Christmas is coming up, and whether you love the holiday season or dread it, there’s something you can look forward to — gift giving. It turns out giving to others is good for your health! According to Professor Michael Norton and his Harvard Business School study, participants are happier spending money on others than themselves.
This residual happiness is not limited to spending and physical gift giving. In fact, a National Institutes of Health study found that when people give to charities and volunteer their time, it activates the region of the brain associated with pleasure, social connection and trust. And with the holidays firmly around the corner, there’s no better time to get your give on.
Giving is not only good for our emotional well-being but our physical health, too. Kathleen Lawler of the University of Tennessee conducted a study that found participants had lower blood pressure when providing social support to others (as opposed to those who didn’t), leading to the conclusion that giving reduces stress and improves longevity.
Generosity’s health-boosting effects tend to ripple out and gather up others in its wake. It’s linked to the release of oxytocin, commonly dubbed the “love hormone.” This induces warmth, empathy and the propensity to be generous towards others, which kick-starts a behavioral circle of giving, according to neuroeconomist Paul Zak.
Taking up a new hobby is an excellent New Year’s resolution, and with everyone having a camera at their fingertips these days, you might have an itch to try properly taking up photography. Becoming a good photographer is more than just point and shoot, though. It’s all about composition, framing and understanding space. Here are three top tips for getting started.
A staple of good photography is the rule of thirds, in which you split the image up into nine imaginary boxes, all equally spaced across the frame, using two horizontal and two vertical lines. Placing the subjects of the photo in the cross sections with background elements such as sky or sea aligned with the lines helps to create the best possible framing for your picture. Some cameras will generate this grid automatically, so you don’t even have to imagine it.
Even if you only intend to photograph one thing, the rest of the image is also part of the photograph. Take advantage of that by using empty space to highlight the true subject. Zooming out and allowing your subject to take up a smaller space in the picture can bring focus to the beauty of the image and help create a story as well as taking the pressure off the subject to draw focus.
Consider a frame within a frame. While a slightly tricky technique to pull off, sometimes the environment itself will provide you with a stunning extra frame for your subject within the frame of the photo. This could be an obvious one like a car window or a doorway, or it could be beautifully created by objects in the shot, such as gaps in trees in the foreground or fortuitously placed shapes in the background.
In the winter, there’s less real estate activity, but that also means that the most motivated buyers will have fewer options — which might just include your home. So, if you’re planning to sell in the winter, it’s important to not get lazy, even if demand is low. Good maintenance is important this time of year, whether you’re selling or not. This is especially true in areas that get snow. Drafts, fogged windows or heating that struggles to keep up can raise concerns quickly. Before listing, service your heating system, seal any gaps around doors and windows and address any lingering repairs.
Once you’re ready to list, make sure prospective buyers actually want to look at your home. Snow or no snow, first impressions matter. Keep walkways clear, salt any icy areas and trim dead branches or leftover fall debris. If you have outdoor lighting, use it to brighten the pathways and highlight your entryway, as shorter days mean buyers may be arriving after dark. Be sure to keep everything clean and clutter free. Winter boots and coats can multiply fast at this time of year, so create a neat entry space and hang any winter clothing out of the way. Fresh rugs, clean floors and organized storage areas will go a long way toward improving your home’s appearance.
Make the inside of your home comfortable as well. Warm temperatures, soft lighting, and subtle seasonal scents help buyers imagine themselves settling in. If you have a fireplace, showcase it. Consider layering throws, arranging comfortable seating and ensuring windows are spotless to maximize natural winter light.
Ten months of data tell a story of Los Angeles South Bay real estate market that has bounced from strong monthly volume increases one month to devastating decreases the following month and back again. Likewise, monthly median prices have ranged from double digit positives to double digit declines.
Both sales volume and median prices suffered the same wild swings early in 2025. As the year progressed, sales statistics have begun to stabilize. For the most part volume and price are now differing from last year predominately in single digits.
Most of those changes are now ending as declines. For the first time this year, October sales volume was down in all four market areas, for a total decline of 7%. Last month volume was down in three of the four, and down across the South Bay, though by a statistically insignificant amount.
Year over year median prices slipped in October for the high end of the market. Homes in the Beach and Hill areas fell slightly. Those in the Harbor and Inland areas rose slightly. With the notable exception of the Beach area, median prices have been falling all year. At this point it looks entirely possible to see the final median price for 2025 fall below that for 2024.
