About West Hollywood's Sunset Strip Area

I feel like this is Oprah's "My Favorite Things Week", but instead of giving you the latest Dustbuster (do they even make thoseanymore) or Panini Maker, I am treating you to some of my favorite streets/neighborhoods that you may not be aware of. This is especially for the newer rich kids who haven't discovered these hidden gems of residential living in the heart of everything.

Much like Nichols Canyon, Marmont Ave/Lane is a mish mash of smaller homes in the 1-2 million dollar range as well as large, architectural properties that can price at 3 million and up. The streets of Marmont lie right behind the famed Chateau Marmont, a fabled Hollywood landmark. Affairs to remember, overdose related deaths we wish to forget, and everything in between have happened at this hotel. It's a wonderful place to grab dinner on the outside terrace or have a drink by the pool. It's old school Hollywood glamour at it's best.

What I like about this area is that again, it's somewhat hidden yet in the midst of everything. In contrast to Nichols, Marmont has less of a woodsy vibe to it and is more of a traditional Hollywood Hills neighborhood. Right now there are currently four active listings ranging from $1,097,750 for a 22oo sq ft fixer that is in probate to a 3,500 sq ft - 4br/4.5ba, well done Mediterranean for $4,495,000. Right now the average days on the market for these listings are about 3 months. Two of these have been on the market for 200 days each, with a cost per square foot of $1284 and $1032. These homes are definitely priced on the very high end of the spectrum and rival an updated home in the Beverly Hills flats at these prices if not higher. Side note - if you are on the market for more than 6 months with the same list price and you haven't sold, with all due respect to the sellers/agents - it's time to reduce and relaunch!

The streets behind the the Chateau have always in high demand because of the views they offer, as well as the close proximity to the best parts of Sunset Blvd. There have been two sales thus far on Marmont Ave/Lane since January 1, 2009. A partially updated tudor style ranch with 2119 sq ft for $949,000 and then a slick, gated mid century compound with pool and 2640 sq ft of living space for $1,856,650. The average days on the market for these two homes was just about two months, which for 2009 is exceptional. When pricing a home for a client or figuring out what to offer with a buyer there are premiums and intangibles that go into it that magic number besides just price per square foot, but this is always a good place to start. The blended average of these two sales was about $575/sq ft.

Although I focus a lot on slick, contemporary properties, I am also a huge sucker for traditional Spanish style homes with tons of character. I was driving the streets of Marmont one caravan last April with no real goal other than to pull over to talk my best friend off a ledge due to her dramatic relationship with her boyfriend. I stumbled upon 8265 Marmont and instantly fell in love. I made it a Hot Prop of the Day back then (click on the address for a detailed review and the rather funny story) and is still in my mind as a property that I would one day love to purchase. It just feels so special from the inside and out - it's hard to describe. You just know when you love a property. For whatever reason, it expired from the market with a subsequent reduction to $1,550,000 ($100,000 less from when I wrote the blog entry). I'll leave you with the pictures of this property and the hope that we will see it on the market again sometime soon or that it sold to someone who loves it as much as I do!

If you are a rich kid with no limits to what you can spend and want the ultimate in LA chic, than this is the unit and building for you. Sierra Towers is considered to be the most prestigious full service high rise building in Los Angeles. Consisting of 146 units, nestled on the border of Beverly Hills right before you hit the Sunset Strip, this loan tower stands by itself as the epitome of luxury living. The moment you pull up, well dressed valet quickly escort you into the lobby and a front desk concierge attendant is quick to greet you. With no buttons to the elevators, you must check in before you are allowed to even enter the rest of the building. Your every whim will be taken care of whether you need groceries delivered to your unit, your dog walked - basically you name it (well, not that) and they will take care of it for you. You will be paying a premium for such pampering with an HOA bill of $1813 per month.

Once you walk through the doors of today's Hot Prop, you will instantly know why I call it The Orgy Pad. The owner converted one of the bedrooms into a massive bed/couch area that could easily seat 20 and is literally bigger than anything I have ever seen. There are two skull ash trays that are on either side of this lair, perfect for entertaining and fulfilling your most lascivious fantasies. This is definitely one of the most beautiful condos I have been in...ever. There are floor to ceiling windows through out, dark hardwood floors, remote control everything, Poliform kitchen, and beautiful mosaic tile bathrooms with plasma TV's. The views are so spectacular from this unit that you feel almost as if you are hanging off the end of the building. I will let the the pictures speak for themselves. Check out the virtual tour here.

