We talk about Manhattan Beach real estate a lot. (An occupational hazard/benefit.)
One thing we notice is that people tend to imagine all these huge, fancy homes, or waterfront locations, ocean views.
Sure, we've got all that here in MB.
But there's a remarkable stock of smaller homes, too, and they're certainly not all bulldozer bait.
People love a little home.
It might be that they're coming from small, so small works fine.
They might be downsizing from big.
They might find that small is the only way to afford a first entry into Manhattan Beach real estate.
As you know, reader, as much as we like the big homes, we've also got a certain affection for the littles and the classics that recall the olden days of MB.
So let's celebrate some of the little homes that have been on the market recently. We're looking at a mix of those that are active, pending and sold, just to get a flavor for what's been out there. (We're excluding clear or suspected lot sales.)
Tree Section Little Homes
3521 Pacific (2br/1ba, 1182 sqft.) is a button-cute, refreshed little home with nicely crafted yard space.
Asking $1.995M, it closed for $1.800M in Dec. 2024.
3520 Elm Avenue (3br/2ba, 1434 sqft.) is a fun, practical, modernized and move-in-ready single-level cottage that feels completely private.
It got the asking price of $2.699M in less than a week, closing March 2025.
3521 Elm (3br/2ba, 1225 sqft.) is across the street from the aforementioned 3520 Elm. It's a sliver smaller, and not as updated, but does have very nice backyard space.
Asking $2.475M, this one's now in escrow.
2616 Pine (3br/2ba, 1339 sqft.) sports a remodeled kitchen and baths, some nice outdoor space, and a corner location.
Asking $2.899M, this one's in its second week on market.
3002 N Ardmore Avenue (3br/2ba, 1121 sqft.) is a cute tall-and-skinny on a 2500 sqft. lot that feels reasonably close to town.
Asking $1.995M, it closed for $1.900M in April.
2500 Pine Avenue (3br/2ba, 1299 sqft.) is a remarkable transformation of a 1950 adobe home, on a corner along Marine Ave.
First launched in May 2024, the listing went quiet for months soon after. It popped back up in January this year, and made a quick deal.
Asking $2.499M originally, it actually sold higher at $2.600M. (Remember January?)
2300 Walnut (2br/1ba, 792 sqft.) is a little different than most of the listings we included here – we mostly excluded pure lot sales.
This one is described as a "Fixer selling at land value" but wow, what a land value.
They sought $1.995M, but sold for $2.300M, closing this week.
Sand Section Little Homes
540 5th Place (3br/2ba, 1300 sqft.) is a warmly crafted remodel.
The South End Sand location is hard to beat, even if the frontage on Valley Drive is a little hard to take. Oh, the challenges of breaking into MB.
This one began all the way up at $2.750M in December last year, but made its way down to $2.299M recently after a re-list to reset the DOM clock. It's in escrow now.
817 N. Valley (3br/2ba, 1420 sqft.) is a little remodel not far away from the 5th Place listing right above, and sharing location characteristics.
The property tried at $2.595M last year but had no traction over 4 months.
Returning in January this year at $2.495M, it sold quickly for asking.
3509 Crest Drive(2br/2ba, 1224 sqft.) is an upgraded little 2br that dates back nearly 90 years (1936!).
Asking $2.599M early this year, it found its level after 10 weeks of exposure, closing for $2.262M.
132 1st Place (3br/2ba, 1494 sqft.) is a half lot, livable 1950s home in a favorable South End location near the water. (Albeit on Manhattan Ave.)
We just discussed earlier this week how the $2.100M asking price was fictional, and even the closed price of $2.449M may not be the whole story. (It might be that the seller got value closer to a $2.600M standard sale.)
221 40th (3br/2ba, 1314 sqft.) is a classic little El Porto duplex.
While the listing speaks of its being "400 yards from the Strand," we think they mean 400 feet. Because one is close, and the other is... sorta close.
This one is at $2.099M.
East Manhattan Little Homes
1620 18th (3br/2ba, 1393 sqft.) is a nicely refreshed 1950s original, with a sorta newer kitchen, and moderate upgrades to the baths.
It's new to market at $1.995M.
1305 Harkness (3br/3ba, 1186 sqft.) is a decently remodeled Liberty Village home, steps to Trader Joe's, with some nice outdoor spaces.
Emerging at $2.195M in early April, this one drew plenty of interest. Watch for that sale price to go up.
1615 Magnolia (3br/2ba, 1002 sqft.) is a cutie on a quiet street not far from Meadows elementary.
Asking "just" $1.798M in December last year, it closed higher at $1.925M in January this year.
1627 1st (3br/2ba, 1176 sqft.) is another 1950s original, refreshed but only lightly upgraded, and surrounded by larger homes.
It came out at $1.845M in November last year, and closed in December for $1.950M.
As we conclude our tour of little homes, we realize there weren't any in the Hill Section.
We checked, and what seems like the smallest and most recent sale of a livable home was a highly remodeled 1400 sqft. house at 717 Anderson, which netted $2.800M more than a year ago, in April 2024. So it just didn't quite make the list.
