We're almost a month into fall, and Southern California still hasn't gotten the memo.
So annoying! I'm ready for sweater weather, but apparently the weather has other plans. Anyone else?
Luckily, a recent trip to San Francisco offered a change of scenery and an occasion to dress up. I joined SIR colleagues from around the world to celebrate Sotheby's International Realty's 50th anniversary, caught up with friends, and gathered around a lunch table with my California Collective.
Back home in LA, this season has been about helping buyers & sellers navigate transitions and preparing for what comes next. After years in this business, the personal side of a move still stays with me most.
In this issue: a Hollywood Hills Spanish that became a social media darling, a few thoughts on the market, and some places and people worth knowing. And, hopefully by the time you read this, SWEATER WEATHER!
LA Market Update: August – Now
It's Still… A Tale of Two Markets
"One market" has never felt like a particularly useful description of Los Angeles real estate. Even within the same neighborhood, two homes can have very different experiences.
3359 Bennett Drive illustrates this tale of two markets.
3359 was one of six active listings on the same street. We entered escrow in 17 days. As of October 18, 2026, the five other homes remain unsold, with days on market ranging from 31 to 227. Each home has its own circumstances, but that is quite a contrast on one street.
We continue to see buyers respond to homes where the condition, presentation, and price make sense together. When that combination feels compelling, buyers will move decisively and quickly. When it doesn't, they are willing to wait.
With recent rate hikes, financing costs are a major consideration, buyers are weighing monthly payments, insurance, potential repairs, and what else their money could buy.
For sellers, that makes the decisions before launch especially consequential. Which improvements deserve the investment? What should be addressed upfront? Where does the home sit against the alternatives a buyer will consider?
Before going on market in September, I communicated weekly with my clients, reviewing our competition and adjusting our launch strategy as the market evolved.
As always, good marketing is important for buyers to see a home's appeal, but it cannot erase an ambitious price or the cost of substantial work.
My advice remains the same: prepare thoughtfully, price against today's competition, and pay close attention to the response once the home launches.
3359 Bennett Drive, Hollywood Hills
4 bed | 3 bath
Listed at $2,350,000 | Sold for $2,551,000 | 8.6% Over Asking | Multiple Offers
This one was a social media darling. A beauty to behold. After 35 years with the same owners, this romantic Hollywood Hills Spanish is beginning a new chapter with wonderful new homeowners.
When I first met with the sellers last May and signed the listing, we all felt good about the agreed terms. But as summer unfolded, we continued watching the neighborhood market closely, recognizing the importance of strategy, timing, and flexibility in an ever-changing real estate landscape.
The home attracted multiple offers and sold for $2,551,000, an impressive 8.6% over its $2,350,000 asking price.
And that thoughtful approach paid off. The home attracted multiple offers and sold for $2,551,000—an impressive 8.6% over its $2,350,000 asking price. At approximately $1,126 per square foot, the sale also achieved a price roughly 22.5% above the median for homes sold in the 90068 ZIP code, a particularly rewarding result in a market where buyers have become increasingly selective.
But presenting a home with history involves far more than preparing rooms for photography. There are decades of memories to respect, emotions to navigate, and important decisions to make along the way. Balancing those personal considerations with a carefully considered marketing and pricing strategy is what helps move a beloved home into its next chapter.
It has been a privilege to guide this transition for the sellers and introduce this special property to its new owners, who I know love its character and appreciate its history. A beautiful result for a beautiful home, and a meaningful new beginning for everyone involved.
See the home at 3359bennettdrive.com.
More from the Fall 2026 newsletter: An Angeleno's Shortlist: FORT: LA & Chiang Rai and San Francisco, Balboa Café & the California Collective.