Palos Verdes Source

What are the names of the Bays and Coves in Palos Verdes?  That questions was asked of me a couple of weeks ago.  And as a 30 plus year resident, I could not name them all.  How lucky are we here on the Palos Verdes Peninsula that we have so many that we can’t count or name them all!  Our coastline is truly magnificent!

Matt Waters at Rancho Palos Verdes Parks and Recreation Department did some research for me and came up with the map below taken from Don Gales book, “Wildflowers, weeds…”   I realize it may be challenging to read so I am listing the Coves and Bays starting from RAT (Right At Torrance) beach which is the northern border of the Palos Verdes coastline (and the Points are in parenthesis).

In Palos Verdes Estates there is Malaga Cove, Bluff Cove, (Rocky Point) Lunada Bay (Resort Point) and Christmas Tree Cove (which is shared with Rancho Palos Verdes).  The shoreline begins in Rancho Palos Verdes with Christmas Tree Cove and continues with Golden Cove, (Point Vicente) Fisherman’s Cove (Long Point), Abalone Cove - photo above, (Portuguese Point) Smuggler’s Cove/Sacred Cove (Inspiration Point) and Portuguese Bend Cove (Halfway Point).

This is the first in a series of special places on the Palos Verdes Peninsula which many owners of Palos Verdes real estate are not aware of.  You might say these are ”secret” places.   The Gazebo at Roessler Pointis located in Palos Verdes Estates.   The entrance is at the northwest end of the parking lot for Malaga Cove School (Paseo Del Mar and Via Arroyo).

The Gazebo ia a great spot for contemplation and the view is spectacular.  It is very quiet and you are usually the only one there.  You can see the coastline Queen’s Necklace view all the way around to Malibu.  The sunsets are also fabulous.  If you want to walk down on the beach, the path is just to the right.

The Lunada Bay neighborhood is located in Palos Verdes Estates.   My favorite things about this neighborhood are the ocean views and the coastline bluff trails for walking.  My son would say it was when the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie was being filmed (photo above) two summers ago and the cliffs were lined with people (including us) with binoculars watching.

The Lunada Bay area is .7 square miles and has approximately 2,778 residents.  This area is also home to 3 schools (Lunada Bay Elementary, Palos Verdes Intermediate and Palos Verdes High School) and is a favorite area for families.  Lunada Bay has its own fountain (photo below)  and shopping area (Palos Verdes Drive West and Yarmouth) with a market, restaurants, gas station, banks and other shops.  Some Lower Lunada Bay homes (on the ocean side of Palos Drive West) have ocean views; this area is fairly flat which is perfect for biking and walking.  As Upper Lunada Bay homes are located higher on our hill, many have panoramic ocean views.

Nearly eighty seven percent of the housing in Lunada Bay is single family homes.  There are also apartments and townhomes.  There are currently 26 single family homes ranging in price from $1,079,000 (1572 sq ft) to $3,295,000 (3859 sq ft).  Currenty, there are no active townhomes for sale.  There are 2 townhomes in escrow with a list price of $599,000 (1142 sq ft) and $629,000 (1184 sq ft). 

Today’s Tour Tip for Palos Verdes Real Estate Broker’s Tour is my own listing at 838 Rivera Place, Palos Verdes Estates, which has spectacular panoramic ocean and Catalina views - and is a 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 3,025 square foot home on a 14,600 square foot lot for $2,499,000.

This is a lavishly remodeled home with a private courtyard entry and ocean views from nearly every room.  This exquisite home was designed with meticulous attention to quality and detail.  The custom cabinetry throughout resembles fine furniture.  It’s perfect for entertaining with a ground level kitchen, dining room, living room open floor plan with dramatic ocean views.  The downstairs family room has a full bar (with 100-bottle wine refrigerator, humidor, draft beverage dispenser, dishwasher, refrigerator and ice-making machine) and leads to a covered patio and gardens, all with incredible ocean views.