Forecasts from the Federal Reserve hint at another .25% decrease in the prime rate during the December meeting. While such a move has a “feel good” quality, some Fed leaders have said the real problem is a weakening in the employment market. Estimates made earlier in the year are already being revised to show increased unemployment and decreased purchasing power. Either of those alone will impact real estate. Both together could kick off the recession major banks are preparing to face.
Beach:
Compared to September business, home sales at the Beach jumped up 18% in October. For perspective, it should be noted that sales volume was down by 9% in September, after falling 17% in August. While volume increased for the month, the median price dropped 3%, coming in at $1.899,000.
This close to the end of the year, annual comparisons are more meaningful than month to month. The 118 homes sold in October was a 9% reduction from the same month in 2024. Similarly, the median price took a hit, ending a mere $1,000 below last year.
Year to date, both the sales volume and the median price are still up from the first 10 months of 2024. Sales volume is up 14% and the median sales price is up 8%. Both metrics have been deteriorating since the end of the first quarter and are expected to continue downward.
Harbor:
With 322 homes sold in October, the Harbor area experienced a 5% increase in sales volume over September. The area simultaneously registered an inconsequential $2,250 decrease in median price from $795,000 to $792,500.
Sales volume fell 7% from last October after having dropped 3% in September. Sales have declined in four out of the last five months. Despite the lower number of sales, the median price increased by 2% for the month, following a 5% increase in the prior month.
Year to date, home sales in 2025 have lessened each successive month in comparison to 2024. As of October, sales volume this year was 2% higher than it was in 2024. Continued declining sales threaten to shift the market into negative range. The median price for the first ten months stood at 1%. That number too appears to be faltering.
Hill:
October left little question about the real estate market on the Hill. Nearly everything was down—monthly and annual—volume and prices. On sales of 55 homes, volume dropped by 31% from September. The median price of $1,840,000 was 14% below the prior month.
Looking at the same month in 2024 shows 17% drop in the number of homes sold on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, the largest decline among the four areas for the month of October. The median price for the month was likewise the largest decline of the month, dropping 4%.
Through October, sales volume in the Hill area brought a bit of relief with a 6% gain over the same period in 2024. The median price took that respite away as it dropped 1%.
Inland:
Monthly statistics for the Inland area showed the most positive results of the four areas, though they ended mixed. With 142 homes sold, the area had a 20% gain in sales. The volatility of the monthly data came through with a decline of 9%, as the median price fell to $919,000.
Comparing the month of October from 2024 to that of 2025 shows the opposite mix with the number of sales down 1% while the median price rose by 5%.
With 2025 nearing its end, the year to date number is most important. As the year has passed by the outlook for the total year has looked increasingly negative. Each successive month the sales volume has moved toward negative growth, as has the median price. The Inland area was the closest to negative for October with 1% more sales for the period than were recorded in 2024. For the same period, median price in the Inland area has remained 2% above the median for 2024.
Beach=Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo Harbor=Carson, Long Beach, San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City PV Hill=Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates Inland=Torrance, Lomita, Gardena
Open houses are a very useful tool for learning about a property. But it’s not just about walking in, taking a look around, and walking out. Full advantage of visiting an open house is achieved if you can time your visit when there are very few lookers roaming through the house. Too many visitors, and you won’t be able to take in details and may not have an opportunity to speak to the agent or homeowner. If you’re the only visitor, you might miss out on insights from others looking at the property from a different perspective.
You can also learn about more than just that one property. If you’re focused and paying attention, you can learn about an entire neighborhood just by visiting open houses. Observe your surroundings as you’re traveling and notice patterns in traffic and what the neighbors are doing. Once inside, use the information you learn not only to decide whether you want this home, but what some of your expectations can be for other homes in the area. This is particularly effective if you are visiting more than one open house in the same neighborhood. And this is just from the open houses — you can absolutely use this opportunity to directly speak to neighbors. Sometimes neighbors even visit open houses without any intent to buy.
The appeal of a condo over a single family residence or an apartment unit is that is a mix of independence and convenience. This isn’t the right choice for everyone, but even if it is, that doesn’t mean everything is necessarily perfect. There are plenty of hidden pitfalls to consider, some of which apply to any purchase, but some of which won’t necessarily apply to other types of homes.
