As you know, the real estate market has been in the news a lot lately, and there's a lot of confusion out there about what's really happening. Some headlines say that the market is crashing, while others say that it's booming.
So, what's the real story?
The truth is, the real estate market is a complex system, and there's no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of what's happening. But, I'm going to give you a few key things to keep in mind when trying to make sense of the market.
First, it's important to remember that the real estate market is always changing. There always are and going to be ups and downs. Government policies and legislation, tax incentives, deductions, subsidies, job reports, speculation about what the fed is going to do can boost or hinder demand for real estate. For example on March 10th 2023 the 30 year fixed mortgage rate was above 7% on March 14th due to the news of the Silicon Valley Bank response rates dropped .25% and by March 17 hit 6.5%. But as of March 23rd 2023 rates were back up to 6.94%. When interest rates drop, we see an uptick in mortgage activity and buyer demand. When interest rates, increase we see the opposite. It’s important to not get too caught up in the day-to-day fluctuations because owning real estate is a long game.
Second, it's important to look at the big picture. What's happening in the real estate market over the long term? Are prices going up or down? Are there more buyers or sellers? These are the questions that will give you a better sense of what the market is really doing. For example if you look at the average sale price for the last 15 years in Redondo Beach prices have more than doubled.
This time last year when interest rates were in the 3% range, the median home price for Redondo Beach was $1.23M and this year with interest rates in the 6-7% range, the median sold price for February 2023 was $1.284M. The interest rates are stabilizing appreciation. Instead of double digit appreciation that we saw post pandemic, we are seeing more moderate appreciation, but the lack of supply is not allowing home prices to drop.
In 2022, inventory was already extremely low and between February 2022 and February 2023 new listings decrease 54%.
Are there less buyers shopping right now?
Absolutely, affordability is way down with the steep hike in interest rates and many buyers have been priced out, but so is inventory. It’s also important to recognize that the data we are reviewing is from February so this means most of the homes that closed in February would have gone into escrow in December or January, which is typically the slowest time of year. It will be very telling of where the market is heading when we get the March, April and May sales data.
Two other big factors to look at is average days on market and list price to sold price ratio. In February the list price to sold price ration for Redondo Beach was 99.9%, which means homes even in December and January received almost 100% of their list price. This is a drop from last year when homes were selling for 106.5% of their list price.
Again, lower interest rates = higher demand and if you were shopping this time last year you remember the frenzy that ensued with hundreds of people through an open house in 3 days and 30+ offers on the table.
Days on market is up from 18 days last year to 41 days this year, but again a big factor to this is the list time. These homes went on the market right before, during or after the holidays, which effects the time homes sit on the market. Days on market means from the time the home was listed until it was pending contract and all contingencies were removed that it took 41 days. A big factor that plays into home prices During the same time period, supply of homes has gone down.
In what we consider a normal real estate there would be a 6-month supply of homes on the market. In Redondo beach there is currently less than 1.5 Month supply of homes on the market, and this has been pretty consistent for the last 10 years. When there is not enough inventory to supply the amount of buyer’s prices increase.
Finally, it's important to remember that the real estate market is a local market. What's happening in one city or town may not be happening in another. Los Angeles, beach cities in particular are different than many markets across the nation. While lots of major sites are reporting home prices down 1.2% nationally year over year, Redondo Beach has seen a 5.2% increase, if you're thinking about buying or selling a home, it's important to consult a LOCAL real estate professional and not CNN or Fox News because the micro markets are very different. We can’t even compare Los Angeles county to the Beach Cities so comparing the national market doesn’t make sense.
You need someone who is in the trenches day in and day out dealing with the intricacies of the local market and help you create a strategy for buying or selling aligns with what you are wanting to achieve.
I hope this information has been helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below and remember whether your moving in 9 days or 90 days give us a call, shoot us a txt, send us an email, schedule a zoom, we would love to help you make a move to the South Bay or Los Angeles area.
Regardless of what your goals are when selling a home, enlisting the help of real estate professionals like ourselves is a must. Selling your home should be more than just putting some photos on a website. Every real estate transaction is different so hiring a real estate professional like ourselves that will sit down, listen to what you wish to accomplish and build a custom marketing plan tailored to those goals is important. The average homeowner buys and sells a property every seven years so even though you may have been through the process to sell your house 3, 4, 5 times, laws change, paperwork changes, the market changes and it’s unfamiliar.
This is the process we used to prepare, market, and list a Redondo Beach home that not only generated a quick sale, but also resulted in the owner receiving $600,000 more than the highest sale ever recorded in North Redondo Beach for his home!
Marketing Plan
The first step is to sit down with our clients, evaluate their needs, and understand their goals. Next we will walk the property to evaluate the condition, review local market data and a comparative market analysis with our clients and recommend an appropriate asking price for the home.
Once the asking price is established, we develop a custom marketing plan for our clients' specific situation to attract the highest number of qualified, prospective buyers to the property in today real estate market.
Prep The Property
The next step is to prepare the property for the market. Whether that means deep cleaning, removing personal property, decluttering, organizing, staging, light remodeling, touch ups, improving curb appeal, etc. prepping the property for sale is a step that should not be over looked.
A good listing agent will visually inspect your property and make recommendations based off of this inspection that will ensure your property presents itself well.
A competitive price coupled with a properly prepped home will peak the interest of more buyers and buyer's agents. This will increase demand and potentially lead to multiple offers which could drive up the purchase price.
Our example property was a new construction so the only prep work that it required was staging. A professional stager was hired to stage every room of the house as well as the back yard so prospective buyers could really envision themselves living in the property.
