For patrons on a funds, the Southern California housing market can really feel impenetrable. Bidding wars and provide shortages have pushed costs to historic highs, and in response to Redfin, the median house in Los Angeles County bought for $839,000 in February.
Luckily, The Occasions just lately printed “The Nice SoCal Home Hunt,” a complete, step-by-step information to purchasing a house in Southern California. It even comes with a Southern California-specific calculator that analyzes your funds and tells you the way a lot you may afford (and what neighborhoods are a match).
Patrons within the $500,000 vary might have to contemplate condos, city houses or tenancy-in-common models along with single-family residences, however for these keen to get inventive, there are nonetheless loads of choices. Right here’s what $500,000 buys in 5 L.A. County communities.
Table of Contents
Downtown L.A.
L.A. isn’t precisely identified for vertical dwelling, however if you happen to’re keen to lose the white picket fence and grassy yard, the price-per-square-foot in most downtown buildings is cheaper than many single-family choices. Relying on the world, condos record as little as $350,000 and provide facilities that change the conveniences of dwelling in a home. Simply watch out concerning the owners affiliation dues.
A one-bedroom loft within the Trend District in downtown Los Angeles contains an open format kitchen, eating desk and lounge.
(Jonathan Yuen)
The house: This century-old unit sits within the Cornell, a historic constructing within the Trend District’s Santee Village that’s been transformed into stylish lofts. Authentic steel-framed home windows pair with 10-foot concrete ceilings within the dwelling areas, and despite the fact that there’s just one devoted bed room, the 1,000-square-foot ground plan leaves sufficient house to be versatile. It additionally enjoys Mills Act standing to avoid wasting a bit on property taxes.
The handle: 746 S. Los Angeles St. #604, Los Angeles, 90014
The value: $509,000 (and $813 month-to-month HOA dues)
The specs: One bed room and one rest room in 1,000 sq. ft
The agent: Jonathan Yuen of Iota Realty
Lengthy Seashore
Described by one current house purchaser as “a metropolis with allure the place you can additionally spend a complete weekend,” Lengthy Seashore grew to become a scorching spot throughout the pandemic when many L.A. staff went distant and moved farther south. It additionally has an enormous housing inventory, and there are at all times single-family houses available on the market for nearly any worth vary.
This house features a fenced frontyard, grassy yard, coated patio, a number of bedrooms and even some customized parts.
(Staff Whitney)
The house: Make no mistake — this can be a fixer-upper. It’s removed from move-in prepared, but it surely has just about every thing you can need in a starter house: a fenced frontyard, grassy yard, coated patio, a number of bedrooms and even some customized parts together with classic cabinetry and a sliding farmhouse door.
The handle: 255 E. Bort St., Lengthy Seashore, 90805
The value: $499,000
The specs: Two bedrooms and one rest room in 777 sq. ft
The brokers: Danielle Whitney Moore and Lauren Yi of Keller Williams Realty
East L.A.
East L.A. is such a bastion of Latino tradition that it even has a Latino Stroll of Fame, which as a substitute of Hollywood icons, commemorates Latino legends such a Cesar Chavez and Graciela Beltran. With a inhabitants of greater than 118,000, it has loads of houses up for grabs, particularly two- and three-bedroom bungalows.
A transform of this East L.A. house turned a bonus room right into a second bed room and added beamed ceilings and laminate flooring.
(Keller Williams Realty)
The house: A current transform of this single-story house close to Whittier Boulevard turned a bonus room right into a second bed room and added beamed ceilings, contemporary paint and laminate flooring. The outside is billed as “low upkeep” because it options gravel as a substitute of grass — however don’t fear, there are many bushes to make up for it.
The handle: 4708 Hubbard St., Los Angeles, 90022
The value: $485,000
The specs: Two bedrooms and one rest room in 648 sq. ft
The agent: Ralph Ruiz of Keller Williams Pacific Estates
San Dimas
San Dimas sits on the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, providing a suburban retreat full of tract houses, strip malls and slightly extra space than you’ll get in L.A. Commuters take the freeway as of late, however in 2026, the Metro L Line is anticipated to increase out to the town.
This San Dimas house contains granite counter tops and whitewashed brick. Its again patio overlooks the group pool.
(Steve Padilla / Prime Agent Images)
The house: Columns and clay tile contact up the outside of this single-story house within the deliberate city improvement group of Montecito Village. Granite counter tops and whitewashed brick pop up within the dwelling areas, and the again patio overlooks the group pool.
The handle: 116 W. Through Vaquero, San Dimas, 91773
The value: $525,000 (and $323 month-to-month HOA dues)
The specs: Two bedrooms and two bogs in 1,122 sq. ft
The agent: Michael Wallace of Higher Dwelling Monetary
Willowbrook
Anchored by medical establishments such because the Martin Luther King Jr. Neighborhood Hospital and Charles R. Drew College of Drugs and Science, the unincorporated group of Willowbrook covers about 3.7 sq. miles simply south of the 105 Freeway. Properties there are normally fairly inexpensive, with the bulk itemizing on the market at lower than half 1,000,000.
This reworked house options new kitchen cabinetry, quartz counter tops, tile flooring and home equipment.
(Century 21)
The house: Tucked behind gates, this reworked house has new kitchen cabinetry, quartz counter tops, tile flooring and home equipment. Out again, a patio results in a spacious garden preferrred for internet hosting.
The handle: 2212 E. 117th St., Los Angeles, 90059
The value: $499,000
The specs: Two bedrooms and one rest room in 572 sq. ft
The agent: Chris Limon of Century 21 A Higher Service Realty
