Just Sold: 634 9th St Hermosa Beach
My listing at 634 9th St in Hermosa Beach closed escrow for $2,225,000 which was $26K over the asking price. And only on the market for 9 days. I say “only” because a lot of sellers now expect the property to be in escrow within 3 minutes of being listed. I am obviously being sarcastic and exaggerating - but not by much.
My clients were really great. though. In fact, they did everything I could have possibly asked for making this sale a great case study of exactly what to do right. It’s also a great example of how my marketing, negotiating skills and strategy really does work better than other agents. And I’m not just bragging because in this case we have a head to head example since another identical townhome in the same building was listed at a slightly lower price and (at least at the time of this post) has been on the market for 40 days. And the other one is an end unit which presumably would have sold first (if it was listed by me).
My Seller clients followed my lead on what to do to sell for the highest price in the quickest time possible. That included not only the best pricing strategy but also the optimal presentation because as I always say, there are two things we have control over: Price and Presentation.
There were a few steps in optimizing the presentation.
First I had asked them to paint the interior a more flattering color of white. As the property was originally built in 2003 and painted the typical early aught kind of taupe off white, I knew it would not show its best. Also being west facing and flooded with light the whiter shade would really reflect the light well and also highlight the gorgeous dark wood floors throughout as well as the interesting architecture. Considering that the property is almost 3,000 Sq Ft it was not an inconsequential cost to paint it.
The second leg of the presentation was changing the dated 18 year old lighting to something newer and more contemporary.
Lastly we physically staged most of the home to give it a nice coastal vibe. The two rooms that weren’t physically staged were virtually staged for the MLS pictures. Here’s the thing about staging. It just makes the house warmer and buyers are more likely to hang out at the Open House. And, yes, I held Open Houses.
Here’s my description from the MLS:
“This is the oversize, turnkey move in ready west of PCH Hermosa Beach Townhome you’ve been waiting for. Flooded with natural light, you can enjoy the ocean breeze and views from your living room or any of the 3 patios and rooftop deck. Here’s the layout. As you walk up the stairs from the front door you will be welcomed to your wide open living room, dining room and kitchen. Go right on out to your large patio for BBQs and watching the sunset. A rarity for Townhomes, 3 bedrooms are on the main level with a grand primary suite and 2 large sized additional bedrooms. Additionally there is also a loft with a full bathroom that is perfect for a gym, home office, bonus space or can be your 4th bedroom. The loft has it’s own patio and also leads to the rooftop to enjoy the ocean and neighborhood view or catch the fireworks on the holidays. The entire interior has gorgeous wood floors, interesting architectural features and has been freshly painted and updated. Check out the 3D walkthrough to get a better idea as to the flow of this almost 3,000 Sq Ft property. This is indoor and outdoor living California coastal living at its finest. Walk to the beach or green belt, shops and restaurants from one of the largest townhomes west of PCH. Located with easy freeway access, about 20 mins to LAX, and in a great school district, this home is a rare find of location and lifestyle.”
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If you are thinking of buying in Hermosa Beach
To get the local vibe, head down to Pier Ave and the Strand at the foot of the Hermosa Pier.
Pier Ave is the heart of the city. You’ll find mostly local restaurants and bars. If you are coming from PCH, keep heading west (towards the ocean) and you’ll find the Hermosa Pier at the Strand. If you are on a bike, just make sure that when the light is flashing you walk it near the Pier. You will get a ticket. Really.
The Sand Section is the furthest west, basically an extension of the Manhattan Beach Sand Section albeit with much fewer walk streets. Hermosa Valley is just east of the Sand Section but still west of PCH and you can often buy there at a slight discount. East of PCH is the Hermosa Hills aka East Hermosa Beach,
Hermosa Beach is great for sunbathing, volleyball, surfing, paddle boarding, biking, kayaking, rollerblading, skateboarding and general people watching.
When the stacks from the AES power plant come down expect to see prices jump even higher than they are mow.
While the beach front homes on the Strand are quite expensive (budget in the multiple millions to buy on the Strand), Hermosa Beach homes are usually priced lower than comparable Manhattan Beach properties. They are, however, often more expensive than Redondo Beach properties of the same size.
One thing that’s really cool about Hermosa Beach is that many homes have roof top decks with ocean views. So you don’t have to live on the Strand to see the waves. Roof decks are great for entertaining or just taking in the views.
Speaking of cool, the Lighthouse on Pier Avenue has been a famous Jazz Club dating back to the 1950’s when many famous musicians made live recordings there.
Hermosa Beach Micro Markets
Hermosa Beach has three defined micro markets in the MLS.