Professional Photography
After the home is prepped, the third step is to have a professional photographer and videographer shoot your property. Professional photos and video are extremely important when selling a house. Buyers will usually preview the home online first so high quality photos will be the first impression a potential buyer has of your property and how they determine if they should view it.
If a real estate agent pulls out their iPhone to take pictures and doesn’t hire a professional then most likely they are not the right listing agent to represent you.
Matterport
Depending on the property Matterport may be an option for you. Matterport is a virtual 3D model of your home that allows potential buyers to virtually walk though your home. It is a great tool for international or out of town buyers to view the property almost as if they were there.
Marketing
We get the photos and video back within 48 hours and we start publicly marketing the property.
Strategic Online Placement
People no longer have to wait for a buyer's agent to send them a property from the multiple listing service. The fact is more than 90% of people start their home search online. As a result it is imperative your real estate agent has an online presence and marketing plan.
When we upload marketing materials for our listings, it will syndicate to over 750 websites. This ensures your property is represented where buyers are searching.
Social Media
A good real estate agent wont stop at just placing your home on real estate websites. That's why we also create short form videos to generate interest on social media websites and start advertising campaigns via Facebook, Instagram and Google. This creates interest and excitement about the property
For this property we had over 39K impressions on Facebook and Instagram and over 15K on Google.
Custom Website
We create a custom website for your property where all information, photos, videos and open house information is featured.
Broker’s Open
A broker's open house is an open house intended for brokers and agents to come preview newly listed properties to see if the property is right for the clients they are representing. Broker's opens are held during the week when agents are more likely to be available because weekend schedules are often packed with showings for clients. The day the broker's open takes place is often dictated by the city the property is located in. Ideally, you would list the property and have the broker's open within the first few days of listing, but this may very based of individual circumstances.
Mega Open House
For our first public open house we like to what we refer to as a "Mega Open House". A mega open house is an open house style that is way more fun and exciting than the typical open house. These mega open houses have food, entertainment, giveaways, etc. and are more fun and engaging. They are intended to create excitement, generate interest, drive as much traffic though the property as possible and ultimately get the home under contract. We send out thousands of electronic invites and pass out flyers to the neighborhood to make sure our open houses are the hottest ticket in town!
Public Relations
Depending on the property, we have PR opportunities through Compass as well as our network.
For this property, we were able to secure the cover of DIGS magazine with a cover and feature article. DIGS magazines are distributed to over 23K households and they have an online audience reach of over 200K per month.
Results
After doing all of this, we received 5 offers and accepted an offer for $3.79M, which was $590K more than the highest sale ever recorded in North Redondo Beach. We couldn’t be happier for both the buyer and our client!
If you would like us to create a custom listing and marketing plan to meet your specific goals you can call, text, e-mail or set up a consultation via calendly.
We would be honored to help you with the next transition in your life!
The South Bay is an amazing place to live. The beach cities in the South Bay deliver a small beach town feel while still providing all the amenities of a big city. Obtaining that quintessential Southern California living experience can come with a hefty price tag. In January 2023, the median sales price of a single-family home in Manhattan Beach was $3.29M, Hermosa Beach was $2M and neighboring Redondo Beach was $1.6M. If you are looking for a budget friendly option for home buying in the South Bay without sacrificing amenities, North Torrance is a great option to consider in the South Bay. North Torrance has a median sales price of 968K and provides easy access to freeways, great public schools, close proximity to the beach and all the same entertainment, dining and shopping options as neighboring beach cities.
In the video below we take you on a tour of a 4 BR/2 BA/1600 SF North Torrance single family home that was purchased in June 2022 for $810,000, completely remodeled and now currently for sale and listed at $1.175M.
The city of Torrance is located in Los Angeles county and is part of what is known as the South Bay region of the metropolitan area.
Torrance was incorporated in 1921 and it is a very large city covering 20.53 square miles. The 2020 census put Torrances' population at approximately 150,000 and it’s the 8th largest city in Los Angeles and the 33rd largest city in California.
Torrance has all the same attractions as neighboring beach cities. The city has over 30 parks, 1.5 miles of southern California beachfront, convenient access to major freeways and public transportation, and and abundance of shopping, restaurants and entertainment. In addition Torrance consistently ranks among the safest cities in Los Angeles County.
Torrance Neighborhoods
Torrance is made of of 13 main real estate areas: Harbor Gateway, Central Torrance, County Strip, Hollywood Rivera, North Torrance East, North Torrance West, Old Torrance, Southeast Torrance - East, Southeast Torrance - West, South Torrance, Southwood, Walteria, and West Torrance.
Torrance Schools
One thing that makes Torrance so desirable especially for kids and families is the public school system. Torrance Unified is ranked as one of the most diverse school districts in LA county, top 10 for sports and athletes and the #15 school district in LA county.
Torrance Unified School District
The Torrance Unified School District (TUSD) is widely regarded as one of the top school districts in the state of California and LA County.
Torrance Unified consists of 34 Schools- 17 elementary schools, 8 middle schools,4 high schools, 1 continuation and 1 alternative high school and 3 adult school campuses.
Torrance Private Schools
Torrance is also home to several private schools ranked in the top 20% of the state for private school education.
Torrance Community College
Torrance is also home to El Camino College, one of two community colleges serving the South Bay. The college offers over 75 academic programs to prepare students for the future.
North Torrance
North Torrance is bordered by Gardena, Central and Old Torrance, Redondo Beach and Lawndale.
North Torrance is designated by the zip code 90504 and broken down into two sections: North Torrance East and North Torrance West.
North Torrance is primarily made up of single-family home neighborhoods, but there are condos and townhouse communities and detached townhouses (2 on a lot similar to Redondo Beach) ranging from $550K for an older, smaller condo to $1.2M for a new construction townhouse.