Please come join me today, August 12, between 11:00 and 1:00 to view this beautiful home.  There will also be a public open house on Sunday, August 17, from 1:00 to 4:00.   View property website at www.838Rivera.com

The Malaga Cove neighborhood is located in Palos Verdes Estates.  The best thing about this neighborhood is the the ocean view and many properties also have the “Queen’s Necklace” view which is a view of the coastline from Redondo Beach all the way around the coast to Malibu.  It is spectacular and one of my favorite views (above). 

The Malaga Cove area is  .66 square miles and has approximately 1500 residents.  Lower Malaga Cove (west of Palos Verdes Drive West) is within walking distance from the bluffs and trails down to the water and is home to Malaga Cove School (presently not operating as a school), Palos Verdes Beach & Athletic Club (310-375-8777), Neighborhood Church (photo below), St. Francis Episcopal.   Malaga Cove Shopping Center, the Malaga Cove Library and Palos Verdes Estates City Offices are located in the heart of Malaga Cove on Palos Verdes Drive West.  Upper Malaga Cove (above Palos Verdes Drive West) has many homes with even grander views and is the location of LaVenta Inn (events only), Palos Verdes Golf Club and PV Tennis Club.

Most homes are custom built (many with red tile roofs).  There are currently 13 single family homes for sale ranging in price from $1,665,000 (1670 sq ft)  to $5,500,000 (6600 sq ft).   There are currently 5 townhomes for sale ranging in price from $739,500 (1250 sq ft) to $2,500,00 (3050 sq ft).

On the Palos Verdes Peninsula, there are two choices for Fourth of July celebrations during the day. There are also two choices nearby for local fireworks in the evening.

Palos Verdes Estates will be hosting their 47th Old Fashioned Independence Day Celebration at Malaga Cove School beginning at 9:45 a.m. with entries into the Apple Pie Contest followed by the Children’s Bike Parade at 10:00 a.m.  Admission is free and you may bring a picnic or purchase food from Boy Scout Troop 257.  For additional information, call 310-375-3455 or click on the link above and scroll down to page 3.

Rancho Palos Verdes will be hosting their 33rd Annual Independence Day Country Fair Celebration at Point Vicente Park/Civic Center from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  There will be Arts & Crafts Booths, Kiddie Carnival Rides, Petting Zoo, Pie Eating Contest, Hula Hoop Contest and more.  Admission is free, on-site parking is $3 per vehicle and free shuttle service is provided along Hawthorne Blvd.  For additional information, call 310-349-0743 or click on the link above.

Fireworks can be seen in the evening at the Redondo Beach Pier at 9:30 p.m. (click here for more information on reserved seating)  or at Torrance’s Charles Wilson Park beginning at dusk (click here for more information/then choose “Fourth of July Celebration”.

Photo courtesy City of Rancho Palos Verdes

“Palos Verdes Estates City Council recently reviewed completed reports on the slow, yet consistent, land movement at the north end of Bluff Cove, located at Palos Verdes Drive West near Via Montemar” reported the June 12th Peninsula News.  I have noticed the red pylons decorating the road for months. 

During his presentation at an April Board of Realtors Meeting, Joe Hoefgen, City Manager for Palos Verdes Estates, told us the the earth near Bluff Cove was moving about 6 inches per year.  He also acknowledged Palos Verdes Drive West as being a main traffic artery for our community with 17,000 cars a day passing the Bluff Cove area.  That is a lot of cars!  When you consider Palos Verdes High School and Palos Verdes Intermediate School students travelling back and forth (and parents’ carpools which would travel up and back twice) as well as the residents driving off the Peninsula to their jobs (and back again), that number is plausible. 

The Peninsula News stated that the City Council agreed a “soldier pile wall” at the site would prolong the life of the road about 50 years at a cost of at least a half a million dollars.  Construction is estimated to begin in about 18 to 24 months.

