With the low inventory and high demand, the few short sales that appear on the market don't seem to last long. We've tracked the Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach short sale and foreclosure market for the past few years and we are now at a several year low with only two "distressed" sales currently active on the South Bay MLS. In recent months the few short sales and foreclosures in these areas are generally pricing and selling closer to market value. Below are the two current foreclosures, one each in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach. The condo in Hermosa Beach is located in the condo/hotel The Beach House Hermosa Beach and is unusual due to it's condo/hotel aspect which only allows owners to stay a total of 90 days a year. This challenge makes financing almost impossible which is par... 11/08/2012

  26 Manhattan Beach single family homes sold during September 2012 of which four were priced over $2,000,000. The most expensive sale was 2812 The Strand. The 3,060 sq. ft. home sold for $6,200,000. The property consists of two, 3 bedroom / 2 bath living spaces (duplex) and as indicated by its address is just steps from the sand and surf. Currently there are 21 luxury single family homes for sale in Manhattan Beach. Twelve single family homes priced over $2,000,000 are currently in escrow. 10/24/2012

While much of the South Bay and Manhattan Beach real estate markets suffer from low inventory and high demand, making it difficult for many buyers to find the right home, Manhattan Village has seen an abundance of listings in the past month.  There are currently 4 homes on the market, 2 of which are court homes and two are town homes.  In addition a plan 5 estate home is soon due to come on the market as well.  In addition there are currently 3 court homes in escrow as well as 2 estate homes, which are actually single family homes located in a different area of Manhattan Village.  Manhattan Village is a gated community in the coastal community of Manhattan Beach and home prices generally range from the low $700,000s to over $2.0M for certain estate homes. The chart below shows the recen... 10/21/2012

As the rest of Southern California continues with the stifling heat, why not cool off and head to the beach?  While in Manhattan Beach come and tour a few of the magnificent homes and who knows....maybe you'll eventually you won't just be visiting.  This weekend offers some great open houses hightlighted by two beautiful oceanfront townhomes in Manhattan Beach at 4114 and 4112 The Strand.  Prices on this weeks open house range from $790,000 for a court home in Manhattan Village to $8.2M for the 8 bedroom Strand home.  Visit our Manhattan Beach MLS listings site to view any and all of these wonderful properties. Day Time Address Description Price Sun. 1-4pm 4 Santa Cruz Ct. 2 BD, + Den, Sharp, Manhattan Village $790,000 Sun. 1-3pm 1357 Voorhees Ave. 3 BD, 1 BA, All Upgraded! $949,900 Sun... 09/21/2012

Norma Toering's Beach Cities Luxury Homes Update - August 2012   - Norma (310) 493-8333 The ever popular beach cities of Manhattan and Hermosa Beach both posted luxury sales over $2,000,000 during the month of August.  Redondo Beach did not post any single family homes priced over $2,000,000. If you are interested in buying a home in the coastal communites of the Greater Los Angeles South Bay give Norma Toering and Team a call to help you find the best buys in the beach communities.  Luxury homes in the beach cities of Los Angeles:     09/08/2012

Real estate agents spend a great deal of time (and money) generating leads. Without leads, a full pipeline and a sphere of influence our business is drier than the Sahara in summer. Without leads we have no one to sell, to close or earn a commission. We are always selling, but when you think about it, isn’t everyone?   We must sell ourselves during a job interview, in our relationships and anytime we go after something we really want. Sometimes it is a simple process, sometimes the selling process is ongoing over a lifetime. Selling is not an embarrassment, it is a necessity of success.   Norma Toering & Team received a referral last week. The genesis of that referral began 20 years ago this month when I dropped my oldest son off at the University of California at San Diego. As luck wo... 09/04/2012

