Palos Verdes Source

Palos Verdes Estates was originally designed to be a gated city and a gatehouse was built to guard its northern entrance.  It is located on Via Valmonte at the Torrance border.  It was called the Mirlo Gate Lodge Tower.

A stone plaque on the site states, “The ‘Stone Tower’ was built by the Palos Verdes Homes Association in 1926 from the plans of the architect Clarence E. Howard submitted in Nov. 1925.  Intended for a gated entrance located on parkland, it was deeded to Palos Verdes Estates in 1939 and has been occupied by various tenants to maintain and preserve the tower.”

Yes, that’s right.  It is “tenant occupied”.  It does not come up for rent very often.  According to the City, the current tenant has been there for twenty years.  It looks very small – maybe 300 square feet – and so very quaint.

Palos Verdes homes owners have two upcoming special trash collections.

The first is Palos Verdes Estates Special Refuse Collection which takes place this Saturday, April 24, 2010.  Homeowners in Palos Verdes Estates actually look forward to this yearly event as it is an opportunity to clean out the garage and dispose of unwanted items without having to pay an extra fee for a “temporary debris box” also known as a dumpster.  Items must be out at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on Saturday – everything from furniture, appliances, sinks, mattresses, rugs, etc.  Unacceptable material includes construction waste, green waste, hazardous waste and electronic waste.  A more complete list can be found at www.AthensServices.com

The annual Peninsula Hazardous Waste Round-up will be held Saturday, May 8, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall on Hawthorne Blvd.  Some of the acceptable items include motor oil, paint, batteries, old televisions, computers, old prescriptions.  For a more complete list, click here and scroll down to page 8 of the city newsletter.

The City of Palos Verdes Estates accepts electronic waste Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the City Yard found at the lower level of City Hall, adjacent to the Police Department on Palos Verdes Drive West.

Photo courtesy of City of Palos Verdes Estates Newsletter

Please join me on Sunday, February 28, 2010, between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. at an Open House at 4224 Via Nivel, Palos Verdes Estates 90274.  I will be hosting the open house for the listing agent, Judy Henry (Remax Palos Verdes Realty).  Here is your opportunity to become a Palos Verdes homes owner.

This gracious Cape Cod home is located in the heart of Valmonte and features a beautifully redone kitchen.  It has 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, 2,446 square feet and is listed for $1,410,000.  The formal living room and dining rooms as well as the office/fourth bedroom, enjoy sparkling city views.  The lushly landscaped yard features a waterfall, spa, outdoor fireplace and built-in Vinking barbecue.

Please join me for a tour through this charming Valmonte home.

Photo courtesy of MRMLS

This request comes from the City of Palos Verdes Estates as they try to manage the peacocks in Malaga Cove and the Espinosa Circle area of Lunada Bay.  The City traps (and relocates) peafowl that wander out of those area.  They also do a headcount twice a year and if there are too many (as there are no natural predators), they relocate some of the peacocks out of the area.

The peacocks are beautiful to look at but I  have heard stories of peacocks sitting on cars, screeching at all hours and generally being a nuisance in numbers.  The City of Palos Verdes Estates encourages resident “ to allow the peafowl to to live in their environment with minimal human contact or interference.  Specifically, residents are urged not to feed the peafowl.  They do not require artificial feeding and survive quite well on food found naturally in their environment such as domestics plants, berries, and insects.”  If residents outside the peafowl area feed them, the peacocks will be lured out of their designated areas making it more difficult for the City’s peafowl management program.

There are generally peacocks waiting for relocation in cages just off Palos Verdes Drive West to the right of the Fire Station (if you want to take a peek).  If you have questions regarding the peafowl, you may contact Captain Mark Velez at 310-378-4211.

                            Palos Verdes homes owners welcome the re-opening of Malaga Cove School which will house the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District offices.  The school was built in 1926 and was the Peninsula’s first permanent school and is one of the city’s historical buildings.   It was closed in 1991 due to declining enrollment.

“The restoration kept period details and added elevators and other features to comply with federal disability law” according to the Daily Breeze.  Yet, it was also built to current state standards for schools should the building need to be used in the future as a school.

Currently, all district departments have moved to Malaga Cove School with the exception of ESL (English as Second Language) Testing and Pupil Services which will move over shortly from Valmonte School.  The Costume Closet and Peninsula Education Foundation will also be located at the newly reopened Malaga Cove School.  Malaga Cove School is located at 375 Via Almar, Palos Verdes Estates.

The Palos Verdes neighborhood of Lunada Bay is located on the west side of Palos Verdes Estates.  Lunada Bay is .7 square miles and has approximately 2,800 residents.  This area is also home to 3 schools – Lunada Bay Elementary, Palos Verdes Intermediate, and Palos Verdes High School.  You can see why this is a favorite area for families as their children will probably be able to walk to at least one of those schools during their school career.  My favorite things about Lunada Bay are the ocean views and the coastline bluff trails for walking.

Lunada Bay in Palos Verdes has its own shopping area (Palos Verdes Drive West and Yarmouth) with a market, restaurants, gas station, banks and other shops.  Lunada Bay also has its landmark fountain (photo above).  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.  Upper Lunada Bay homes are located higher on the hill and many have panoramic ocean views.

Most of Lunada Bay is single family homes (87%) but there are also apartments and townhomes.  Currently, there are 27 single family homes for sale in Lunada Bay Palos Verdes ranging in price from $1,080,000 (3 br, 2 ba, 1943 sq ft) to $4,495,000 (5 br, 5 ba, 5490 sq ft).  There are 8 homes in escrow.  41 homes have sold in Lunada Bay since the first of the year ranging in price from $875,000 (4 br, 3 ba, 1614 sq ft) to $5,000,000 for a stunning bluff home (4 br, 4 ba, 3568 sq ft).  Currently, there are 2 condos for sale in Lunada Bay – one for $399,900 (1 br, 1 ba, 671 sq ft) and one for $725,000 (3 br, 2 ba, 1609 sq ft).