North Torrance is a great option if you’ve been priced out of neighboring beach cities Redondo, Hermosa and Manhattan because you are around 5 miles to the ocean, close proximity to both the 405 and 110 freeways, 10/15 minutes to LAX and you have an abundance of shops, restaurants and entertainment nearby.
As of January 2023, the median sold price for a single-family home in North Torrance is $968K and the median sold price in neighboring North Redondo Beach is $1.6M for reference. Homes range from $700K for a smaller, fixer upper to $1.4M/$1.5M for a larger, updated home. Between January 2022 and 2023 North Torrance saw 8% appreciation.
There isn’t a lot of new construction single family homes in North Torrance, but we have six single family homes that are currently under construction in North Torrance that will range in price between $1.5-$1.8M so if you would like to get on our interest list click the link below.
South Bay Galleria
The South Bay Galleria is a shopping mall which is right on Hawthorne Blvd. bordering North Torrance. The Galleria has just started it’s $1 billion dollar renovation. This will be a major attraction for the area.
Plans for this development include a hotel, apartments, office space for businesses, high end shops and restaurants, skate park, outdoor space and it’s being dubbed the entertainment hub of the South Bay so that will be a much needed upgrade for the area and I think that will increase the home values of Torrance, Lawndale and Redondo as well.
North Torrance West
North Torrance West is located between Hawthorne Blvd./Crenshaw Blvd. 190th and Redondo Beach Blvd. A little over half of this area is located west of the 405 with a small triangular section located east of the 405.
This area is bordered by North Redondo Beach, Central Torrance, North Torrance East, South Lawndale and Bodger Park and El Camino Village, which is also Lawndale. A majority of the homes in this neighborhood are older single-family homes, but we are seeing a lot of home renovations and homes being flipped in this neighborhood.
Below is a link to a video for a home that was flipped and listed for $975K.
North Torrance East
North Torrance East is located between Crenshaw, Western, Redondo Beach Blvd. and 190th. The majority of this area is located east of the 405 except a small triangular section. North Torrance East is bordered by Central and South Gardena, McCarthy, which is also Gardena, North Torrance West and Old Torrance.
Children in North Torrance attend Carr, Yukon or Lincoln Elementary School, Philip Magruder Middle School and North High School. Chuck Norris is one of the famous alumni of North Torrance high school!
The city of Torrance is located in Los Angeles county and is part of what is known as the South Bay region of the metropolitan area.
Torrance was incorporated in 1921 and it is a very large city covering 20.53 square miles. The 2020 census put the Torrance population at approximately 150,000 and it’s the 8th largest city in Los Angeles and the 33rd largest city in California.
Torrance has all the same attractions as neighboring beach cities. The city has over 30 parks, 1.5 miles of southern California beachfront, convenient access to major freeways and public transportation, and and abundance of shopping, restaurants and entertainment. In addition Torrance consistently ranks among the safest cities in Los Angeles County.
Torrance Neighborhoods
Torrance is made of of 13 main real estate areas: Harbor Gateway, Central Torrance, County Strip, Hollywood Rivera, North Torrance East, North Torrance West, Old Torrance, Southeast Torrance - East, Southeast Torrance - West, South Torrance, Southwood, Walteria, and West Torrance.
Torrance Schools
One thing that makes Torrance so desirable especially for kids and families is the public school system. Torrance Unified is ranked as one of the most diverse school districts in LA county, top 10 for sports and athletes and the #15 school district in LA county.
Torrance Unified School District
The Torrance Unified School District (TUSD) is widely regarded as one of the top school districts in the state of California and LA County.
Torrance Unified consists of 34 Schools- 17 elementary schools, 8 middle schools,4 high schools, 1 continuation and 1 alternative high school and 3 adult school campuses.
Torrance Private Schools
Torrance is also home to several private schools ranked in the top 20% of the state for private school education.
Torrance Community College
Torrance is also home to El Camino College, one of two community colleges serving the South Bay. The college offers over 75 academic programs to prepare students for the future.
North Torrance
North Torrance is bordered by Gardena, Central and Old Torrance, Redondo Beach and Lawndale.
North Torrance is designated by the zip code 90504 and broken down into two sections: North Torrance East and North Torrance West.
North Torrance is primarily made up of single-family home neighborhoods, but there are condos and townhouse communities and detached townhouses (2 on a lot similar to Redondo Beach) ranging from $550K for an older, smaller condo to $1.2M for a new construction townhouse.
North Torrance is a great option if you’ve been priced out of neighboring beach cities Redondo, Hermosa and Manhattan because you are around 5 miles to the ocean, close proximity to both the 405 and 110 freeways, 10/15 minutes to LAX and you have an abundance of shops, restaurants and entertainment nearby.
As of January 2023, the median sold price for a single-family home in North Torrance is $968K and the median sold price in neighboring North Redondo Beach is $1.6M for reference. Homes range from $700K for a smaller, fixer upper to $1.4M/$1.5M for a larger, updated home. Between January 2022 and 2023 North Torrance saw 8% appreciation.
There isn’t a lot of new construction single family homes in North Torrance, but we have six single family homes that are currently under construction in North Torrance that will range in price between $1.5-$1.8M so if you would like to get on our interest list click the link below.
South Bay Galleria
The South Bay Galleria is a shopping mall which is right on Hawthorne Blvd. bordering North Torrance. The Galleria has just started it’s $1 billion dollar renovation. This will be a major attraction for the area.
Plans for this development include a hotel, apartments, office space for businesses, high end shops and restaurants, skate park, outdoor space and it’s being dubbed the entertainment hub of the South Bay so that will be a much needed upgrade for the area and I think that will increase the home values of Torrance, Lawndale and Redondo as well.
