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Sales Flat, Inventory Down 31% - Manhattan Beach Market Update for 5/31/26

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by Dave Fratello

Our last formal market update noted there had been just 10 new escrows in the first half of May. 

This is Spring, people! Busy times, right?

We allowed as how that could have been a statistical "blip" and not necessarily a slowing. 

The second half of May saw more new deals: 17 this period. 

But that was exactly the same as the pace of 2025, just like the first half of the month. And last year, we were asking who had hit the brakes on the market. 

And yet, this is pretty much how May has been going these last 5 years. See our latest chart.

A remarkable 3 out of 5 years have seen exactly 27 new escrows open in Manhattan Beach in May. One was higher, one was lower. (May 2022 was the "last gasp" of the covid-fueled market, with its 3%-and-under mortgage rates.)

Now pull out the focus and look at a larger dataset. 

 

The 14-year average – including this year and all of the past 5 years – would be 37 new escrows in May. 

Out of the 7 years below that average, 5 have been these most recent years. (And one was covid-impacted 2020, before that year took off.)

We know that the number of closings and dollar volume for sales both are up so far this year, compared with 2025. But we just have a slower May once again, for some reason. 

Could there be a problem with lower inventory? 

Good question!

Data show a drastic 31% drop in inventory year-over-year. 

There were 96 homes on the market on May 31, 2025, and just 66 this year. 

That's a sudden, year-over-year drop that only seems to have one precedent: Between the semi-frozen May 2020 market and the fast-paced market of May 2021, where inventory was being scooped up as fast as it emerged. (See the 49 new deals in May 2021 above?) 

Before anyone frets too much, however, we'll note that replacement inventory has come in robustly this week. In the days since we took our inventory snapshot for May 31, 10 new listings have hit the market, with inventory on Friday, June 5, at 76 listings.  

That oughta keep buyers interested. 

What's holding back sellers these days from listing? 

C'mon, you already know: Everyone's waiting for the SpaceX IPO, when there will be a giant flood of new buyers coming to Manhattan Beach. 

Maybe.

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The "Movers" listed below are the changes to inventory and sales since our last update 2 weeks ago. Click any address for photos & details. 

New Listings (13)

ADDRESSBD/BASQFTLOTPRICE$PSFDOMSTART $START
716 13th 3/2 2,070 3,002 $3,250,000 $1,570 3 $3,250,000 05/29/26
1901 Oak Avenue 4/3 2,277 4,482 $3,150,000 $1,383 4 $3,150,000 05/28/26
2516 The Strand 4/4 3,568 3,498 $11,999,000 $3,363 4 $11,999,000 05/28/26
1305 11th 5/4 3,692 4,917 $3,295,000 $892 4 $3,295,000 05/28/26
1346 Gates Ave. 5/6 5,120 5,152 $5,499,999 $1,074 6 $5,499,999 05/26/26
653 Manhattan Beach Blvd. A 2/3 1,215 12,022 $1,999,000 $1,645 8 $1,999,000 05/24/26
320 1st St 3/4 2,001 2,708 $4,295,000 $2,146 10 $4,295,000 05/22/26
221 36th Street 3/4 1,948 1,353 $4,649,000 $2,387 11 $4,649,000 05/21/26
3600 Pine Avenue 4/2 1,550 4,640 $2,995,000 $1,932 12 $2,995,000 05/20/26
472 Rosecrans Avenue 6/6 2,663 2,882 $3,850,000 $1,446 14 $3,850,000 05/18/26
1456 Manhattan Beach Boulevard C 2/3 1,152 9,851 $1,339,000 $1,162 7 $1,339,000 05/11/26
16 Sausalito 3/3 2,045 3,432 $2,500,000 $1,222 27 $2,550,000 04/24/26
323 31st Street 3/3 1,875 2,697 $3,349,000 $1,786 114 $3,699,000 02/02/26

 

New Pendings (17)

