The Westside and surrounding communities

The Westside of Los Angeles County (LA) is my town. It is where I grew up and studied; it is where I live, work, have friends and family; and it is where I enjoy life. Historically, the Westside has been a great area of investment, with tremendous appreciation especially over the last three decades. It is also one of the most enjoyable and beautiful places for living. The Westside covers the neighborhoods that lie east of the Pacific Ocean, west of La Brea Avenue, south of the Santa Monica Mountains and North of the Los Angeles International Airport.

Many of the major educational, retail, cultural, and recreational attractions of Greater Los Angeles are located here, as is a large portion of the entertainment industry.  

Change is the motto for much of the Westside and surrounding neighborhoods, and as Californians, we are not afraid of change. Rejuvenating, rezoning or anything that makes our homes better by maximizing space and bringing life to our communities is happening here. A blend of casual Californian fun with East Coast/European city-life is the trend, where you can easily combine living, entertainment and work.

As you start exploring the Westside for your new property, you will find that Los Angeles is laid out like a grid. Traditionally, anything north of Wilshire Boulevard is considered prime real estate. In Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Holmby Hills and some of the gated communities, the property values are higher, mainly because the lots tend to be bigger, allowing for beautiful spacious estates with professionally designed landscaping.  In the last few years, since real estate prices have increased dramatically, there has been a trickle down effect in appreciation to other areas as well. 

The Westside has experimented with several homes styles. In recent years Mediterranean architecture has dominated newer construction, but a more modern ? Zen style ? originally popular in the Sunset Strip area, is now expanding everywhere. People like cleaner, simpler lines, with lots of glass and hard surfaces softened with wood or other warm materials. Floor plans have also changed, with a desire for kitchens that open to family rooms, which connect to the outdoors for informal entertaining.

The Westside has many positive qualities: enjoyable weather, goods schools, wide beaches, infinite choices for shopping and the glamour and prestige of living here. But for all its reputation and fame, its cities and neighborhoods still maintain many of the charming characteristics of lesser known, smaller places.

Through the years, I have become very familiar with the real estate values, inventory and trends of many cities and communities of the Westside* including:

1- Beverly Hills
2- Beverly Hills Post Office (BHPO)
3- Sunset Strip
4- Bel Air
4- Holmby Hills
5- Century City
5- Wilshire Corridor
5- Westwood
6- Brentwood
10- West Hollywood
14- Santa Monica
15- Pacific Palisades
17- Koreatown
18- Hancock Park
19- Carthay Circle
23- Downtown, Los Angeles
3 & 30 Hollywood Hills (West and East)

* More recently, as other communities modernize and revitalize, my real estate services have broaden to include Downtown, Koreatown and other areas of the City of Los Angeles.