It’s not uncommon for condos to have deferred maintenance, particularly since the HOA often needs to agree to it. A fancy entrance lobby can hide deeper problems. Take a good look at hallways, stairwells and elevators. Peeling paint or broken lights often signal bigger maintenance issues. Sometimes the issue isn’t deferred maintenance, but foundational problems. Walk the grounds and check for cracks, uneven floors or other signs of sloppy workmanship.
Check the finances. If monthly condo fees seem high compared to nearby buildings, find out why. Ask to see the condo association’s financial statements. Ensure that there’s a healthy reserve fund to deal with unexpected problems. Check to see if the owners are up to date on their payments, as well. If lots of owners are behind on payments, that’s a warning sign. It could mean the community’s financial stability is at risk and that repairs might get delayed.
Spend some time visiting, including at different times of the day. This will help you get a feel for the actual day to day living. You might not notice thin walls until you can hear your prospective neighbors at night, and you want to be prepared for what rush hour traffic is like in the area. Talk to current residents, as well. No one will know better than those who live there what living there is like. They may also be more willing to discuss complaints they have about management with a potential neighbor than they would be sending in a complaint to management.
Deciding to sell your home can seem very daunting. After all, the decision of which home to buy is very important — and typically, when you’re selling your home, you’re also buying a home at around the same time. Coordinating all that is difficult. While this is all true, knowing when to sell is actually a lot simpler than knowing what to buy.
Many of the reasons to sell are primarily personal. Do you need to upsize because you have a kid coming soon? Are you ready to downsize because your kids have moved out? Did you switch jobs? It all pretty much boils down to: Does your current location no longer serve your changing needs? If that’s the case, it probably is a good time to sell, as long as the market isn’t tanked. Much of the time, even your finances are better served in a home that caters to your needs than a slightly less expensive home that simply doesn’t work for you.
Sometimes the reasons are purely practical. If maintenance starts piling up, keeping up with it can be both more expensive and more time consuming than switching to a lower maintenance property. This can be one that doesn’t require as many, or any, repairs, or just a property that is smaller or easier to maintain. It’s also possible in any given moment that the numbers just simply make sense. Maybe your home value has risen, and you know you can sell and purchase a property with a better fit at a similar or lower price. Recognizing this does require keeping a critical eye on the market, and acting on it requires adaptability and a willingness to let go of any sentimental feelings about your current property.
Some people sell their houses before buying others, giving them clear budgets for their next places. It makes financial sense, but there’s the risk that you might end up couch surfing or having to rent somewhere in the meantime. Others buy first, locking in their dream homes before they’re snatched up, but that can mean carrying two mortgages at once. So is there a way to eliminate both issues, by both buying and selling simultaneously?
Absolutely. It will take some planning and help from an agent, but you can definitely buy and sell at the same time. The key is timing. Your agent will help align your sale with your purchase. You may have to negotiate a rent-back deal or a flexible closing date. It’s also smart to get preapproved for a mortgage early so you know what’s realistic. And if you need a financial cushion, options like bridge loans or home equity lines of credit can help you cover gaps between buying and selling. It’s something that requires both planning and flexibility on the part of both you and your agent, but it’s certainly a viable option. As an added bonus, it’s also faster than finishing out two separate deals.
If you feel like the atmosphere in a room isn’t giving the vibe you want, the problem may be the paint color. Before starting renovations or buying a bunch of decor, consider repainting the walls or ceiling. That may be all you need to provide the feeling you’re looking for.
White paint can help to create the illusion that you’re in a larger space. This is true of both walls and ceilings, giving the feeling that there is more space above your head as well as around you. By contrast, darker colors have the opposite effect. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Using dark but warm colors with a slight red tinge can help to bring a cozier, more compact feel to a large, cavernous space. Cool colors have a calming effect. This is especially true if they’re softer or muted. Try something like an ocean blue or a leafy green.
Sometimes you want something to stand out or fade into the background. In either case, what’s important is not a specific color, but how much the colors contrast. Features with colors that are high contrast with the wall color will stand out quite a bit. If the colors are less contrastive, objects can appear like they’re simply part of the background. Depending on your situation and what the feature is that you’re focusing on, it might be possible to repaint that feature, instead of entire walls or ceilings.
