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Some Homes Sell Like Hot Cakes, Others Arrive Chilled

Before Thanksgiving, I informed you about how condo prices fared in the 3rd quarter of this year. We now have numbers regarding single-family homes in 2017′s 3rd quarter. Two of the most dazzlingly successful neighborhoods were Hancock Park, with a 30% price-increase over 2016’s 3rd quarter numbers, and West Hollywood, with a 26% increase. The average home in WeHo sold for $1,482,500 during the 3rd quarter of 2016—and $1,925,000 a year later. In HP, the average sale price went from $1,350,000 to $1,699,000 over the same time period. Single-family sales volume went up in WeHo from 34 homes sold in Q3 of 2016 to 41 this year. HP’s volume stayed consistent with last year at 79 homes sold. 

Other areas where prices rose are Malibu (where the median sale price rose $1.5mil over last year’s 3rd quarter), Playa Del Rey (27% growth), Westwood (24% growth), and Los Feliz (21% growth). What’s driving all this? Say it (again) with me: Lack of inventory. Most of my listings in this year’s 3rd quarter, like 3030 Arrowhead Drive (pictured and hot-linked) rapidly progressed from on-market to in-contract (in 4 days, in Arrowhead’s case).

But not everything is as sweet as candy canes and fruitcake. Home sales volume declined at least 3% in Miracle Mile, Hollywood Hills East (around Beachwood Canyon), and Beverlywood. The median price in highly-desirable Cheviot Hills dropped from 2016’s average of $2,095,000 to $1,800,875 in 2017’s 3rd quarter. On the bubble of a decline were the flats of Beverly Hills, where 2017’s prices increased a scant 1% (from $5,078,890 to $5,150,000). But I don’t hear anyone in the flats complaining about an average sales price above $5mil.

Now…time to shop! Have a great weekend.