ADDRESSBD/BASQFTLOTPRICE$PSFDOMSTART $START
1901 John 5/5 3,716 5,085 $5,095,000 $1,371 15 $5,095,000 05/14/26
661 19th Street 3/1 1,105 4,412 $3,300,000 $2,986 87 $3,500,000 03/06/26
2504 Palm Avenue 4/2 1,802 4,484 $2,499,000 $1,387 6 $2,499,000 05/21/26
1816 John Street 5/3 2,095 5,061 $3,499,000 $1,670 11 $3,499,000 05/21/26
721 Marine Avenue 5/5 3,633 5,120 $5,875,000 $1,617 38 $5,875,000 04/24/26
315 33rd 2/2 1,529 1,348 $2,495,000 $1,632 18 $2,495,000 05/14/26
2303 Vista Drive 4/4 2,500 3,509 $3,285,000 $1,314 31 $3,285,000 05/01/26
229 Marine Place 3/2 1,360 1,353 $2,850,000 $2,096 25 $2,850,000 05/07/26
710 Manhattan Beach Boulevard 3/3 1,676 9,995 $2,649,000 $1,581 55 $2,699,000 04/07/26
1211 Bayview 4/4 2,350 3,314 $5,350,000 $2,277 26 $5,350,000 05/06/26
332 18th Street 5/5 4,098 2,710 $7,400,000 $1,806 6 $7,400,000 05/13/26
109 S Poinsettia Avenue 4/5 5,586 7,503 $9,750,000 $1,745 60 $9,750,000 04/02/26
1756 Voorhees 4/4 3,033 7,509 $4,250,000 $1,401 4 $4,250,000 05/28/26
207 S Aviation Boulevard 2/1 906 5,301 $1,449,000 $1,599 25 $1,449,000 05/07/26
27 Tiburon Court 2/3 1,583 1,692 $1,599,000 $1,010 24 $1,599,000 05/08/26
926 N Rowell Avenue 3/2 1,464 5,009 $2,149,000 $1,468 6 $2,149,000 05/14/26
217 S Aviation 2/1 1,035 5,288 $1,595,000 $1,541 31 $1,595,000 05/01/26

 

New Sales (13)

ADDRESSBD/BASQFTLOTPRICE$PSFDOMSTART $CLOSED
3413 Pine 3/2 1,716 4,595 $1,890,000 $1,101 0 $1,890,000 05/29/26
212 18th Street 5/6 4,269 2,703 $8,712,500 $2,041 0 $8,712,500 05/28/26
2516 Walnut Avenue 5/6 3,317 4,480 $4,550,000 $1,387 5 $4,600,000 05/27/26
215 S Poinsettia Avenue 6/8 9,047 9,368 $9,850,000 $1,382 46 $13,199,000 05/27/26
865 10th Street 4/4 3,369 6,000 $6,175,000 $1,779 9 $5,995,000 05/27/26
1704 N Poinsettia 4/3 3,018 4,469 $4,278,000 $1,292 8 $3,899,000 05/26/26
1530 21 St Street 3/2 2,100 7,194 $2,860,000 $1,357 8 $2,849,000 05/26/26
1756 10th 5/5 4,424 10,000 $5,390,000 $1,074 6 $4,750,000 05/22/26
621 6th 4/4 4,259 7,128 $6,500,000 $1,820 30 $7,750,000 05/20/26
3609 Walnut 5/4 3,780 4,643 $3,238,000 $873 24 $3,299,000 05/19/26
2204 Oak Avenue 5/4 3,236 4,482 $3,750,000 $1,159 0 $3,750,000 05/19/26
324 18th Street 4/5 4,215 2,710 $10,000,000 $2,301 21 $9,700,000 05/18/26
1820 9th Street 6/7 4,666 7,500 $4,998,000 $1,071 41 $5,199,000 05/18/26

Here's the rest of our local real estate market update report for the period ending 5/31/26:

> 66 active listings as of 5/31/26 (-6 from 5/15/26) 

> 47 SFRs (-7)

> 19 THs (+1)

See the Inventory list as of 5/31/26 here, or see the MB Dashboard for up-to-the-minute data.

Active listings by region of Manhattan Beach in this report:

> Tree Section: 11 actives (-1)

> Sand Section: 37 actives (-2)

> Hill Section: 3 actives (-2)

> East MB: 15 actives (-1)

We're also providing a report on closed sales by region of MB.

Sales data, including PPSF for all properties, are organized by sub-region of Manhattan Beach.

Here's a link to the spreadsheet: "MB Pending/Sold as of 5/31/26".

Recent Posts

See a new listing in the South End on a walk street with ocean views, a nice East Manhattan remodel, and a downtown condo, all among this week's new listings in Manhattan Beach. See all photos, details, and open house times here in the post, and links to other open house info for the whole market.

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.

Based on information from California Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. as of July 15th, 2026 at 3:36pm PDT. This information is for your personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties you may be interested in purchasing. Display of MLS data is usually deemed reliable but is NOT guaranteed accurate by the MLS. Buyers are responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information and should investigate the data themselves or retain appropriate professionals. Information from sources other than the Listing Agent may have been included in the MLS data. Unless otherwise specified in writing, Broker/Agent has not and will not verify any information obtained from other sources. The Broker/Agent providing the information contained herein may or may not have been the Listing and/or Selling Agent.