On the Westside, real estate has its own dialect. A street name doubles as a personality, and directions come with strong opinions attached. After decades of selling homes on these streets, we can tell you a few blocks north or south can change everything — price tag included. Consider this your Westside real estate phrasebook.
"North of Montana"
The big one. North of Montana is Santa Monica's leafy grid tucked between Montana Avenue and San Vicente Boulevard, running from Ocean Avenue to 26th Street. Think big lots, bigger trees, and new builds like our listing at 528 Marguerita Avenue. Its neighbor to the south, between Montana and Wilshire, goes by Wilmont, (shorthand for Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition), home to California Craftsman bungalows and the original Gehry House on 22nd Street.
For Sale: 528 Marguerita Avenue, Santa Monica
"The Flats" vs. "North of Sunset"
In Brentwood, Sunset Boulevard is the great divide. Below it, “the flats” is the easygoing grid south of San Vicente, with coffee, dinner and the Brentwood Country Mart right around the corner. In between sits Brentwood Park, a leafy stretch of traffic circles and extra-large estate lots. North of Sunset, the streets wind up into Mandeville and Kenter Canyons, where the lots get bigger (see our listing at 721 North Bonhill) and the trailheads get closer. The rule of thumb: the higher you go, the more you’re paying for privacy and views. The lower you go, the more you’re paying to be close to everything.
In Beverly Hills, "The Flats" is a whole other story: the meticulously manicured grid between Santa Monica Boulevard and Sunset is home to some of the most famous addresses in town and direct walkability to the best shopping on earth.
Featured Listing: 721 North Bonhill Road, Brentwood
"The Riviera"
Named for the Riviera Country Club, home of the PGA Tour's annual LA stop, this corner of the Palisades is where the lots get big, the hedges get tall, and the driveways get long. It's California estate living at its finest with a stunning golf course for a neighbor. You're paying for space and privacy, like our listing at 538 Spoleto Drive. The most coveted homes sit along the rim with canyon or ocean views.
Featured Listing: 538 Spoleto Drive, Pacific Palisades
"The Alphabet Streets"
The Palisades' original neighborhood, laid out in the 1920s with streets lined up in alphabetical order, starting with Albright Street. The Palisades fire took a very heavy toll on these streets, but today it's one of the community's most watched rebuilds, with new homes under construction or finished on each block. Though lots can be on the smaller side, the proximity, with the newly reopened Palisades Village, the terrific farmers market, the park, and the library all nearby, makes it a highly desirable location.
Featured Land Listing: 1106 Hartzell Street (sold after just 16 days on the market!)
"Dogtown"
The old nickname for Ocean Park and the north end of Venice, made famous by the skaters who put the neighborhood on the map in the '70s. These days the boardwalk is a little tidier and the coffee is a lot more expensive, but the name sticks — mostly among people who want you to know they've been here a while.
Featured Listing: 2325 McKinley Avenue, Venice
"West of Lincoln"
In Venice, Lincoln Boulevard is the line that matters. West of Lincoln puts you near the canals, Abbot Kinney and the walk streets, close enough to smell the ocean from the porch. East of Lincoln is quieter, roomier and still a bike ride from the sand. Both sides have their fans, and every one of them will tell you which side they're on within the first five minutes.
Featured Listing: 665 Rose Avenue, Venice
"Over the Hill"
On the Westside, “over the hill” means the Valley — but it's not because it's "old." In fact, Ventura Boulevard is home to some of the best restaurants in town, including SBP fave, Anajak Thai. What was once a place for old Hollywood's crew to gather, Studio City's Sportsmen's Lodge is now The Shops at Sportsmen's Lodge, an upscale outdoor shopping and eating mecca, featuring Sugarfish, Vuori, and Erewhon (of course).
Featured Listing: 4107 Stansbury Avenue, Sherman Oaks (sold for full asking after just 7 days on the market!)