Torrance real estate and homes for sale

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Seaside Ranchos A Great Combination of Neighborhood Feel and Beach Proximity

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By Keith Kyle

Many buyers actively seek Torrance neighborhoods for the wonderful community feel, tree lined streets, great schools and family friendly vibe.  Nowhere is this more embodied than in the Seaside Ranchos area of South Torrance.  The Seaside Ranchos neighborhood is often called Sleepy Hollow or the Christmas Lights area due to the annual show put on by the residents with lights strung across the Chinese Elm trees that line the streets.  Sitting just North of Pacific Coast Highway as it turns inland near the Palos Valos Peninsula the neighborhood is a collection of beautiful homes on larger lots.    The majority of the homes offer 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and due to the much larger lots than in most areas of Torrance often have fantastic backyards.

The tree lined streets offer a very safe and friendly feel and give the area it’s “Christmas Lights” nickname as all of the community trees are wrapped in white lights during the holidays and rare is the home that isn’t decorated with lights and decorations.  The area has become so popular during the holidays that traffic is restricted in the evenings and cars line up for seemingly hours to drive through the spectacular display.  Prices generally start in the low $1,000,000s and can price over the $2.5M mark for some of the most impressive homes on oversized lots.  One of the newest communities in the South Bay is just nearby as well.

Current Seaside Ranchos Torrance homes for sale

Search Homes For Sale By Neighborhood Torrance Links

33.82630313162526, -118.36004192207817
33.817460656701286, -118.36008543015292
33.81346734945008, -118.36965541864363
33.815677684777086, -118.3746336574269
33.82805007261276, -118.37454921262047

Pocket and Off Market Home Listings in Torrance CA

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By Keith Kyle

If you’re a home buyer at the moment, you’ve probably been a little frustrated with just how little housing inventory there is, how quickly the good homes sell, and how often they sell for far more than they were listed.  You’ve probably also heard the terms pocket listings and off market listings as those are definitely the buzz words of the moment.

So what do these words really mean and how do you find out about them?

Pocket listings and off market listings can mean several things, but basically they are homes that agents may, or may not, have formal agreements to sell, but are aware the sellers are interested in selling.  Most often the realtor has a written agreement to represent the sellers, but for one reason or another, the sellers either don’t want their home to be put on the MLS or perhaps they just aren’t quite ready.  In other situations it may be far more informal with either the homeowner telling a realtor “bring me a buyer and maybe I’ll sell” or something in which the owner would only consider selling at a price over the market value of the home.

So how does this help you?

The concept is pretty simple….the fewer buyers that know about a home the better the chances of having your offer considered and accepted.  Without the buyer frenzy that comes with most new listings these days the price may be kept at a reasonable level as well.

So how do you find these homes?

The best way to find these off market listings is to work with a successful local agent that specializes in the area you’re interested in.  It’s all about networking and the more owners, sellers and other agents the realtor is in contact with the more likely they may have ways of finding listings the public isn’t aware of.   Good agents will also actively seek out some unknown sellers with letters or even by door knocking.  Buyers can certainly try this on their own as well, but just won’t have the same reach as a well connected local agent.  If you would like us to help simply fill out our “let me know about pocket listings form” and specify if you want us to update you on all listings….or just the homes not on the market.

Be realistic

Although many deals are happening off market and it is a very good way of trying to find a home in a very challenging sellers market, buyers must be realistic.  Finding something off market generally doesn’t mean paying 70% of it’s value.  In our very high end market in which sellers have resources and information to know what their homes are worth, sellers are very savvy and often only willing to sell their homes off market if the price is right.

Walteria and Victoria Knolls Torrance Real Estate Market Trends

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When buying or selling homes in the Walteria and Victoria Knolls neighborhoods of Torrance, knowing and understanding the real estate market is critical to making the right decision. Real estate trends can help determine current values or even when the appropriate time to list and sell your  home. The information below is intended to help you get a better understanding of what is happening in the market. Sitting just east of the Hollywood Riviera and South Torrance, Walteria is a very community oriented area with most homes within walking distance to local schools, homes with appropriate sized lots and tree lined streets.  To see the actual prices and homes sold in Torrance last month visit our recent home sales page.

The chart below shows the number of active listings (light green) sold homes (dark green) and pending home sales (red line) The greater the discrepancy between active homes and sold homes indicates a buyers market and when the numbers are closer a sellers market is indicated as inventory is down.

The chart below shows the average price per square foot. Square footage in the South Bay often doesn’t mean as much as in other markets as values can vary so dramatically due to things such as proximity to the beach, views, specific neighborhoods.

The chart below shows the average days on market per month as well as the % of list price that homes sold at. A high % indicates a sellers market as home sell at, or above list price.

The chart below shows the average price for listed home sales in relation to the average price for sold homes.

The chart below indicates the months of home inventory based on closed home sales. Buyer’s market: more than 6 months of inventory Seller’s market: less than 3 months of inventory Neutral market: 3 – 6 months of inventory

Real Estate Market Trends for Southwood Torrance

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When buying or selling homes in the Southwood neighborhood of Torrance, knowing and understanding the real estate market is critical to making the right decision. Real estate trends can help determine current values or even when the appropriate time to list and sell your Southwood home. The information below is intended to help you get a better understanding of what is happening in the market.  Sitting just east of Redondo Beach and in between the Torrance neighborhoods of South Torrance and West Torrance, Southwood is a very community oriented area with most homes within walking distance to local schools, homes with appropriate sized lots and tree lined streets.