Homes sales report for the Mira Costa neighborhood in Manhattan Beach, California during July 2012. Homes for sale: 13 Homes are listed for sale priced from $799,000 to $2,899,000. Pending sales: 15 Houses are in escrow priced from $750,000 to $2,899,000. July sales: 4 Homes sold during July 2012 in Mira Costa: Address Sale Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet. Lot Year Built Days Listed 1750 11th St. $1,000,000 4/2 1922 7501 1952 0 1659 3rd St. $1,150,000 4/3 2801 7456 1982 4 1617 Mathews Ave. $1,565,000 5/4 3340 7470 1993 14 1717 9th St. $1,585,000 4/3 3226 7500 1987 22 Homes for sale in the Mira Costa area of Manhattan Beach: 08/26/2012

Homes sales report for the Liberty / Heights neighborhood in Manhattan Beach, California during July 2012. Homes for sale: 5 Homes are available for sale priced from $775,000 to $1,800,000. Pending sales: 6 Houses are in escrow priced from $879,000 to $1,449,000. July sales:  Two homes sold during July 2012: Address Sale Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet. Lot Year Built Days Listed 1159 Chestnut Ave. $689,000 3/1 1282 4900 1947 11 1420 19th St. $905,000 3/2 1279 7003 1949 6 Homes for sale in the Liberty / Heights area of Manhattan Beach: 08/26/2012

Homes sales report for the Village neighborhood in Manhattan Beach, California during July 2012. Homes for sale: No homes are listed for sale in the Village area. Pending sales: Two houses are in escrow priced at $1,350,000 and $1,400,000. July sales: No homes sold in July 2012: Homes for sale in Manhattan Beach: (See all Manhattan Beach homes)   08/26/2012

No doubt about it, the Manhattan Beach housing market is hot, hot, hot! August 2012 finds only six single family homes for sale in this desirable coastal city priced under the million dollar mark. A home near the sand with a full on ocean view slides into the multi-million dollar category even if it is a fixer.   The beach cities lifestyle is not cheap, but who can put a price on waking to the sound of the surf, glorious sunsets, miles of sand and hiking/biking trails just outside your front door? The energy level in Manhattan Beach is high and in keeping with the home prices–you know you are in a great location with unlimited possibilities for the good life in a prime coastal location in Southern California. 08/26/2012

Manhattan Beach Real Estate Market Summaryand Statistics For August 2012 The Manhattan Beach real estate market continued to gain strengthas home prices and cost per square foot numbers increase. Average price per square foot for Manhattan Beach CA was $800, an increase of 14.4% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Manhattan Beach CA for May 12 to Jul 12 was $1,460,000 based on 152 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price increased 4%, or $55,500,.......MORE http://www.manhattanbeachblogs.com/2012/08/23/manhattan-beach-real-estate-market-report-august-2012/   08/23/2012

Beach Cities Luxury Home Sales - July 2012 Update  Norma (310) 493-8333 July was a banner month for luxury home sales in Manhattan and Hermosa Beach.  What better time to shop for a home on or near the beach than during this glorious summer we're having in Southern California?  08/17/2012

Homes sales report for the Hill Section in Manhattan Beach, California during June 2012. Homes for sale: 9 Homes are listed for sale priced from $1,549,900 to $9,995,000. Pending sales: 4 Houses are in escrow in the Hill Section priced from $1,000,000 to $4,575,000. June sales: Three homes sold during June 2012: Address Sale Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet. Lot Year Built Days Listed 1026 1st St. $1,350,000 3/2 2100 4806 1949 95 510 Poinsettia Ave. $3,425,000 5/5 4305 6501 2002 128 230 Anderson St. $3,950,000 4/5 6135 6500 2005 360 Homes for sale in the Hill Section of Manhattan Beach: 07/29/2012

42 Single family homes sold in Manhattan Beach during the month of June. The high and low home sale prices for this beach city were $5,850,000 for a five bedroom home on 5th Street and $725,000 for a two bedroom home also on 5th Street. Are sales up? Based on the number of homes sold last year during the same time frame the answer is no, but sales in 2011 were already robust in Manhattan Beach.  Sales for single family homes in Manhattan Beach during June 2011 totaled 45.  Available inventory remains low in Manhattan Beach as it does throughout the South Bay. If your personal timing indicates it is time to sell your Manhattan Beach home the local housing market is ready to receive fresh inventory with open arms and willing buyers. 07/29/2012

