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Single family homes in Torrance

Neighborhood Spotlight – Southwood Torrance Homes for Sale

Welcome to Real Estate in Southwood TorranceHollywood Riviera homes for sale - 340 Via Colusa

Sitting between West Torrance and South Torrance is the wonderful neighborhood of Southwood.  This small area also sits just east of Redondo Beach and the proximity to the ocean means milder weather and great ocean breezes that other parts of the city don’t enjoy.

Southwood Real Estate and Homes for Sale

Comprised mainly of 1940s and 1950s beach style bungalows, the area is still more affordable than some of the nearby beach cities while still having a certain charm lost in some of these other areas with oversized homes, makes a statement type architecture and over development.  Some homes have gone the route of maximum square footage, but the majority still look like homes that belong in the neighborhoods and give homeowners a bit of space and separation.  Although prices are still below neighboring South Redondo, they have risen dramatically in the past 2 years with most original smaller 3 bed/1 bath homes starting in the mid to low $900’s for fairly original, but nice condition, and the larger 3 bed/2 bath 1400 foot (many homes added a family room accounting for the extra square footage) selling anywhere from the mid to low $1,200,000s up to the low $1,600,000’s depending on location and condition.

What makes the area so special is the community feel, with an abundance of parks, dog parks and schools all within walking distance.   A quick drive down just about any street says it all with pride of ownership being quite apparent.  Manicured lawns, updated homes, tree lined streets and an abundance of neighbors walking the area makes for a great atmosphere.  Contact us if you are interested in learning more about Southwood or would be interested in receiving free email updates with the latest listings.

Current Southwood Torrance homes for sale

in Buyers, First Time Buyers, Homes for Sale, Sellers, Southwood, Torrance Real Estate Posted by Keith Kyle
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%
in Home Prices, Real Estate Market, Real Estate Trends, Torrance Real Estate Posted by Keith Kyle
Redondo Beach Hollywood Riviera

Torrance has a beach?

By Keith KyleOceanfront homes on Paseo De La Playa in the Hollywood Riviera of Redondo Beach.

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 in 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.

in Activities, Hollywood Riviera, Just for Fun, Torrance Real Estate Posted by Keith Kyle
Single family homes in Torrance

Real Estate Micro Market Update – Southwood Torrance

By Keith Kyle

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.

  • Active homes for sale – 8
  • Lowest list price – $485,000 – 5500 Torrance Blvd #C121
  • Highest list price – $1,199,000 – 21213 Anza Ave
  • Average list price – $753,713
  • Average price per square foot – $483.68
  • Average Days on Market – 35
  • In escrow – 8
  • Total homes sold in 2014 YTD – 20
  • Average sales price – $627,688
  • Average price per square foot – $474.73
in Homes for Sale, Real Estate Trends, Southwood, Torrance Real Estate, Torrance Realtors, West Torrance Posted by Keith Kyle

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.

[idx-listing mlsnumber=”PV14078225″ showall=”true”]

in Buyers, Homes for Sale, Southwood, Torrance Real Estate Posted by Keith Kyle
Home with "flags" marking outline of proposed addition in Torrance hillside overlay area

Torrance Real Estate Explained – Hillside Overlay

By Keith Kyle

Home with "flags" marking outline of proposed addition
Home with “flags” marking outline of proposed addition

A few of the many benefits of living near the beach are the wonderful ocean views and ocean breezes that make life here so unique.  These ocean views have immeasurable value from both a quality of life aspect as well as a significant monetary impact.  In many of the South Bay cities these views are unprotected and it’s not rare for a home’s stunning ocean views to disappear when the one story home next door gets torn down and new and much larger home replaces it.

Certain areas of Torrance are the exception. Primarily found in the Hollywood Riviera and Seaside Ranchos neighborhoods the city has incorporated much stricter building guidelines known as the “Hillside Overlay” area.  (see map below)

See the homes currently for sale in the Hollywood Riviera

In 1977, the Hillside Overlay Area was established in Torrance, CA in order to address issues concerning building, remodeling, and protecting views and privacy.  All new construction (meaning both new homes and expansions on current structures) are subject to review and input by neighbors including “flagging”  where a mock up of the future structure are marked with plastic flags  to approximate the outlines of any proposed addition to the structure prior to permit approval so that neighborhood input may be obtained.

Torrance Municipal Code Excerpt (Hillside Overlay)

The basics of the hillside overlay are as follows:  Upon receipt of the complete application, the Community Development Director shall set a date, time and place for a public hearing thereon as soon as practicable and shall send notice thereof to the owners of land included within a three hundred (300) foot radius of the exterior boundaries of the land for which the permit is sought

No construction and no remodeling or enlargement of a building or structure shall be permitted unless the Planning Commission (or the City Council on appeal) shall find that the location and size of the building or structure, or the location and size of the remodeled or enlarged portions of the building or structure, have been planned and designed in such a manner as to comply with the following provisions:

  1. The proposed development will not have an adverse impact upon the view, light, air and privacy of other properties in the vicinity;
  2. The development has been located, planned and designed so as to cause the least intrusion on the views, light, air and privacy of other properties in the vicinity;
  3. The design provides an orderly and attractive development in harmony with other properties in the vicinity;
  4. The design will not have a harmful impact upon the land values and investment of other properties in the vicinity;
  5. Granting such application would not be materially detrimental to the public welfare and to other properties in the vicinity;
  6. The proposed development will not cause or result in an adverse cumulative impact on other properties in the vicinity.

 

in Buyers, Hollywood Riviera, Real Estate Market, Seaside Ranchos, Sellers, South Torrance, Torrance Real Estate Posted by Keith Kyle