Any time you’re looking to buy a home, you want to know exactly what it is you’re buying. That doesn’t only mean knowing information about the building itself, but also being familiar with the neighborhood. While it’s true that the seller will have to disclose major issues with the property, there could be problems that don’t need to be disclosed.
When someone is selling a home, there’s always a reason for that. The reason could be entirely innocuous — such as changing jobs or moving in with a new partner — but it could also be that the home has deferred maintenance or that the crime rate in the area is spiking. Ask about what repairs and renovations have been done and should be done. Ensure you know about all potential issues, not just the ones that legally must be disclosed. Consider the neighborhood, including crime rates, amenities, and schools, as well as future plans such as upcoming developments, zoning changes, and road work.
Even if there’s nothing wrong with the property or the area, there could be some unwanted surprises. It’s difficult to consider every possible factor in the cost of owning a home, but one that people often forget about is utility costs. These typically aren’t high, but you still need to budget for it. You also need to ask the seller what’s included in the sale. It’s not uncommon that things such as furniture and appliances aren’t included. Once you’ve decided to buy a home, there’s still more useful information. Learn about the state of the market — what prices are like, how competitive the market is right now, how long properties usually stay on the market before selling. Having this knowledge could give you an edge in negotiating.
Proximity to one’s workplace is often near the top of the list of priorities for buyers. While living close to where you work can offer convenience and save time, there are both pros and cons. The correct choice for you is the one that best fits your lifestyle and long-term goals. Consider ranking your priorities to see how important a short commute is to your situation.
It goes without saying that one of the biggest advantages of buying near your workplace is the reduced commute time. Less time spent in traffic and more time for family, hobbies, or rest can improve your overall quality of life and reduce stress. Additionally, living nearby can make it easier to handle unexpected work demands or emergencies.
That’s not the only potential advantage, though. Many workplaces are in commercial districts, which would mean they are also close to amenities, shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. There is also a long-term advantage to living in commercial districts — consistent demand means home values won’t tank. If these other factors are important to you, it may be beneficial to live near your workplace, even if a short commute isn’t high on your list of priorities, perhaps because you work from home all or part of the time.
Living in a major commercial area has its downsides, too, though. They’re frequently dirtier and noisier than residential districts. In addition, the resistance to economic downturns means homes closer to major employment centers or urban areas often come with a higher price tag. This means your budget might be tighter or you may need to compromise on home size or features.
Spring and summer are the most common times to buy or sell a home, but that doesn’t mean the autumn market is without its advantages. And the advantages aren’t exclusive to either buyers or sellers. Both parties can benefit, though the seller might need to put more thought into the right way to attract buyers.
There are a couple major perks for buyers. The first is reduced competition. Because there is less activity in the fall compared to spring or summer, there are fewer other buyers competing with you for the property you want. This means more room for negotiation on prices or repairs. The second is that autumn typically has quicker closing times, so you don’t need to wait as long before moving in. However, you should be careful not to neglect heating, window, and roof maintenance. Winter will be fast approaching, and you don’t want to rush these repairs, especially if your area gets snow.
If you’re a seller, you can probably expect more serious buyers in the fall. People don’t look for homes in the slower seasons without a reason for doing so. The good thing about this is that you likely aren’t wasting your time or money showing your property to them, as long as you’ve set the right price. The difficulty is that more serious buyers are looking for exactly the right property for them. That means the seller needs to put in more effort to make the home look presentable. Fortunately, merely getting ready for the holiday season tends to do just that. Whether you’re showing your home or not, you might have already planned to make your home more inviting for holiday guests.
Investment property is typically thought of as something owned by people with significant amounts of wealth to throw around. While it’s true that investment by definition requires an upfront cost, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a big cost. Furthermore, it’s possible for your investment to be in a property you plan to live in as well, so you aren’t forced to buy multiple homes to invest.
Long-term investments, which rely on home values appreciating over time, don’t have to be costly at all, particularly if you plan to live there anyway. Foreclosures and auction sales are generally significantly lower price than the average home in any particular area. However, you should be careful about repair costs — homeowners whose homes are on foreclosure or auction typically couldn’t afford to keep their homes, which means they often also have deferred maintenance. You could also look in up-and-coming neighborhoods that aren’t pricey yet, but might be in the future.