North Torrance West
North Torrance West is located between Hawthorne Blvd./Crenshaw Blvd. 190th and Redondo Beach Blvd. A little over half of this area is located west of the 405 with a small triangular section located east of the 405.
This area is bordered by North Redondo Beach, Central Torrance, North Torrance East, South Lawndale and Bodger Park and El Camino Village, which is also Lawndale. A majority of the homes in this neighborhood are older single-family homes, but we are seeing a lot of home renovations and homes being flipped in this neighborhood.
Below is a link to a video for a home that was flipped and listed for $975K.
North Torrance East
North Torrance East is located between Crenshaw, Western, Redondo Beach Blvd. and 190th. The majority of this area is located east of the 405 except a small triangular section. North Torrance East is bordered by Central and South Gardena, McCarthy, which is also Gardena, North Torrance West and Old Torrance.
Children in North Torrance attend either Yukon or Lincoln Elementary School, Philip Magruder Middle School and North High School. Chuck Norris is one of the famous alumni of North Torrance high school!
If your looking for a more budget friendly options for home buying in the South Bay without sacrificing much North Torrance is one of the best neighborhoods to check out!
Redondo Beach, California is a laidback, lovely coastal city in beautiful Southern California located 5 miles south of LAX International Airport along the Pacific Ocean. Redondo Beach is the South Bay’s oldest and largest beach community with a population of 67K. It is the most populous city along the California coast. Redondo Beach is bordered by Hermosa Beach to the north, Torrance to the east and Palos Verdes to the south and the Villas North section of North Redondo borders Manhattan Beach. The city's highly rated public schools and the sense of community are big draws to Redondo Beach.
Redondo Beach Community
Redondo has a great sense of community with movie nights, concerts at the pier, Farmer’s Markets, annual Kite Festival, Beach Life Festival, Holiday Boat Parade, the Super Bowl 5K/10K fun run and tons of cultural events held at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center just to name a few.
Redondo Beach is also a very active community. You will always find people running, biking, walking, surfing or running the stairs at Avenue C for exercise and hanging out on the sand on the beach. It is an excellent place to explore for its beaches, piers, restaurants and shops.
Whether you are looking for a relaxing day on the beach watching the boats and surfers or a fun-filled adventure with plenty of shopping and dining choices, Redondo Beach has something for everyone!
Redondo Beach Unified School District
Redondo Beach Unified school district is ranked as one of the top public schools in the Los Angeles area and a great place to raise a family! Redondo Beach unified is ranked as one of the top schools for athletes in the Los Angeles area and consistently ranks as a top ten school district in the Los Angeles area. Redondo Beach unified is the largest local school district with 13 schools in total. Redondo Union is the South Bay's oldest high school and the second largest high school campus in California and 3rd in the nation on a campus of 56 acres. Redondo Beach only has one high school and Redondo Union is the choice for Hermosa Beach students, who have the choice of attending either Mira Costa in Manhattan Beach or Redondo Union.
Redondo Beach Real Estate
The median home price was $1.5M in Redondo Beach as of December 2022. The cost of living in Redondo Beach is 81% higher than the national average although Redondo Beach is significantly more affordable than sister south bay cities Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach.
Redondo Beach Neighborhoods
North Redondo Beach has five main neighborhoods and South Redondo Beach has 3 main neighborhoods with numerous micro-neighborhoods in these sections.
North Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach is separated into two district zones- North Redondo Beach and South Redondo Beach. The major dividing line is 190th and Anita St. South Redondo has a zip code of 90277 and North Redondo Beach has a zip code of 90278.
North Redondo Beach is a slightly inland section of the city that borders Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Lawndale and Torrance. North Redondo Beach has five main neighborhoods, which include Villas North, Villas South, El Nido, Golden Hills and the TRW tract.
Villas North
Villas North is located south of Manhattan Beach Blvd., west of Inglewood Ave., east of Aviation Blvd., and north of Artesia Blvd. It borders Manhattan Beach to the west making it one of the more desirable areas of North Redondo Beach. Many streets in this neighborhood are zoned R2 and R3, which means you have a property with two or three-on-a-lot townhomes. The R2 zoning allows two townhouses and are typically detached with a small backyard space or front yard and shared driveway. R3 zoning allows three townhouses that are typically attached and the front unit usually has a front yard and the back unit has a backyard with the middle unit usually just having a balcony. Some of these townhouses have rooftop decks. In this neighborhood, you also have older, single family or multi-family properties sprinkled throughout and developers quickly buy those when they come available.
Villas South
The Villas South neighborhood is a triangular area sandwiched between the Golden Hills and El Nido neighborhoods and south of Villas North. You will find more apartment buildings in this area than in Villas North, but also a lot of R2 and R3 zoning similar to Villas North and some single-family homes as well.
El Nido
El Nido is a small triangular shaped neighborhood that starts southeast of Ripley Avenue and ends at the 190th St. border and bordered Hawthorne Blvd. You have many larger lots in this neighborhood 7500 SF+ and there’s a mix of remodeled, older homes and newer homes.
This is a pocket of North Redondo Beach that is seeing a lot of development. You are very close to Washington Elementary and Adams Middle, which is a huge plus for families. Certain streets in this section also get nice views all the way to the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
South Bay Galleria
The South Bay Galleria located in the El Nido section of North Redondo Beach. This location has historic significance as it is where John F. Kennedy once gave a speech on the last stop of his campaign tour.
It doesn’t look like much now, but in 2019 Redondo Beach approved the redevelopment of this mall that will include a hotel, apartments, skate park, outdoor park, office space, restaurants and retail, which will be amazing for the neighborhoods surrounding the area including North Redondo Beach, Torrance and Lawndale.