I'm often asked just what makes South Bay real estate so expensive?  Well sunsets like this in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach are certainly part of the reason.  Ahh the price of paradise......   Just another typical July night in Hermosa Beach.  This is a view north looking towards Manhattan Beach and the Manhattan Beach pier.  Imagine this being your nightly view which is the reality for the ocean front homes of The Strand and Esplanade in Redondo Beach. 07/26/2012

                                 Manhattan Beach History   In its earliest days, Manhattan Beach was part of the original Spanish land grant for "Rancho Sausal Redondo" ("Ranch of the Round Clump of Willows") in 1822, a rancho with a land mass of nearly 25,000 acres which extended from the areas as far north of what is now Playa del Rey, as far east as Inglewood, and as far south as Hermosa Beach. At one time the area was called "Shore Acres" by George Peck, who owned a section of the north end of town.  Manhattan Beach is built on sand. Planks were laid in the sand on Manhattan Avenue for vehicles and along the Strand and side streets for pedestrians. In the early days, old timers speak of walkways disappearing, small structures sliding and the sting of the sand. The dunes were a major... 07/19/2012

All of us at Hoffman Murphy want to help with your next move. If you are considering moving to the South Bay, look no further than the Hoffman Murphy Team! The Hoffman Murphy Team: Are Keller Williams leaders in the industry Has a proven track record of over 1,000 home sales Has over 40 years of experience in the industry Was locally recognized as the best real estate company in the South Bay Are nationally renowned – we are in the top 1% of agents in the US Sue and Marie want to help you with your next home search and move into the South Bay. Contact us today at 310-939-9393 for more information, or simply fill out the form below!  07/13/2012

Innovative, patient, creative, generous, intelligent, persevering and professional – these are the words that flow from our mouths when we talk about our cherished real estate agents. We are in our new home, after having outgrown our old one, and we could not be happier! These amazing women achieved what seemed to be impossible - we wanted to sell our townhouse and buy an affordable single-family home. Everything was stacked up against us: slumping economy, slow market, financing woes, difficult buyers, termites – but we thankfully had the one thing in our favor that proved to be stronger than all of those factors combined: the Hoffman Murphy Team. They educated us with snapshots of reality and gave us more tools than we can count to prepare our home before the “For Sale” sign could be... 07/12/2012

The South Bay real estate scene in Los Angeles is brightened and blessed to have three lovely coastal beach cities–Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo. The coastal lifestyle is evident with surfboards atop autos or underarm when spending time in any one of the three cities. Sand and sun are always abundant in these Southern California beach towns. There is also no shortage of luxury homes.   As we enter July it appears the daily coastal fog, fondly referred to as June gloom, is lifting and the number of luxury home sales is also on the rise. 19 Beach Cites luxury homes sold with price tags topping $2,000,000 during June 2012. Manhattan Beach, the ever popular choice for those wanting to combine the beach lifestyle with urban conveniences, topped the luxury home sale list with 17 sales. Herm... 07/09/2012

Homes sales report for the Hill Section neighborhood in Manhattan Beach, California during May 2012. Homes for sale: 10 Homes are listed for sale in the Hill area priced from $1,599,500 to $11,900,000. Pending sales: 6 Houses are in escrow priced from $1,100,000 to $4,595,000. May sales: Three homes sold in the Hill Section during May 2012: Address Sale Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet. Lot Year Built Days Listed 515 N Dianthus St. $1,360,000 5/3 2565 3251 1960 42 947 10th St. $2,100,000 5/3 3620 8238 1989 26 864 9th St. $2,850,000 5/5 4000 5800 2000 123 Homes for sale in the Hill section of Manhattan Beach:   06/24/2012