house of mirrors Redondo Beach

Redondo Beach’s House of Mirrors

The saying goes, those who live in glass houses….what about those that live in mirror houses?

I’ve seen many houses in my day and haven’t always agreed with the sellers choices but I recently saw a house unlike anything I’d seen before.  The home, located at 606 Esplanade #1, is a front unit townhome with great ocean views, an ideal location, and loads of potential….but…..

In it’s current state it’s more like a carnival fun house than something you would expect in a beach house.  From the moment you walk in you are surrounded by mirrors.  Every wall, every closet, every corner is mirrored. You can’t walk into a bathroom or bedroom without seeing yourself reflected on every surface of the room.  It’s truly incredible and just a little dizzying.

Although it probably wouldn’t take much to turn the home into something fantastic, it’s hard to notice anything other than your reflection with the current situation.  I’ve seen mirrors added to beach homes to reflect the views, or add some light, but when every surface is mirrored its like being in a carnival funhouse.

It’s not hard to see why the listing agents chose to only post one picture as it might be impossible to get any pictures without the photographer’s reflection…hundreds of times.  In general the home has great potential.  The rooms are large, it offers a great ocean view, the kitchen living room have great light with sit down ocean views, but at the moment between the mirrors and the price, it’s going to be a tough sell.  606 Esplanade #1 in South Redondo Beach

 

Redondo Beach foreclosures

Redondo Beach Foreclosures on the Rise?

By Keith KyleRedondo Beach foreclosures

As the market has had so much momentum over the past 2 years, short sales and foreclosures have slowed to a trickle. Even most of those homeowners that had found themselves underwater and hanging on have taken advantage of skyrocketing prices as homes have moved above and beyond previous peak levels.

What’s unusual is the recent increase in these rare “distressed” sales as of late. As of this post, there are now 7 foreclosure homes on the market in Redondo Beach. 3 of the homes are bank owned, or REOs (real estate owned) and 4 are short sales. This is one of the higher numbers of distressed homes that we have seen in a while. While they can still be an opportunity and may be priced a bit below market value, these foreclosures don’t quite present the deals that they once did. Contact us or visit our South Bay foreclosure homes for sale for more information or to receive free foreclosure listing updates.

615 Esplande - Sand Castle oceanfront condos

Oceanfront Condos for Sale at 615 Esplanade Redondo Beach

Beachfront living at the Sand Castle

615 Esplanade Redondo Beach CA 90277

By Keith Kyle

Located oceanfront at 615 Esplanade, the Sand Castle represents the prototypical beachfront condo in Redondo Beach.  Consisting of two separate buildings, one truly oceanfront and the other sitting above and behind, the Sandcastle offers some incredible views and all that comes along with oceanfront living.  Dazzling sunsets, whales and dolphins out front, cool ocean breezes and that wonderful smell of the ocean.

Information and condos for sale for all of the beachfront condos of the Esplanade in South Redondo.

Built in 1971, the Sand Castle definitely shows some signs of aging as it’s constantly subject to the salty spray but as it’s block wall construction it’s a very rugged feeling building and  the location just can’t be better.

615 Esplanade Redondo Beach oceanfront condos for sale

The Sand Castle has 96 units, with the majority being 1 bedroom/1 bath and 719 square feet.  The layout of these units is long and skinny with the bedroom furthest east, kitchen in the middle and the living room facing the ocean.  This makes for some truly spectacular views, even from the kitchen.  Due to the block wall construction, many of the units have a rather industrial feel but some have been updated considerably.  The one bedroom units can start in the high $700,000s with 2 bedroom penthouse units well over $1,300,000 depending on the size and the location.  The front building enjoys incredible oceanfront views from every level (the lowest floor has a few units views partially blocked by the walkpath out front).  The rear building has partial views (horizon only) on the 5th floor (technically the first floor of the rear building) and the 6th floor (again technically the 2nd floor of the rear building) had bigger views but the sand and wave views are blocked by the front building.

The top floor of both the front and rear building offer a larger layout with 1 bed plus a large loft and 2 bathrooms.  Due to the very high ceilings they offer a sense of space that far exceeds the actual additional square footage.  The size of the units isn’t entirely clear with some units larger than others and the tax records not being completely accurate.  The layout is generally the same as the one bedroom with the addition of the stairs and loft.

HOA dues vary somewhat but as of this article they ranged between $416 and $450 ish a month.  The Sand Castle does not have a pool or spa, but there is a pretty great place to swim directly in front.