As a part of the redevelopment, $2M will go towards street and commercial improvements along Artesia and Aviation Blvd. North Redondo Beach is a more affordable area of the beach cities and I personally think that after the redevelopment is complete that prices will go up significantly because it will become very walkable and add many desirable attractions to the area.
Golden Hills
Golden Hills is a very desirable area of North Redondo Beach between South Redondo, East Hermosa and the southern border of East Manhattan Beach. Most homes in this area are referred to as “Tall and Skinny” because they are townhouse style and are on 2500 SF lots. The majority of these style homes have reverse floor plans with the living and dining on the 2nd level.
Silver Triangle
Within the Golden Hills section there’s the silver triangle. This is located between Aviation, Artesia and Harper Ave. This section is highly desired because it’s bordered by Manhattan and Hermosa Beach so you have the best of all 3 beach cities!
TRW Tract
The TRW Tract is located west of Inglewood Ave., north of Robinson Ave., south of Manhattan Beach Blvd., and east of Vail. This Redondo Beach neighborhood consists of single-family homes with 5-8K SF lots on tree-lined streets. Anderson Park is close by, which is a 12-acre city park with play area, basketball and tennis courts and a senior center.
We are seeing a lot more development in this neighborhood and bigger homes popping up. It's a good option for people who want new construction because you can buy an old home in this neighborhood for under $1.3M and build a 3000 SF home for around $900K so all in you are looking at spending around $2.3M. In comparison when you purchase a newer construction in this neighborhood it will be listed over $3M so if you build you get instant equity and a brand new home exactly to your taste.
South Redondo Beach
South Redondo Beach consists of three main areas with numerous micro-neighborhoods within those areas. The major dividing lines for these areas are PCH (Pacific Coast Highway), Torrance Blvd. and Palos Verdes Blvd.
Homes that are located on the west side of PCH are considered the "West of PCH" neighborhood, which includes micro-neighborhoods: The Esplanade, The Lower Avenues, The Pier and The Marina.
Homes that are located on the east side of the PCH are divided into two areas. There is the North of Torrance Boulevard section, which has two micro-neighborhoods that include North of Redondo Union High School and South of Redondo Union High School. You also have the South of Torrance Boulevard section, which has two micro-neighborhoods that include Alta Vista and The Upper Avenues.
The Hollywood Riviera is another area of South Redondo that has a 90277 zip code because of a post office in this section, however, it technically belongs to the City of Torrance.
South Redondo also has great ocean front parks like Veterans and Miramar Park- great for walking your dog or enjoying a chill day with friends.
West of Pacific Coast Highway
The Esplanade
This is Redondo Beach’s waterfront or "Strand" Section along the cliff that leads down to the shore, so you get beachfront living and unobstructed ocean views. The Esplanade runs from the South end of Redondo Beach all the way to the Redondo Beach Pier. You will often see people watching the sunset along the cliff because you have views from the Palos Verdes peninsula to Catalina.
The majority of the Esplanade is made up of condos and townhouses including some high-rise buildings, which is a rarity in the South Bay so close to the beach. There are a handful of single family residences on the Esplanade and nearly every home has ocean views and steps from the beach!
Lower Avenues
The Lower Avenues are located at the southernmost tip of Redondo Beach between the PCH and Catalina and referred to as the Avenues because of the street names- Avenue A all the way through Avenue I. The Lower Avenues, which consist of the 100-200 block have flat, wide streets and are located west of the PCH. This is an ideal location along the coast because you have easy beach access, awesome sunsets and you are walking distance to many shops and restaurants in the area including Riviera Village.
The Lower Avenues are primarily single family residences a mix of small, older and original homes and newer construction and larger homes. There are duplexes mixed in as well, but not as prevalent. The lower avenues is a very nice place to live and homes in this section are sought after so when they become available they sell quickly!
The Pier
The Pier section is located on the north side of Torrance Boulevard and west of PCH close to the Redondo pier. This is a small sub-section of the west of PCH area that begins at Torrance Boulevard and ends at Beryl St.
There is a great mix of single family residences, townhomes, condos and multi-family properties in this part of the city. This part of the city also has many historical homes that benefit from the Mills Act, which provides a significant savings in property taxes.
Residents of this area can easily walk to the Redondo Beach pier and the King Harbor marina which offers an abundance shops, restaurants, outdoor activities like sport fishing, and whale watching charters. Redondo Beach pier and the King Harbor marina is also where many of the city's events and great entertainment occur like summertime concerts, community movie nights, free yoga, Farmer's Market, annual Kite Festival, and the 4th of July Fireworks .
The Marina
The marina section of the city is located west of PCH, North of Beryl St bordering Hermosa Beach at Herondo Street and is the smallest subsection of the city. Residents of this area can easily walk to the King Harbor marina, waterfront dining restaurants and bars and events such as Beach Life and Ranch Life, which are music festivals and some of the city's most anticipated events that happen annually along the waterfront.
The AES power plant is located in this section . Redondo Beach city council sought the plant's closure for decades and came close a handful of times within the last 10 years but AES has recently announced they are committed to finally retiring the Redondo Beach power plant at the end of 2023, unless it's postponed again by state officials. Plans for this 49 acre plot of land call for demolishing the plant and replacing it with a sprawling development that includes more than 2 million square feet of housing, 510,000 square feet of offices and a 150,000-square-foot hotel surrounding a 22.5-acre park.
