Hollywood Riviera – Is it Redondo Beach and/or South Torrance? – South Torrance doesn’t sound quite as romantic a place as Redondo Beach, but even with a Redondo Beach address, people in the Hollywood Riviera live in South Torrance.  It’s funny that there is a Redondo Beach address for people who really live in South Torrance.  It started back in the 1940’s when the first track of homes was built here.  Most of those homes are in the upper Riviera on the streets – Calle de Arboles, Calle de Madrid, Calle de Andalucia, Via Colusa and Paseo de Granada.  These homes were typically flat roofed and or very small in stature – no more than 1300 square feet – often 2 or 3 bedrooms with one bathroom. 

The city of Torrance where these homes were located is quite large and the closest post office was really far away, so this little area called the Hollywood Riviera requested from the Redondo Beach post office if they could deliver their mail to them.  The rest is history and now a good portion of the Hollywood Riviera (many refer to as the “original Hollywood Riviera” is left with addresses in Redondo Beach. Our ‘real estate map” that delineates the Hollywood Riviera” and its boundaries includes the area with the Redondo Beach address plus the “newer” Torrance-addressed portion (built in the 1950’s.) 

There is a difference in average price between the two areas. When comparing houses in this neighborhood it’s got to be figured whether the house lies in the Redondo Beach 90277 side or the Torrance 90505 side.  For instance, this year alone the average price for the solds on the 90277 side is $1.154K.  10 homes have sold in the Hollywood Riviera on the Redondo Beach side (90277) vs. the 8 homes that have sold on the Torrance side of the Hollywood Riviera (90505) with an average price of $849K.  As you can see there is a dramatic difference here – a 26% difference in price.  For one, the Redondo Beach side tends to have the homes right along the beach and with really good views vs. the Torrance side which includes some of the less desirable locations which brings the values down.  The lowest priced homes are almost always found on the Torrance side and the most expensive homes are almost always found on the Redondo Beach side thus leading the difference in average pricing.

One of the benefits to this interesting address if you live on the Redondo Beach side is that you are a resident of two communities so if you like to participate in community sponsored activities you can pay the “resident” price of both.  A small savings, but a savings none the less!

So as you can see there is a big differential in one neighborhood that a lot of people – a lot of real estate agents – don’t know about. This is why it’s so important if you ask me to work with a real estate agent who is “local.”  They will know the ins and outs of a neighborhood like no one else can.  Sometimes they will even know the specifics like who the neighbors are!