More information on the Bluff Cove landslide can be accessed by clicking here for the Palos Verdes Estates City Council Agenda and going to page 15.

Palos Verdes Estates was the first city on the Peninsula to incorporate in 1939.  The city has  4.5 miles of coastline.  Twenty-eight percent of city land is permanently deeded as parkland and maintained as dedicated open space.  According to Palos Verdes Estates Resident Handbook, the population in the year 2000 was approximately 13,572.

Most homes are custom built and one can only find multiple housing in the Malaga Cove and Lunada Bay areas. Palos Verdes Estates has a Homeowner’s Association (known as the Art Jury) which approves the architectural and design aspects of each home even the color of paint (see my Palos Verdes Art Jury Disclosure post dated 1-6-08).  There are no street lights (better for stargazing), traffic lights (stop signs only) and minimal amount of sidewalks.

Current real estate prices for single family residences are between $1,099,000 (for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1,962 square foot home) and $12,990,000 (for a 7 bedroom, 8.5 bath, 18,227 square foot home) with 56 active listings.  The least expensive townhome of the 4 active listings is $599,000 (for a 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1,258 square foot townhome).  

Palos Verdes Estates has 2 shopping/commerce areas each with a market, restaurants and shops - one in Malaga Cove (photo above) and one in Lunada Bay.  The Library, Palos Verdes Police Department, Fire Department and City Offices are located in Malaga Cove.   Palos Verdes Golf Club (top photo), Palos Verdes Beach & Athletic Club (310-375-8777), Palos Verdes Stables (310-375-9322),  Palos Verdes Tennis Club, and La Venta Inn (events only) are located within the 4.75 square miles that makes up Palos Verdes Estates.  

Every Fourth of July an all-day celebration is held at the former Malaga Cove Intermediate School.  Concerts in the Park are held every Wednesday in July and August in the park next to Malaga Cove Library.

Palos Verdes Peninsula is actually composed of 4 different cities - Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates (and 2 Los Angeles County areas known as Westfield and Academy Hills).  They are all part of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District.

This is the first of 5 posts which will describe the unique qualities of each of the cities from weather to real estate to shopping.  The main road that surrounds the Peninsula (in a loose circle) is called Palos Verdes Drive North, South, East and West.  Pretty original, huh?  

First some history - Several years ago, I was certified as a Palos Verdes Specialist and during the classes I learned that the Peninsula was pushed up out of the sea (much like an island) and the ocean waves eroded the land forming terraces.  I am told that from the air, one can still see some of those terraces.

In 1913, the entire Peninsula was purchased for development for $1,500,000 by a group headed by Frank Vanderlip, Sr.  After the stock market crash in 1929, portions of the property were sold off.  1,000 acres were set aside and offered for free for a California University but Westwood was chosen instead (UCLA).   Can you imagine how different Palos Verdes Peninsula would be if the university was built here?

The Valmonte neighborhood is located in Palos Verdes Estates.  The best thing about this neighborhood is that it is a family neighborhood.  There are usually groups of children playing outdoors on any given day.    The topography is relatively flat which is great for walking, riding bikes, playing ball, etc.   It is a very friendly area with lots of people taking walks and stopping to chat. 

Houses were built individually by owners who purchased lots - this is not a tract neighborhood.  The first house was built over 70 years ago.  There are  mixed style homes from Ranch, Spanish, Contemporary, Tuscan, Craftsman, etc. all approved by the Palos Verdes Homeowner’s Association.  Housing prices in 2007 ranged from $912,500 to $2,685,000. 

The weather is temperate; it’s been said Valmonte is in a “banana belt” - not too much fog, wind or heat - it’s perfect.  Valmonte is located on the north side of the Palos Verdes Peninsula so it is closer to beaches, freeways and shopping “off the hill”.  There are no sidewalks, street lights or signals.  At night you can see the stars.