North of Torrance Boulevard
This area is divided into two sub-sections: North of Redondo Union High School and South of Redondo Union High School . A majority of streets that run east to west in this section are referred to as Gem Streets because they have the names of gemstones. The streets were named that way as a tribute to what was once Moonstone Beach where deposits of gemstones could be found along the shore. The North to South running streets in this section are referred to as the girl streets. These streets are named after the daughters of Manual Dominguez, the original landowner of what is now known as Redondo Beach.
North of Redondo Union High School
This section is primarily located east of PCH, west of Prospect Ave., north of Diamond St. and south of 190th St./Anita St. and north of Redondo Union High School. This neighborhood has a mixture of older and newer homes, smaller and larger homes as well as older and younger families. It is also walking distance to the Redondo shores Shopping center, Kings Harbor Marina , and the pier.
South of Redondo Union High School
This section is primarily located east of PCH, south of Diamond St., north of Torrance Blvd. and west of Prospect Place. This neighborhood is made up of smaller townhome communities, larger two-on-a-lot and three-on-a-lot style townhomes, SFRs and historic beach houses.
This location is also walking distance most outdoor recreational activities like surfing, kayaking, the pier, King Harbor Marina, and the Marvin Braude ocean front bike trail.
South of Torrance Boulevard
This area is divided into two sub-sections: Alta Vista and the Upper Avenues. This section located east of PCH offers all the amenities of quintessential Southern California costal living and more. Its a quite neighborhood with large parks and natural attractions. Hopkins Wilderness Park is an 11-acre site nestled in this pocket of South Redondo dedicated to conservationist study and is open to the public for overnight camping excursions.
Alta Vista
This subsection is located east of PCH, south of Torrance Blvd, north of Knob Hill and west of Susan Ave. This neighborhood is made up of primarily single family homes and surrounds the 19-acre Alta Vista Park.
Upper Avenues
East of PCH and south of knob hill you find Avenue A south through Avenue G is known as the “Upper Avenues”. The geography of the land on the east side of PCH, begins to climb a hill which offers ocean views for some properties in this subsection. Living along the upper Avenues is highly desired, as it is a quiet neighborhood with larger lots and larger homes. But still in close proximity to beaches, shopping, dining and entertainment in the Riviera Village.
Hollywood Riviera
The Hollywood Riviera is a neighborhood in the southwestern corner of Redondo Beach, California. It is bounded by Torrance Boulevard on the north, Hawthorne Boulevard on the east, PCH on the south, and West Palos Verdes on the west. The district is bisected by Via Marina, which runs from Palos Verdes Drive West to South St.
The Hollywood Riviera is one of Redondo Beach's oldest neighborhoods; development began in 1906 with the opening of a streetcar line that ran down today's Via Marina. In its early days, the Hollywood Riviera was an exclusive enclave for the wealthy; many of its homes were designed by well-known architects such as Wallace Neff and Paul R. Williams. The neighborhood declined in popularity in the middle of the 20th century, but has seen a resurgence in recent years as young families have sought out its unique character and proximity to both downtown Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach. The Hollywood Riviera is a charming neighborhood filled with charming homes and beautiful tree-lined streets. You are a short distance to the popular Riviera Village and the beach.
Manhattan Beach California is located within the South Bay area of Los Angeles county just 4 miles South of LAX airport along the Pacific Coast. Manhattan Beach was established in 1912 and is known as the jewel of the South Bay because of its prime position on the “Queen’s Necklace” where you get stunning views from Palos Verdes to the Santa Monica mountains. It’s a great location for people who commute outside of the South Bay or travel frequently because its location allows for easy access to freeways and the airport.
Manhattan Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Southern California and repeatedly voted one of the best places to live in the country. It ranked as the #3 best suburb to live in Los Angeles and raise a family. This is in large part to the great school district. Manhattan Beach Unified consistently ranks in the top 15 best public schools in the Los Angeles area and is an apple distinguished school ranking in the top 1% in the country. Manhattan Beach Unified is also a great district for athletes and ranked #19 in LA County. It is also a great place for young professionals and ranks as the #7 best suburb for young professionals.
Manhattan Beach is a very active community. You will always see locals running, biking, and skateboarding on the strand. It is a huge volleyball town with many pro volleyball players that live in Manhattan Beach. There is the green belt which is a 3.5 mile path that runs from Hermosa to Manhattan Beach. It is great for jogging, walking your dogs or just a nice walk. You have Live Oak Park that has tennis courts, basketball courts, two little league baseball fields and a play area. Manhattan Beach is also known for great surfing where surfers can surf year-round. The downtown section offers great shopping, restaurants, salons, and nightlife. Manhattan Beach also plans a lot of community activities for its residents such as holiday fireworks shows, a tree lighting ceremony, Hometown Fair, free summer concerts, International Surf Festival, and the Manhattan Beach open.
The city of Manhattan Beach offers your quintessential Southern California beach town living!
Manhattan Beach Real Estate
Manhattan Beach is absolutely amazing, but living in this city is very expensive. Manhattan Beach consistently ranks as the top 5 most expensive cities in LA county. In 2022, the median sales price in Manhattan Beach was $3.137M.
There are seven main real estate sections of Manhattan Beach. You have the Sand Section, the Hill Section, the Tree Section, Liberty Village, Manhattan Heights, Mira Costa and Manhattan Village. Within each of these sections there are also numerous micro-neighborhoods.
West Manhattan Beach
West Manhattan Beach consists of the three real estate sections of Manhattan Beach that are located west of Sepulveda Boulevard. These section are the Sand section, Hill section, and Tree section.
Sand Section
One of the most sought after areas in Manhattan Beach is the sand section and for good reason. The beach! The sand section runs the entire 2-mile length of Manhattan Beach along the coast with the northern border at El Segundo and 45th Street going all the way down to Hermosa Beach at 1st Street. The western border is the sand and the eastern border is typically 4-5 blocks in from the beach. Within the sand section there are several subsections.
