® route planner shows homes, income and homeownership for every route before you choose.
Home age, single-family houses, homeownership and home value are US Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates for the ZIP Code area. New movers are a US Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimate: residents who moved into a different home in the past year, turned into households and divided by 12.
New movers: on average about 90 households move to a new home in these ZIP Codes every month. Many buyers get a roof report from their home inspection and plan the repairs in their first year.
What a mailing costs: starting from $2,034 for 5,000 homes with a 6.25 × 9 EDDM® postcard, or $2,544 with our recommended 8.5 × 11, including printing and postage. See our EDDM® prices for other quantities.
What to mail in each neighborhood
Central Imperial Beach (91932)
Between the beach and 13th Street, on both sides of Imperial Beach Boulevard and Palm Avenue, most homes are small single-family houses and duplexes from the 1950s and 60s, many of them rentals. Many of these roofs have been replaced before and are due again.
- Replacements and low-slope roof repair, mailed before the rainy season.
- Use a homeowner list. Tenants don't buy roofs. A homeowner list reaches the owners, even when they live somewhere else.
Seacoast Drive and the beachfront (91932)
Along Seacoast Drive and around the pier, there are condo buildings, small apartment buildings, vacation rentals and beach cottages. Being right on the sand, these roofs wear fastest at the metal parts: flashing, fasteners, vents and gutters.
- Salt air inspections and repairs for cottage and small building owners.
- Reach the associations. In the condo buildings the association decides on the roof, so reach the boards and their managers with a business list rather than mailing each unit.
East Imperial Beach (91932)
East of 13th Street, toward the Tijuana River Valley and the Nestor area of San Diego, there are more single-family homes with yards and more owners who live in their homes. This is where EDDM® works best in Imperial Beach.
- "Is your roof over 20 years old?" A free inspection or replacement estimate, mailed before the rain.
- Roofs for ADUs and additions, and matching the main house to the new building in back.
North Imperial Beach, near the bay (91932)
Toward the bay and the start of the Silver Strand, the streets north of Palm Avenue have single-family homes, townhomes and condos. Townhome and condo communities have associations that decide on the roof and its materials and colors, while the houses take care of their own.
- Pick the house streets for inspection and repair cards, or use a homeowner list.
- Associations by business list, with an offer of a roof survey and a written proposal.
A first Imperial Beach mailing plan
- Replacements to owners. Mail an inspection and replacement card from August to October, before the rain, to the owner-occupied routes of east Imperial Beach. Pick them in our EDDM® route planner for 91932.
- Rental owners by list. Mail a repair and replacement card to a homeowner list of single-family homes and duplexes in central Imperial Beach, including owners who live elsewhere.
- Neighbors of every job. After each roof you finish, mail the carrier route around it: "We just put a new roof on a home on your street."
- New homeowners every month. Many buyers get a roof report from their home inspection. A welcome card with a free inspection reaches them first.
Mail each group at least three times, a few weeks apart. Use a different offer code on each card so you can see which neighborhood and which service brings the calls.
EDDM® or a mailing list in Imperial Beach?
In Imperial Beach, a mailing list is often the better choice. Many homes near the beach and in the center of town are rented, and EDDM® sends many of those cards to people who won't hire a roofer. A homeowner list reaches the owners, wherever they live. EDDM® works well on the east side, where more owners live in their homes. Check the home age, single-family and homeowner numbers in the table above, and tell us the areas you want and we'll recommend the right mix.
What to put on an Imperial Beach postcard
- Talk about the salt air. "Living near the ocean? Your flashing and fasteners wear out first." speaks to owners all over town.
- A photo of an Imperial Beach roof you installed. Real local work beats stock photos.
- One service and one offer per card, matched to the neighborhood above.
- Your C-39 license number, plus "licensed and insured" and your warranty.
For the full list of services, offers and a 12-month calendar, see our roofing direct mail guide.
Roofing postcard designs
Start from one of our ready-made roofing postcards. We add your logo, offer, license number and photos, send you a proof, then print and mail it. Need a custom design, or have your own? Just let us know.
Roofing marketing plans in other cities
- SanMarcos
- Carlsbad
- ChulaVista
- Clairemont
- Coronado
- DelMar
- ElCajon
- Encinitas
- Escondido
- LaJolla
- LaMesa
- LemonGrove
- NationalCity
- NorthPark
- Oceanside
- PointLoma
- Poway
- RanchoBernardo
- Santee
- ScrippsRanch
- SolanaBeach
- Vista
Imperial Beach at a glance
- New movers
- About 90 households a month
- Best areas
- Replacements: east Imperial Beach. Rental roofs and low-slope repairs: central Imperial Beach, by homeowner list. Salt air repairs: Seacoast Drive and the beachfront.
- What it costs
- Starting from $2,034 to mail 5,000 homes by EDDM® (6.25 × 9), or $2,544 with an 8.5 × 11
- Where to start
- An inspection and replacement card to the owner-occupied routes east of 13th Street, plus a rental owner list.
Frequently asked questions
How many homes are there to mail in Imperial Beach?
The table above shows the homes and carrier routes in 91932, straight from the USPS EDDM® route map. Most roofers don't mail the whole city at once: they pick the owner-occupied streets and a list of rental owners, plus the routes around each job they finish.
Which Imperial Beach neighborhoods are best for roofing postcards?
East Imperial Beach for replacements by EDDM®, and central Imperial Beach for rental owners by homeowner list. The table shows the share of homes built before 1980, single-family houses and owner-occupied homes in 91932.
When should an Imperial Beach roofer mail?
August to October, before the rainy season, for inspections and replacements, and November for leak repair after the first storms. Salt air repairs can be mailed any time of year.
Do you mail to Imperial Beach from San Marcos?
Yes. Our print shop is in San Marcos, so we print your postcards there and take EDDM® mailings to the Post Office that delivers your Imperial Beach routes.
Get a quote for your Imperial Beach mailing
Tell us which neighborhoods and services you want to focus on. We'll reply with a price for printing and mailing, and the routes or list we recommend.