Current Esplanade condos for sale

Redondo Union High School

Redondo Beach Schools – How they Score

award winning redondo beach schools

By Keith Kyle

Without question one of the many reasons people want to live in Redondo Beach is the highly ranked Redondo Beach Unified School District.  From the elementary schools to Redondo Union High School, the district has a lot to offer and always ranks high in state test scores.  Redondo Union was recently named one of the Top 500 Public High Schools by Newsweek.

Redondo Union High School

Alta Vista School
815 Knob Hill
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Telephone: (310) 798-8650
Fax: (310) 798-8662

Birney School
1600 Green Lane
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Telephone: (310) 798-8626
Fax: (310) 937-6511

Lincoln School
2223 Plant Avenue
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Telephone: (310) 798-8646
Fax: (310) 793-6786

Tulita School
1520 Prospect Avenue
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Telephone: (310) 798-8628
Fax: (310) 798-8698

Adams Middle School
2600 Ripley Avenue
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Telephone: (310) 798-8636
Fax: (310) 318-3064

Redondo Union High School
One Sea Hawk Way
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Telephone: (310) 798-8665
Fax: (310) 798-4685

Beryl Heights School
920 Beryl Street
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Telephone: (310) 798-8611
Fax: (310) 937-6513

Jefferson School
600 Harkness Avenue
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Telephone: (310) 798-8631
Fax: (310) 937-6506

Madison School
2200 Mackay Lane
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Telephone: (310) 798-8623
Fax: (310) 798-3923

Washington School
1100 Lilienthal Lane
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Telephone: (310) 798-8641
Fax: (310) 798-8302

Parras Middle School
200 North Lucia Avenue
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Telephone: (310) 798-8616
Fax: (310) 798-8620

Redondo Beach map

What’s the Difference Between North and South Redondo Beach?

By Keith Kyle

When most buyers come to me they know that they’re interested in Redondo Beach, but don’t know much about the various parts and the differences in the neighborhoods.  While there are a number of different neighborhoods and real estate “areas” the big distinction is between North Redondo and South Redondo.

So what’s the difference?

The physical dividing line between the two is 190th Street and Anita, but in reality the differences are much more than just the separation of the street.  The “feel” of North Redondo and South Redondo are the most significant difference.  North Redondo sits east of Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach with no beach to call it’s own, while South Redondo has the prototypical “beach” feel and incorporates the areas of King Harbor, Redondo Beach, the Redondo pier and the beachfront street of the Esplanade.

North-South-Redondo-Beach-MapBoth north Redondo and South Redondo have a variety of housing options ranging from condos to mansions and everything in between, but when people often think of “Redondo Beach” they think of oceanfront and oceanview homes and those are only found in South Redondo.

The tradeoff is home prices and values.  In general, homes in South Redondo are more expensive and more valuable than similar homes in North Redondo, and it’s really all about the proximity to the beach, and the “beach” feel. While condos are a bit rarer in North Redondo, home prices generally start in the mid $500,000 for a smaller condo or townhome up to well over $1,500,000 for a larger home on a larger lot.  Home values can start in the mid $300,000 for a condo in Brookside Village and can reach to over $10,000,000 (which is very rare) for one of the few oceanfront estate style homes on the Esplanade.

Video Tour of the Oceanfront Condos of the Esplanade Redondo Beach

By Keith Kyle

We hope that this video may give you a better sense of some of the oceanfront buildings and complexes along the Esplanade in Redondo Beach.  Due to the cities zoning, the most affordable way of living oceanfront is along the Esplanade in buildings such as the Surfrider, Ocean Plaza, San Simeon, Sand Castle and more….visit our oceanfront condos in Redondo Beach to see the current listings along the water and homes for sale.

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Vista Sotheby’s International Realty is one of the top real estate brokerages in the South Bay and Southern California with offices in Redondo Beach and throughout the South Bay

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Welcome to Sotheby's International Realty representing buyers and sellers of fine South Bay and Southern California properties

Redondo Beach Real Estate & Homes. All rights reserved. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed

Keith Kyle – Licensed Realtor – Vista Sothebys International Realty – DRE#01712785

The listing information set forth on this site is based upon information which we consider reliable, but because it has been supplied by third parties to our franchisees (who in turn supplied it to us), we cannot represent that it is accurate or complete, and it should not be relied upon as such. The offerings are subject to errors, omissions, changes, including price, or withdrawal without notice. All dimensions are approximate and have not been verified by the selling party and cannot be verified by Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. It is recommended that you hire a professional in the business of determining dimensions, such as an appraiser, architect or civil engineer, to determine such information. Sotheby’s International Realty ® and the Sotheby’s International Realty Logo are service marks licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC and used with permission.