Townhomes for sale - 2209 Nelson

July 2014 Median Home Prices in Torrance CA

By Keith Kyle

Townhomes for sale - 2209 Nelson

July 2014 saw some big numbers in terms of both number of homes sold as well as median prices.  Torrance CA  had 142 sold homes at a median price of $540,000 which was down from the same month in 2013.  Most other South Bay cities also saw some significant year over year increases in prices with the other exceptions being  Marina Del Rey and Playa Del Rey.  To see the actual homes sales in each city visit our recent home sales price and information site.

City Homes Sold July 2014 Median July 2013 Median Year over Year % Change
Carson 48 $382,500 $350,000 9.29%
El Segundo 15 $872,000 $797,000 9.41%
Gardena 50 $385,000 $332,500 15.79%
Harbor City 13 $4 80,000 $465,000 3.23%
Hawthorne homes 51 $505,000 $400,000 26.25%
Hermosa Beach 26 $1,230,000 $1,097,500 12.07%
Lawndale 8 $412,000 $331,250 24.38%
Lomita 13 $555,000 $452,000 22.79%
Long Beach 330 $400,000 $365,000 9.59%
Manhattan Beach 43 $1,795,000 $1,521,250 18.00%
Marina Del Rey 33 $757,500 $862,500 -12.17%
Palos Verdes Estates 51 $1,600,000 $1,291,000 23.93%
Playa Del Rey 23 $507,000 $512,000 -0.98%
RanchoPalos Verdes 54 $1,069,000 $1,100,000 -2.82%
Redondo Beach 97 $865,000 $758,000 14.12%
San Pedro 49 $440,000 $420,500 4.64%
Torrance 142 $540,000 $576,250 -6.29%
Westchester 48 $777,500 $715,000 8.74%
Paseo De La Playa in the Hollywood Riviera offers oceanfront homes with dazzling views

Paseo De La Playa….The Best Street in the Hollywood Riviera

By Keith KyleHollywood Riviera Homes

The Hollywood Riviera is one of my favorite areas of the South Bay.  Great views, small town community feel, ocean breezes, and homes that generally fit on the lots make for a feel that you don’t often get in the overcrowded South Bay.  It’s hard to go wrong with any location in this coastal community that lies in both Redondo Beach and Torrance but there’s one street that beats them all. Paseo De La Playa offers bluff top, oceanfront living for the lucky few and enjoys the best of all imaginable views.  The homes enjoy views of Palos Verdes, panoramic ocean views, and coastline views from Redondo Beach all the way to Malibu.  What that makes for is ever changing, always impressive views.  During the day it’s all about the ocean and coastline, but in the evening when colors change, it becomes a fantastic city lights view along the coast.

The lots, as seen below, are huge and usually in the 20,000+ range although mayOceanfront homes on Paseo De La Playa in the Hollywood Riviera of Redondo Beach. are on leased land often with an option to buyout the lease every few years. Depending on how high on the hill you are (lower elevation homes on towards the left above) there is sometimes direct beach access from the homes which dramatically increases the appeal as “RAT” beach (Right after Torrance) is just below and almost serves as a private beach as access is limited to a fairly long walk from the parking lot.

Homes on this street rarely become available and many are still in fairly original condition with original owners from the 1960s (honestly why would anyone want to move) and range anywhere from the low $3,000,000s- to well into the $4.0M’s for anything remodeled, especially with beach access.

Adding beach access, if not already there, is a huge struggle as it’s tightly regulated by the California Coastal Commission.  The only minor inconvenience to living on Paseo De La Playa is that it’s a moderately busy street and a frequent route for both cars and bicyclists going between Redondo and Palos Verdes.  There is one condo complex at the top of the street called Cote D’Azure with 87 units perched high on the bluff surrounding extensive grounds and pools.  The units are 2 bedrooms generally ranging between 1300-1550 square feet.  Many units do not sit oceanfront and have limited views, while the rare few offer similar views to the SFRs just down the street.

Overall the homes on Paseo De La Playa offer some of the best features imaginable for those looking into the epitome of California coastal luxury living.

For information on current homes contact us or fill in the form below and tell us you’re interested in this wonderful street.

Oceanfront Paseo De La Playa Homes for Sale

Torrance has a beach?

By Keith KyleRAT Beach below Paseo De La Playa in Torrance

If you look at a map of the South Bay it certainly appears that Torrance lies just east of Redondo Beach and the closest point to the ocean is a mile or two.  That’s not the case as the Hollywood Riviera, with it’s Redondo zip code and mailing address, is actually the city of Torrance with Torrance schools, services, and more.  Included in this small area is actually a beach affectionately known as “RAT” Beach.  It’s not as bad as it sounds as it actually is short for Right After Torrance but either way it’s a beautiful, yet short, stretch of coastline unlike anything Queens Necklace Views in the South Bayin the neighboring cities of Redondo, Hermosa, and Manhattan.  Torrance Beach sits below the bluff of the Hollywood Riviera and those willing to walk just a bit get a great and somewhat private beach with views of Palos Verdes to the south and the more widely known Beach Cities to the north.  Torrance Beach basically starts where the Esplanade of Redondo turns into Calle Miramar at the start of the Hollywood Riviera.

Who Pays for What During Escrow in Torrance?

Closing Costs – Who Generally Pays What In a Torrance CA Escrow

Keep in mind that the charts below are based on the standard allocation of costs in Torrance.  As with any detail of buying a home everything is negotiable including who pays what costs during the transaction.  In addition not all of these costs exist in every transaction and many are dependent on the lender, escrow company and the details of the offer.