The Palos Verdes neighborhood of Malaga Cove  has spectacular”Queen’s Necklace Views”.  You can see white water, the beaches of Redondo, Hermosa and Manhattan Beach, the coastline all the way around to Malibu, city lights at night and the ocean during the day.  It is 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 the former MalagaCove School which is currently being renovated to house the school district’s offices, Palos Verdes Beach & Athletic Club (310-375-8777), The Neighborhood Church and St. Francis Episcopal Church.  Malaga Cove also has a commercial center (photo below) with banks, real estate offices, restuarants, a market, post office and other stores and offices.  Palos Verdes Estates City Offices and the Library are also located in Malage Cove.  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 Palos Verdes Tennis Club.

 Currently, there are 11 single family homes for sale in the Malaga Cove area of Palos Verdes Estates ranging in price from $1,275,000 (3 br, 2 ba, 1878 sq ft) to $3,950,000 (3 br, 3 ba, 2228 sq ft).  There are 4 homes in escrow.  15 homes have sold in Malaga Cove since the first of the year ranging in price from $1,200,000 (4 br, 3 ba, 1946 sq ft) to $4,700,000 (6 br, 7 ba, 9884 sq ft).  Malaga Cove also has townhomes/condos and apartments.  Currently there is one 2 bedroom, 3 bath condo for sale in Malaga Cove for $661,000.

Malaga Cove homes are custom built and most have red-tile roofs.  Originally, all homes in this area that could be seen from the water had to have red tile roofs as the original developers wanted it to look like the French/Italian Riviera.

The Valmonte neighborhood is in Palos Verdes Estates and is located at the northwest corner of the Palos Verdes Peninsula and borders the Hollywood Riviera section of Torrance.  Valmonte is approximately 1/2 mile.  This neighbhorhood is known for its eucalyptus groves and its “family neighborhood” feel.   The topography is relatively flat which is greatfor walking, riding bikes, playing ball, etc.  It is a very friendly area with lots of people taking walks and stopping to chat.

The Palos Verdes Estates “gatehouse” or tower is located in this area as well as the Palos Verdes Estates Stables.  The first house was built in Valmonte over 70 years ago.  Houses were custom built in many different styles such as Ranch, Spanish, Contemporary, Tuscan, Craftsman, etc.  Today the area is a blend of older homes and larger newer homes that have replaced some of the older ones.

Currently, there are 14 homes for sale in the Valmonte area of Palos Verdes Estates ranging in price from $840,000 (3 br, 2 ba, 1553 sq ft) to $2,075,000 (4 br, 4 ba, 3750 sq ft).  There are 4 homes in escrow.  23 homes have sold in Valmonte since the first of the year ranging in price from $820,000 (2 br, 1 ba, 1008 sq ft) to $2,100,000 (4 br, 3 ba, 3671 sq ft).

This is a very popular area as the weather is temperate; its been described as a “banana belt” with not too much fog, wind or heat.  Valmonte is on the north side of the Palos Verdes Peninsula and is closer to beaches, freeways and shopping.  As with all neighborhoods in Palos Verdes Estates, Valmonte does not have any sidewalks, street lights or traffic signals.

There were 9 homes on the November 24, 2009, Palos Verdes real estate Broker’s Tour.  We currently have 215 active single family homes for sale in Palos Verdes ranging in price from $800,000 in Rancho Palos Verdes to $14,900,000 in Rolling Hills (the low in Eastview is $699,900).  There are 47 townhomes/condos for sale priced between $230,000 and $1,500,000. My favorites were:

Gary Myer’s, (Remax Palos Verdes Realty) 23 Hillcrest Manor, Rolling Hills Estates 90274 (above left), is a 4 bedroom, 5 bath, 4,124 square foot home for $2,295,000.  This Hillcrest Manor home has a resort-like backyard with pool/spa, gourmet kitchen and separate office.  Mary Thomas’s (Remax Palos Verdes Realty) 900 Via Nogales, Palos Verdes Estates 90274 (above right), is a 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 2,205 square foot home for $1,599,000.  This remodeled Monte Malaga home has ocean/coastline/city views, separate den and pool/spa.

Jerry Tainer’s (Northwest Realty) 208 Via Pacheco, Palos Verdes Estates 90274 (above) is a 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 1,901 square foot home for $1,395,000.  This remodeled Lower Lunada Bay home features a gorgeous new kitchen and outdoor entertaining area and is just a short walk to the bluffs.

Photos courtesy of MRMLS

Palos Verdes Estates does not have residential street lights.  Tennis courts and pool areas are also restricted.  According to Sue Van Every, Palos Verdes Estates Homeowners Association Manager, in a recent article in the Peninsula News “there is a city ordinance, as well as the Art Jury (which) has not allowed any (lights))…because of the surrounding neighbors…”  Of course, that means no night games at Palos Verdes High School.

The same is true for Peninsula High School which is in Rolling Hills Estates.  However, there have been a few exceptions over the years.  According to Doug Prichard, City Manager of Rolling Hills Estates, in a recent Peninsula News article, “The standing policy of the school has been that they do not want to disrupt the neighborhoods in the quiet evenings with night games, they’ve never had lights go up there.  Every few years, we’ll get the booster club interested in having a night game or two during the season – particularly homecoming games – and they’ve done that in the past with temporary lights on sort of a one-off basis.”

There are street lights in Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes which makes navigating unfamiliar areas at night easier.  As a resident of Palos Verdes Estates, I do enjoy not having streetlights.  You can really see the stars at night!