Strand Lots
The oceanfront homes along the Marvin Braude Bike trail are some of the most expensive real estate in Manhattan Beach and the western United States. Within the sand section, you have homes south of the pier, north of the pier and El Porto. Real estate south of the pier is typically more valuable. Strand lots are typically 3300-3500 SF lots although there are several homes with double and triple lots along the strand. Generally homes in this area are three stories with reverse floor plans so you can maximize the beautiful oceanfront views these homes are fortunate enough to have! Strand homes demand a premium price because of their close proximity to the water and an unobstructed ocean view.
Walk Streets
Just beyond the strand you have what are known as the walk streets. These are sought after properties in the Sand Section where one side of the property faces a wide pedestrian only sidewalk lined with homes hence why they are called “walk streets”. Walk street properties are typically 30×90 feet or 2700 SF lots and many of these homes offer an ocean view. This is desirable real estate due to its close proximity to the beach while also offering more privacy, less pedestrian traffic and a more reasonable price tag than strand homes. South end walk streets located between 4th and 10th street east of Highland are the flat walk streets, which are great for families and children and are typically built with more of a traditional floor plan with the kitchen and entertaining space on the bottom floor to easily access the walk street. In North Manhattan Beach the walk streets get longer as Highland Ave. moves northward and the streets curve slightly with the land and the area is known as “Gas Light” because of the quintessential gas lights built throughout several of the streets. The streets do tend to be steeper but offer more privacy and sunset views from these locations are amazing and you enjoy views free of power lines.
Downtown
Downtown Manhattan Beach is located in the Sand Section between 8th and 15th st. Home to one of the best beaches for surfing, the pier, 150+ retailers, 50+ restaurants, and weekly farmers market, downtown has something to offer everyone.
El Porto
El Porto known as north Manhattan Beach is located north of 33rd Street. This neighborhood has a second downtown area with shops, restaurants, yoga studios, etc. and is the surfing mecca of Manhattan Beach. The best surfing is located in El Porto or right at the pier.
In these sections, children attend top rated Grand View or Robinson Elementary, Manhattan Middle and Mira Costa High.
The Hill Section
The Hill section is a small, affluent neighborhood of Manhattan Beach named after the large hill that makes up a large portion of this section of Manhattan Beach. It is located west of Sepulveda down to the Greenbelt at Valley and Ardmore at its southern border between 1st St and Manhattan Beach Blvd and is the smallest district of Manhattan Beach.
The Hill section is almost entirely made up of single family homes except for a small section of townhomes along Manhattan Beach Blvd. Real Estate here has significantly more space than other sections of the city with large homes and lots between 5 and 10,000 SF. From some homes located on the peaks of the hill you get views from Palos Verdes to Malibu and even Downtown Los Angeles! Homes on the city side of the hill get the views to the north toward the mountains and Downtown L.A. while homes on the westside can have spectacular ocean views. As with most properties, homes with and ocean view have a much higher price tag. These homes are an entertainer’s dream- many with pools and guest houses!
You are conveniently located close to the beach, Downtown Manhattan Beach, Valley Park and the Green Belt, which is a great path to run and walk your dog. If you have children then they will attend the award-winning Robinson Elementary school, a California Blue Ribbon School, Manhattan Beach Middle and Mira Costa High.
The Tree Section
The tree section is the largest suburban neighborhood west of Sepulveda and is located with Rosecrans to the east, Manhattan Beach Blvd. to the west between Sepulveda and Valley/Ardmore and Sand Dune Park to the west.
Named for their tree street names, the Tree section consists of newer homes that are 3000-4000 SF on 4-5000 SF lots. These homes typically have traditional floor plans and are great for people who enjoy indoor/outdoor living as most homes in the tree section have yards.
The Tree section offers good walkability to schools, parks, downtown and even to the beach. You are centrally located close to parks, restaurants, shopping and entertainment downtown or at nearby Manhattan Village or The Point. The Manhattan Village just underwent a complete makeover and has high end shops and restaurants like BOA and Sushi Roku bringing the Westside to the South Bay!
American Martyrs
The American Martyrs area is a prestigious area surrounding a local church and affiliated school. Homes in this section of the tree section see the highest values especially homes closer to downtown on the hills because lot sizes are larger and you can get ocean views.
Children in the Tree Section attend either Grand View or Pacific Elementary, which are both California Distinguished Schools. Grand View draws students from the beach areas and Pacific has the larger campus.
East Manhattan Beach
East Manhattan Beach section of Manhattan Beach consists of the four real estate sections that are located east of Sepulveda Boulevard between Sepulveda, Aviation, Marine and Artesia Blvd. These section are Liberty Village, Manhattan Heights, Manhattan Village and the Mira Costa areas.
In the early days, East Manhattan Beach real estate was primarily zoned for single family homes except for areas along Manhattan Beach Blvd. and Artesia Blvd. where you can find multi-family units. You get much larger lots with a standard lot being 7500 SF or 50x150, which makes it desirable for families. Real Estate in this section is also more affordable than West Manhattan.
Manhattan Village
Manhattan Village is the only gated community in Manhattan Beach and is desired by people looking for extra security in their neighborhood. The community is monitored 24 hours a day by a gate guard. The community also has a pool to be shared by the residents and located adjacent to the Westdrift Hotel golf course. The community is governed by an HOA and there are HOA fees that range between $300 and $700/month depending on the property. The community consists of single-family homes 2500 to 3500 SF and townhouses from 1400-2500 SF with prices ranging from $1.1 million-$3.5 million.