Title Fees

Cost Customarily Charged By/To: Description
Owners Title Policy Title:To Seller Fee for the title policy. Calculated using the sales price.May be reduced if home was purchased or refinanced inthe last 5 years. Insures that the title is as agreedto at closing
LendersTitle Policy Title:To Buyer Title policy issued to lender to cover the amount of the loan.Based on the loan amount unless it is a negative amortizationloan.
Sub Escrow Fee Title:to Buyer & Seller Fee to administer the payoff of loans or property taxes of the seller and collection of funds from the new lender
Document Transfer Tax County: to Seller at $1.10 per thousand of sales priceCity: No transfer tax in Torrance Fee charged on all properties that transfer title – based on sales price.
Record Release/Reconveyance County:To Seller Charge to record the release/reconveyance
Federal Express/Messanger Fees Federal Express: to Buyer & Seller Charge to deliver all time sensitive documents and monies
Title/Wire Fee Banking Instituion: to Buyer & Seller Charge to wire funds to escrow, seller, lenders, etc
Electronic Recording County: to Buyer Charge to electronically record the document
Record Grant Deed County: To Buyer Charge to record the grant deed
Record Trust Deed County: To Buyer Charge to record the trust deed.
Messenger Messenger Service: To Buyer and Seller Charge to special messenger documents during the escrow: Feevaries with distance
Lender’s Endorsement Title: to Buyer Charge for endorsements required by lender to cover “outsidethe normal” risk circumstances

Escrow Fees

Cost Customarily Charged By/To: Description
Escrow Fee Escrow: Each pays own Covers liability assumed as well as standard processing costs.
Demand Fee Escrow: to Seller Charge to request a statement & process involved in getting a payoff figureto escrow on the outstanding amount of the current loan. One demand fee per loan.
Process HOA Docs & Transfer Fee Escrow: Seller Fee for processing required to assign membership for HOA a& copying all governing documents
Document Fee Escrow: to Buyer Covers the cost of all processing required to meet new lender requirements
Loan Tie-In Fee Escrow: to Buyer Covers the cost of all processing required to meet new lender requirements
Federal Express Federal Express: to Buyer For document packages to out of County Lenders.

Lender Fees

Cost Customarily Charged By/ To Description
Origination Fee Lender: to Buyer Charge for lending money at 1% of the loan amount
Documentation Preparation Lender: to Buyer Paid to lender for preparation of final loan documents
Tax service Tax Service: to Buyer Fee charged to buyer to set up property taxes with the state
Wire Banking institution Charge for the wiring of funds to title for closing
Underwriting Lender: to Buyer Fee to direct lender for the process of approving
Tax impounds Lender: to Buyer Collected to create an impound reserved account for the lender to pay property taxes twice a year
Prepaid Insurance Lender:to Buyer Generally 1yr of hazard insurance collected for impound reserveaccount
Appraisal Appraiser:to Buyer Paid directly to appraiser for appraisal of property
Credit Report Lender: to Buyer Paid to credit bureau for report containing 3 credit scores
Processing Lender: to Buyer Paid to mortgage broker for processing loan package from application to closing

Disbursements

Cost Customarily Charged By/ To Description
HOA Transfer Fee HOA Management: to Buyer To transfer ownership and handle new accounting set up
HOA Dues HOA Management: to Seller Paid through month of closing
Fire Insurance Insurance Agency: to Buyer 1 year prepaid premium for Homeowners insurance
Notary Notary: to Buyer

Payoffs

Cost Customarily Charged By/ To Description
Recording Fee Existing Lender: to Borrower Charge for having reconveyance recorded.
Statement forwarding fee Existing Lender: to Borrower Charge for issuing a payoff statement

Credits and Prorations

Cost Customarily Charged By/ To Description
HOA Dues Seller: to Buyer Calculated from date of COA through month-end
County Property Taxes Seller: to Buyer Calculated from the date of payoff through end of period paid for.

Real Estate Micro Market Update – Southwood Torrance

By Keith KyleSouthwood Torrance Homes

The neighborhood of Southwood in Torrance CA is a fantastic area with tree lined streets with primarily single family homes and a great community feel. Prices in this neighborhood, located just east of Redondo Beach, have seen steady increases since the beginning of 2013 and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Here’s a quick recap of the current real estate market conditions in this Torrance neighborhood.

  • In escrow – 8

 

  • Total homes sold in 2014 YTD – 20
  • Average sales price – $627,688
  • Average price per square foot – $474.73

21213 Anza Ave – Southwood Torrance Home for Sale

Currently the highest priced home in the great neighborhood of Southwood is located at 21213 Anza Ave.  The home is described as:

This is a beautiful 2003-2004 remodeled home with over 3500 square feet of living space. The lot consists of 6741 sq ft professionally landscaped with lush fruit trees, yard art and koi pond. The formal living room has 18 foot ceilings with a magnificent wood staircase that ascends to family sitting room. Off the sitting room there are three bedrooms each having its own private bath. The kitchen and great room are the center of this beautiful home with commercial appliances and granite flooring. On the main floor there is one bedroom with private bath.

The home is quite large for the area and has some interesting features but reaching a number of almost $1.2M on the busy street of Anza (although it’s on a service road off of the main street) seems quite unlikely.  Few homes in the area sell for anywhere near this rarified price and all are located in prime locations.

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