Alternatively, there are strategies to reduce the upfront cost of purchasing a home. These include government programs to aid first time homebuyers, enlisting the help of other investors, or utilizing seller financing. Seller financing involves making monthly payments directly to the seller of a home instead of to a lender. Because it’s rarely advantageous for the seller and benefits greatly from knowledge of legal procedures, this is not a common financing method. But if the seller agrees to it, it can help to waive large down payment requirements, and possibly even grant a better interest rate. You might also choose not to purchase an entire home, but just part of one — a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) involves trading a percentage of a property on the stock exchange.
One of the most common strategies is actually quite simple. Just buy a home and rent out part of it, while living in it. This is called house hacking, and is usually done with multi-unit properties such as duplexes and triplexes. But if you can’t afford a multi-unit property, you can also buy a single-family residence and rent out specific rooms. This won’t generate as much income as renting out entire units, but frequently has a lower upfront cost.
When you start looking for a new home, some of the things that might jump out to you immediately are first impressions from the outside and the numerical square footage value. But these don’t tell you anything about what living in the home is like. For that, you’ll need to look at the rooms individually to see if they suit your needs.
The most important rooms are the rooms you’ll spend the most time in. For most people, these will include the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. It might include other rooms depending on your lifestyle, such as the living room if you plan to frequently host guests, or a home office if you work from home. The home you’re looking at might have a large dining area, but if you live alone and don’t frequently host, that could be taking space away that would be better used elsewhere. It’s possible you could convert rooms, but that may potentially make for an awkward floorplan. Space is limited, even if the square footage is high. Make sure the space is in the right places. Also, kitchens and bathrooms are some of the most expensive remodels. It might not be worth buying a home that needs all new bathrooms but otherwise looks fine.
If you want to know if a particular neighborhood is right for you to move to, you first need to know what to look for. Start by making a list of priorities. If you have kids or are planning to soon, you may want to research the local school district. But if you don’t have kids, perhaps a short work commute is more important. Maybe you want to live in a place with a vibrant community or plenty of local shops and entertainment, or maybe you just want a quiet neighborhood where you can feel relaxed. Regardless of what you’re looking for, make sure to be thorough in your search. Visit several times, at different times of the day. A neighborhood may feel nice in the afternoon, but have grueling rush hour traffic in the morning or feel dark and dangerous at night.
Regardless of where you rank your personal priorities, pretty much everyone wants to live in a safe area. Researching crime rates can help determine the level of a neighborhood’s safety. You can find this information online using crime maps or community forums, and also from local police department reports. Also, keep in mind that no community is entirely free of crime, some types of crime may be more or less prevalent than others depending on the area, and crime rates can shift over time. In addition, you may not think schools are relevant to you if you don’t have kids, but good local schools will also mean higher property values and better educated neighbors.
You might take for granted that certain types of indispensable locations –such as grocery stores and hospitals — exist in an area, but even if they’re accessible, they may not be close by. For less mandatory amenities such as entertainment venues, parks, and even libraries, there may not be any at all. Some towns also don’t have easy access to freeways, which could considerably increase commute times even if the linear distance doesn’t seem that far. However, some of these may already be in the works — make sure to check local news and city planning websites. If everything else about the community seems great, you may just have to live without for a while until construction is complete.
Imagine you’ve been searching for a new property, and you happen across a low priced home that seems to fit all your criteria. Is the deal too good to be true? Well, maybe, maybe not. It’s possible that you’ve come across a hidden gem, but it’s also possible that you’re missing some key factors.
You may have just gotten lucky with your timing — in which case, congratulations. The market fluctuates all the time, and it could be that home prices in the area you’re looking at are currently at or near a trough. If you aren’t sure, an agent can help you figure out local market trends.
Speaking of the local market, you should also ask your agent about the surrounding community. Maybe it has a high crime rate, low rated schools, or a weak job market, in which case a higher priced home in a better area may be preferable. In addition, if the home is in a low priced neighborhood, it’s entirely possible that all the homes in the area are cheap, and this one isn’t an exception — it may even be priced too high.
But if you didn’t simply get lucky or end up in a low priced area, there may be something about the property that you’re not seeing. The home may look fine at a casual glance, but there could be hidden problems with the property’s condition. Sellers are supposed to disclose issues that they’re aware of, and they probably know something if they’re choosing to list low, but they may not know everything. An inspection can help you uncover these. It’s also possible the home price itself is reasonable, but you aren’t accounting for additional costs such as property taxes, insurance costs, or homeowners association fees.
