Welcome to numerology corner.
Here, we explore the intersection of Manhattan Beach real estate and lucky numbers.
In this episode, we'll focus on the number 18.
In the Jewish faith tradition, the number 18 is considered lucky. The Hebrew word for "life" is "chai," which is spelled using the 8th and 10th letters of the alphabet, totaling 18.
People may give monetary gifts for Jewish friends and family members on landmark occasions (birthdays, bar or bat mitzvahs, weddings, graduations) in figures ending in 18 or in multiples of 18. For instance, a $36 check is lucky because it's "double chai."
In Chinese tradition, 18 is also considered lucky. According to the internet – not your blogger's Chinese language expertise – the pronunciation of the number 18 is quite similar to the phrase "to get rich for sure." (Isn't English boring? Eighteen just sounds like "eight teens." And that sounds like trouble.)
At home here, we've got a Dodgers jersey for pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and it's #18. Why does Yoshi sport #18? Because in the Japanese professional league, number 18 is considered the "ace" number – and this $300 million pitcher is definitely a pitching ace. (Let's try to put aside his last two starts.)
Here in Manhattan Beach, 3 of the last 5 homes to go into escrow have addresses beginning with 18:
1800 Palm (4br/4ba, 2788 sqft., asking $3.995M)
1800 John (a double-plus sized lot, asking $6.995M)
1801 Laurel (4br/3ba, 3401 sqft., asking $3.500M)
Also recently under contract:
1620 18th (3br/2ba, 1393 sqft., asking $1.995M)
1808 The Strand (1br/1ba, 1068 sqft., $12.750M)
1812 The Strand (2br/5ba, 3550 sqft., $13.000M)
Now, you might say something like, "Oh, Dave, isn't this just looking for patterns where none exist? Isn't that what numerologists, and astrologers, and all kinds of crazy cults are always doing?"
And we'd say, no, not really.
Out of 157 closed sales this year, only 3 had 18s in their addresses. Two were on 18th Street, and one had an 18 in the address number. That's it.
So there's something going on.
With 6 out of 33 pending sales in Manhattan Beach having 18s in the addresses, you're never going to believe the percentage of pendings with 18s:
18.181818%
By coincidence, since we are talking about this lucky number, this year is the 18th that MB Confidential has been online.
Feeling lucky yet?
Please see our blog disclaimer.
Listings presented above are supplied via the MLS and are brokered by a variety of agents and firms, not Dave Fratello or Edge Real Estate Agency, unless so stated with the listing. Images and links to properties above lead to a full MLS display of information, including home details, lot size, all photos, and listing broker and agent information and contact information.