The chart below shows the number of active listings (light green) sold homes (dark green) and pending home sales (red line) The greater the discrepancy between active homes and sold homes indicates a buyers market and when the numbers are closer a sellers market is indicated as inventory is down.

The chart below shows the average price per square foot. Square footage in the South Bay often doesn’t mean as much as in other markets as values can vary so dramatically due to things such as proximity to the beach, views, specific neighborhoods.

The chart below shows the average days on market per month as well as the % of list price that homes sold at. A high % indicates a sellers market as home sell at, or above list price.

The chart below shows the average price for listed home sales in relation to the average price for sold homes.

The chart below indicates the months of home inventory based on closed home sales. Buyer’s market: more than 6 months of inventory Seller’s market: less than 3 months of inventory Neutral market: 3 – 6 months of inventory

Who Pays for What in Escrow

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Closing Costs – Who Generally Pays What In a Torrance CA Escrow

Title Fees

Cost
Customarily
Charged By/To:
Description

Owners
Title Policy

 Title:
To Seller		 Fee for the title policy. Calculated using the sales price.
May be reduced if home was purchased or refinanced in
the last 5 years. Insures that the title is as agreed
to at closing

Lenders
Title Policy

 Title:
To Buyer		 Title  policy issued to lender to cover the amount of the loan. Based on the loan amount unless it is a negative amortization loan.

Sub
Escrow Fee

 Title:
to Buyer & Seller		 Fee  to administer the payoff of loans or property taxes
of the seller and collection of funds from the new lender

Document
Transfer Tax

 County,
City: to Seller		 Fee  charged on all properties that transfer title – based
on sales price.

Record
Release/Reconveyance

 County:
To Seller		 Charge  to record the release/reconveyance

Federal
Express

 Federal
Express: to Buyer & Seller		 Charge  to deliver all time sensitive documents and monies

Title/Wire
Fee

 Banking
Instituion: to Seller		 Charge  to wire funds to escrow, seller, lenders, etc

Electronic
Recording

 County:
to Buyer		 Charge  to electronically record the document

Record
Grant Deed

 County:
To Buyer		 Charge to record the grant deed

Record
Trust Deed

 County:
To Buyer		 Charge
to record the trust deed.

Messenger

 Messenger
Service: To Buyer and Seller		 Charge to special messenger documents during the escrow: Fee  varies with distance

Lender’s
Endorsement

 Title:
to Buyer		 Charge  for endorsements required by lender to cover “outside the normal” risk circumstances

Escrow Fees

Cost
Customarily
Charged By/To:
Description

Escrow
Fee

Escrow:
to Buyer & Seller		 Covers  liability assumed as well as standard processing costs.

Damand
Fee

Escrow:
to Seller		 Charge  to request a statement & process involved in getting
a payoff figure to escrow on the outstanding amount of the current loan.  One demand fee per loan.

Process
HOA Docs & Transfer Fee

 Escrow:
to Buyer & Seller		 Fee  for processing required to assign membership for HOA
a& copying all governing documents

Document
Fee

Escrow:
to Buyer		 Covers  the cost of all processing required to meet new lender
requireents

Loan
Tie-In Fee

 Escrow:
to Buyer		 Covers  the cost of all processing required to meet new lender
requirements

Federal
Express

Federal
Express: to Buyer		 For  document packages to out of County Lenders.

Lender Fees

Cost
Customarily
Charged By/ To
Description

Origination
Fee

Lender:
to Buyer		 Charge  for lending money at 1% of the loan amount

Documentation
Preparation

 Lender:
to Buyer		 Paid  to lender for preparation of final loan documents

Tax
service

Tax
Service: to Buyer		 Fee  charged to buyer to set up property taxes with the state

Wire

 Banking
institution 		Charge  for the wiring of funds to title for closing

Underwriting

 Lender:
to Buyer		 Fee  to direct lender for the process of approving

Tax
impounds

Lender:
to Buyer		 Collected  to create an impound reserved account for the lender to pay property taxes twice a year

Insurance
impounds

Lender:
to Buyer		 1yr  + 2 months hazard insurance collected for impound reserve  account

Appraisal

 Appraiser:
to Buyer		 Paid  directly to appraiser for appraisal of property

Credit
Report

Lender:
to Buyer		 Paid  to credit bureau for report containing 3 credit scores

Processing

 Lender:
to Buyer		 Paid  to mortgage broker for processing loan package from
application to closing

Disbursements

Cost
Customarily
Charged By/ To
Description

HOA  Transfer Fee

 HOA Management: to Seller To  transfer ownership and handle new accounting set up

HOA  Dues

HOA Management: to Seller Paid  through month o closing

Fire  Insurance

Insurance Agency: to Buyer 1  year prepaid premium for Homeowners insurance

Notary

 Notary:  to Buyer Charge  to seller for signing of grant deed or certificatin

Payoffs

Cost
Customarily
Charged By/ To
Description

Recording  Fee

Existing  Lender: to Borrower Charge  for having reconveyance recorded.

Statement forwarding fee

 Existing  Lender: to Borrower Charge  for issuing a payoff statement

Credits
and Prorations

Cost
Customarily
Charged By/ To
Description

HOA  Dues

 Seller: to Buyer Calculated  from date of COA through month-end

County  Property Taxes

 Seller:  to Buyer Calculated  from the date of payoff through end of period paid for.