You may be inclined to think that if a property isn’t listed, it’s not for sale. Most of the time that’s true, but there are exceptions. Homes for sale that aren’t listed publicly may be called off-market properties, pocket listings, or quiet listings. There are multiple reasons for this, but regardless of the reason, finding these properties quickly can earn you an advantage when trying to buy.
The easiest way to find these properties is with someone else’s help — usually an agent, but investors and builders likely have connections as well. Someone with connections in the industry might know of an opportunity for you already without any searching. Even if they don’t, they can help you search. Agents can search for properties that are “coming soon” — ones that aren’t officially on the market yet, but will be once the listing is finalized. They can also help you find probate sales, pre-foreclosures, and inherited homes. Some agents even specialize in helping clients navigate the legal intricacies of these types of sales.
Sometimes you want to talk to the homeowner directly — though an agent can still help you with this. Agents with a client who is looking to buy will frequently send out letters to owners of properties that fit the buyer’s specifications. Homeowners might be considering selling but either haven’t decided yet or don’t want to list publicly. These letters help to find homeowners in this type of situation. You might also come across a home that is For Sale By Owner, commonly abbreviated FSBO. This means that the homeowner is planning to sell without the assistance of an agent, or sometimes is an agent themself. These properties probably won’t be listed on an agent’s listing service, but an agent can still help you with the transaction if you’re able to discover one.
Selling your home as-is means listing it in its current condition without making repairs or upgrades. This approach isn’t for everyone, but it can save you time, reduce your up-front costs and speed up the selling process. That said, it’s important to know that you’ll likely need to accept a lower price and potentially a smaller pool of buyers. Here are a few ways to help make the process easier.
Before listing your home, make sure you and the prospective buyers know exactly the condition of your home and have a good idea of its value. For most sales, a home inspection only occurs after an offer is made. However, you should consider a pre-listing inspection. It gives potential buyers a clear understanding of the home’s condition, which builds trust and can lead to quicker offers. This also helps you to disclose any known issues up front to avoid legal issues later. Buyers will also appreciate the honesty, and serious ones are more likely to stick around.
You should also work with a good agent to determine a fair price based on market conditions and the home’s condition before listing the property. Listing a home at one price and significantly altering it later can look like either dishonest or shoddy work. You and your agent can also collaborate to highlight your home’s best attributes. Does your home have a fantastic location, rustic charm or positive quirks? Make sure those positives shine in your listing.
Another tip is that even if you don’t make full repairs,small improvements go a long way. Clean thoroughly, declutter, and consider a fresh coat of paint to help your home make the best impression. As-is means as it was when listed, not as it was when you decided you wanted to list. Don’t feel like you can’t improve anything in the meantime. Besides, new paint is a plus that can be added to your listing description.
The real estate market in the Los Angeles South Bay kicked off 2025 with an 11% increase in the number of residences sold for January. That increase in sales volume was accompanied by median price bumps that ranged from 0% in the Inland area to 32% in the Beach cities.
Fast forward to May, almost halfway through the year, and the sales volume has dropped to a 7% increase over May of last year. With the number of homes selling declining, the median prices have likewise moved from the positive side to the negative. Comparing the median prices to May of last year shows prices falling in three of the four South Bay areas. Only the Beach cities managed to stay positive with a 9% increase, albeit compared to 32% in January. The other three areas dropped by as much as 8%. (See below for more detail.)
This South Bay Market Snapshot shows where the market is shifting and by how much. It’s designed to help clients understand the direction of the market. Those who watch the market trend will see increasing larger chunks of real estate market are sliding toward recession either in the number of homes sold for a given period, or correspondingly dropping in median price. The mid-year report next month should provide a more definitive comment on the future of local real estate.
Beach: Still Up, but …?
May was not a good month for real estate in the Beach cities, but it was better than last May. The month over month statistics are red ink, with the number of homes sold dropping by 2% and the median price falling 3% from April. Sales volume came in at 122 units, compared to 125 in April. The median price was $1,900,000 down from $1,955,000 last month.
Annual sales volume was more impressive at 11% increase in the number of homes sold. Similarly, the median price at the Beach escalated by a relatively high 9%, compared to the other areas of the South Bay.