Mira Costa
The Mira Costa section of Manhattan Beach surrounds the public high school, Mira Costa High and is located between Manhattan Beach Blvd, Sepulveda, Aviation and Artesia Blvd.
Homes in this section are on larger lots than properties west of the PCH and typically have 50 x 150 lots with the average home size around 3500 SF. There are many hills throughout the area so some homes in this section of Manhattan Beach have city views. Many buyers choose the Mira Costa section for the larger lots and homes, which are far more affordable than the Hill Section. When you go east of the PCH you get a lot more home for your money.
The Poet Section
There is a small section within the Mira Costa section referred to as the Poet’s section with streets named after romantic poets. This section has larger homes on over 20,000 SF + lots. Homes in this section rarely come available.
Children living here attend Pennekamp Elementary School, Manhattan Middle and Mira Costa High.
Liberty Village
Liberty Village is located between Marine and Manhattan Beach Blvd. east of Polliwog Park and east of Sepulveda. This is considered to be the most affordable place to live in Manhattan Beach.
This area of Manhattan Beach was originally tract homes that were built post WWII to accommodate the rapid growth in the area triggered by the aerospace boom of the time. Many of the original homes in the area are being torn down to accommodate larger homes.
If you are moving to Manhattan Beach and would like a new construction home and aren’t opposed to building, an option is to purchase a tear down property and build because new construction has been selling around $4 million in this neighborhood and you can design the home exactly to your taste.
Manhattan Heights
Manhattan Heights is located west of Polliwog Park between Manhattan Beach Blvd. and Marine Ave east of Sepulveda.
Lots in this section are typically smaller than the Mira Costa section, however, there are some homes on hills that offer views to Downtown L.A. Gets its name because of the close proximity to the Manhattan Heights community center. You are conveniently located close to Manhattan Village, The Point, Target and many other stores and shopping centers.
Children living in Liberty Village and Manhattan Heights attend Meadows elementary school, Manhattan Middle and Mira Costa High.
Contact Us
If you would like more information about Manhattan Beach neighborhoods or are interested in buying or selling in Manhattan Beach or nearby areas feel free to reach out or click the link below to schedule a consultation. We would love to help you with your next move and be your South Bay Real Estate agent of choice!
Redondo Beach is separated into two district zones- North Redondo Beach and South Redondo Beach. The major dividing line is 190th and Anita Street. South Redondo has a zip code of 90277 and North Redondo Beach has a zip code of 90278. Redondo is more than 1 mile in length and runs south to Torrance Beach from the Redondo Pier.
North Redondo Beach Neighborhoods
North Redondo has five main neighborhoods, which include Villas North, Villas South, El Nido, Golden Hills and the TRW tract. In the Villas North and Villas South neighborhood you have a mixture of townhomes, single family homes and multi-family homes. The Golden Hills, TRW tract and El Nido neighborhoods are primarily made up of single family homes although El Nido does have some townhome communities.
South Redondo Beach Neighborhoods
South Redondo Beach is closer to the ocean and consists of three main areas with numerous micro-neighborhoods within those areas. The major dividing lines for these areas are Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance Blvd. and Palos Verdes Blvd.
Homes that are located on the west side of PCH are considered the "West of PCH" neighborhood, which includes micro-neighborhoods: The Esplanade, The Lower Avenues, The Pier, The Marina and The Lower Riviera.
Homes that are located on the east side of the PCH are divided into two areas. There is the North of Torrance Boulevard section, which includes the North of Redondo Union High School and South of Redondo Union High School neighborhoods. You also have the South of Torrance Boulevard section, which includes Alta Vista and The Upper Avenues.
The Hollywood Riviera is another area of South Redondo that has a 90277 zip code because of a post office in this section, however, it technically belongs to the City of Torrance.
Where is Redondo Beach located?
Redondo Beach, California is a laidback, lovely coastal city in beautiful Southern California located 5 miles south of LAX International Airport along the Pacific Ocean. Redondo is the South Bay’s oldest and largest beach community with a population of 67K. Redondo is bordered by Hermosa Beach to the north, Torrance to the east and Palos Verdes to the south and the Villas North section of North Redondo borders Manhattan Beach.
Is Redondo a nice place to live?
The beach, the highly rated public schools and the sense of community are big draws to Redondo and Redondo consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in Los Angeles for young professionals and families. Redondo has a great sense of community with movie nights, concerts at the pier, Farmer’s Markets, annual Kite Festival, Beach Life Festival, Holiday Boat Parade, the Super Bowl 5K/10K fun run just to name a few. Redondo is an excellent place to visit for its beaches, piers, restaurants and shops. Whether you are looking for a relaxing day on the beach or a fun-filled adventure with plenty of shopping and fine dining choices, Redondo Beach has something for everyone! There are numerous fantastic hotels, fine dining restaurants and shopping in Redondo Beach, CA.
Redondo Beach Unified School District
RBUSD is ranked as one of the top public schools in the Los Angeles area and a great place to raise a family! RBUSD is ranked as one of the top schools for athletes in the Los Angeles area and consistently ranks as a top ten school district.
Is Redondo Beach Expensive?
The median home price for Redondo Beach real estate was $1.5M as of December 2022. The median household income in Redondo Beach is $137K. The cost of living in Redondo Beach is 81% higher than the national average although Redondo is significantly more affordable than neighboring beach cities.
This time last year when interest rates were in the 3% range, the median home price for Redondo Beach was $1.23M and this year with interest rates in the 6-7% range, the median sold price for February 2023 was $1.284M. The interest rates are stabilizing appreciation. Instead of double digit appreciation that we saw post pandemic, we are seeing more moderate appreciation, but the lack of supply is not allowing home prices to drop. 