Year to date, 541 homes have sold in the Beach area, 25% greater than the first five months of 2024. At $2,000,000 the median price surprises, since the median month to month is only $1,900,000. How could the median for the year to date, be higher? Well, looking at the past few months shows Beach area prices started the year much higher than they are now. In fact, the median in January was $2,355,000—almost $400,000 higher than May. Beach area median prices have been falling every month this year.
Harbor: Sales Slipping, Prices Down
Month over month, sales volume in the Harbor area dropped by 5%, from 310 homes in April to 293 in May. Surprisingly, the median price climbed from $785,000 to $815,000, for a boost of 4%.
Comparing this May to the same month last year gives similarly mixed results, though in reverse. While monthly home sales found May lower than April, annual sales were up 2% from May of 2024. In the same time frame, median prices fell 4% across the year.
For January through May of 2025 the number of home sold rose 6% from last year, for a total of 1373 properties closing escrow. During the same period of time the median price rose 1%, ending at $785,000.
Hill: Sales Solid, Prices Down
Home sales on the Palos Verdes Peninsula for the month of May delivered an increase of 1%, totaling 74 homes. In May, the median price likewise went up, reaching $1,850,000, or 4% more than those sold in April.
Looking at sales volume year over year shows a more varied picture. Last month compared to May of 2024 offers a 12% increase in the number of homes sold. At the same time, the median price tumbled by 5%. One should always be cautioned that with the small number of transactions in peninsula homes, percentages often seem exaggerated, thus it’s important to look at the year to date statistics, too.
For the first five months of 2025 275 homes were sold on the Hill, boosting sales volume by 7% over that of 2024. While the volume came up, the median price went down. At $1,897,000 the median dropped by 2%. It would seem a correction was in the making, though that’s based on memory of other financial “compressions” in recent years.
Inland: Median Prices Continue Down
Monthly sales statistics brought a 12% jump in homes sold in the Inland area. This increase is easily the steepest in the South Bay for May. The next closest rise in sales was the Palos Verdes area with a 1% bump over April volume. The 143 homes sold at a median price of $870,000, a 1% drop from the April median.
The Inland area joined the Hill in yearly sales increases. Both areas registered a 12% jump in volume, coming in at the top, with the South Bay as a whole rising by only 7%. Continuing a trend started in March, Inland median prices once again fell, this time registering the steepest drop across the South Bay, falling 8% below last year’s May numbers.
As the calendar barrels toward mid-year Inland sales volume for the year to date has climbed 5% over 2024 to 575 homes sold. Median prices for the same period rose a very modest $10, settling at $900,000, effectively a 0% increase.
Beach=Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo Harbor=Carson, Long Beach, San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City PV Hill=Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates Inland=Torrance, Lomita, Gardena
One cost that many new homebuyers forget to factor into their budget is moving costs. It may seem like a drop in the bucket compared to the purchase price of a house, but it shouldn’t be overlooked. Between packaging, transportation, and potentially needing to take unpaid time off work, the expenses can add up. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce those costs.
Individually, boxes aren’t very expensive. However, when you’re moving everything in your house, you may need dozens of them. Try to pack up everything you won’t be using anytime soon in advance, to have a better gauge of how many boxes you’ll need. This also gives you time to look for used boxes — most people don’t need their boxes anymore after moving and end up recycling them, but some will put them up on places such as Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. In addition, even new, buying them in bulk is generally cheaper per unit. Another tip is that grocery stores and retailers often don’t have a use for the boxes their products ship in, and may even be willing to give them up for free.
Some moving companies will offer packing services, but this can ramp up the labor costs. And if you’re packing ahead of time, you’ll need to have your own packing materials. Luckily, you probably already have packing materials and don’t know it. Packing peanuts aren’t actually any more effective than soft clothing, towels, or blankets. Using them as packaging material instead of packing them separately also means you’ll be using fewer boxes. For fragile objects, wrap them in newspaper –if you still subscribe to any print newspapers, despite many newspapers now being online-only.
The biggest cost is often transportation. Renting a moving truck is expensive by itself, and you will also likely need to pay the labor costs for bringing your boxes into and out of the truck, as well as gas costs. Ask friends or family members if you can borrow their truck. You should probably still offer to pay for gas and food, but it would still be a small fraction of the cost.