9225 Doheny Rd, Unit 806, West Hollywood, CA 90069 - 2br/2ba, Roughly1845 Sq Ft - $2,695,000

SIERRA TOWERS, THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AND DESIRED FULL SERVICE HIGH RISE IN LOS ANGELES. GREAT VIEWS OF THE SUNSET STRIP, DOWNTOWN AND THE OCEAN. REBUILT FROM THE GROUND UP, THIS UNIT HAS CRESTRON FULL HOME AUTOMATION, POLIFORM KITCHEN AND THE HIGHEST QUALITY FINISHES. IT DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN THIS. CURRENTLY CONFIGURED AS 1 BED 2 BATH. CAN EASILY BE CONVERTED BACK TO 2 BED Listed by Westside Estate Agency

I have been to 999 Doheny on several occasions to check out units for either lease clients or potential buyers. Typically I always end up leaving disappointed, as I have not once seen a unit in the building that I or anyone I know would be interested in. Whenever people ask my opinion of this high rise, I am usually quick to dismiss it for the reasons I just mentioned above. I think the building is very well kept, the location is superb, and it definitely exudes that full service lifestyle. Ultimately I came to the conclusion that there just wasn't much that would work at 999 Doheny for my rich kids that are in the $700,000 and under price point, so I basically wrote it off. Today's real estate/life lesson: never write something or someone off because they or it might pleasantly surprise you!

I happened to have stumbled upon this unit while looking for a client of mine who is ready to purchase his first bachelor pad. What really floored me was the views throughout the unit. They are absolutely incredible! This specific condo felt like a junior version of what one might see at Sierra Towers, which is the ultimate in views and luxury living. With such features as cherry hardwood floors, Viking and Sub Zero appliances, expansive balcony, and floor to ceiling windows with explosive city views, this unit is hard to beat for the price. The building itself has such amenities as 24 hour concierge/security (they are hard core), pool, and basic cable included in the HOA's. This is the life where you have martini's at sunset on the balcony before walking over to the new BOA for steaks and a night cap!

999 Doheny Drive, Unit 601, West Hollywood, CA 90069 - 1br/1ba, Roughly 970 sq ft - $699,000

Gorgeous & absolute move-in condition. Two zone air/conditioning. Wide-planked Cherry hardwood flooring. Viking & Sub-Zero appliances, custom cabinetry, granite counter-tops, tremendous custom walk in closet. New sliding patio doors to 36+ ft. long patio with 180 degree views to Sunset Strip, Beverly Hills, Century City and beyond. Custom shower with frame-less doors, bronze fixtures. Bring a toothbrush and move right in. Listed by The Desert Connection Realtors

This is definitely your quintessential rock and roll, Sunset Strip bachelor pad. Located on Larrabee, just west of Sunset Plaza, you are literally a short stroll from everything that the Strip has to offer. What I liked about this unit is that it feels high quality: dark hardwood floors, very cool kitchen with chrome accented back splashes, updated bathrooms, and well proportioned bedrooms. Apparently it's owned by some sort of rock star and this becomes clear when you see the stripper pole that has been installed in the living room next to the wet bar area. Putting all of that aside, I think this place has a ton of potential. I would say that this unit is best suited for a party boy/girl who likes to sleep in late or a tortured artist who thrives in dark environments. There is very little natural light in the unit. I think this could be somewhat remediated by clearing out the shrubbery that is outside of the balconies, but even with that, I would still expect minimal light. The location and the unit itself are really what makes this a Hot Prop. Once the furniture is cleared out and a little sparkle is added by a thorough deep cleaning, I think you'd have yourself a very nice place to call home. In my humble opinion, the unit is priced high, but could be a great deal in the $650-$700K. I'm not sure if you can put a price on the stripper pole, but this may be an amenity vs. an obstacle to many of my rich kids out there! Shauna Sand - if you are reading my blog, this pad's for you!

1201 Larrabee Street, Unit 108, West Hollywood, CA - 2br/2ba, Roughly 1465 sq ft - $719,000

HIP AND CHIC SUNSET STRIP PAD. 2 BED / 2 FULL BATHROOMS LOCATED JUST NORTH OF SUNSET BLVD. OPEN-SINGLE LEVEL FLOOR PLAN, 2 PRIVATE PATIOS, FULLY UPDATED CHEF'S KITCHEN W HIGH END APPLIANCES AND STANLESS STEEL SPLASH-BACK. MASTER BEDROOM W CUSTON SHOJI DOORS. STUNNING CUSTOM MASTER BATHROOM. LAUNDRY INSIDE, 2 SIDE BY SIDE, COVERED AND SECURE PARKING SPOTS. SAFE & QUIET BUILDING CLOSE TO ALL THE TREDY SHOPS, RESTAURANTS AND CLUBS. LIVE THE ENTORAGE LIFESTYLE! * EASY TO SHOW! Listed by Sotheby's International Realty

Today's Hot Prop made the cut for a few different reasons. The units are well located on Fountain and Crescent Heights which puts you in walking distance to basically everything that's cool on both the Sunset Strip as well as Santa Monica Blvd. The units themselves are very traditionally laid out with a large living room and two decent sized bedrooms. There are no questions as to where to put couches, TV's, etc like some of the more architectural properties that are out there. The units have no common walls (there are only 2 units per floor and 1 sprawling penthouse at the top), bamboo flooring, sumptuous bathrooms, high end Viking stove, Caesarstone counters, and triple pain windows for extra noise insulation. The prices are decent, but like most of the new construction out there, will probably be reduced within the first month. You get a lot of space, the newness factor, and high end finishes in a prime location for your dollar. Conversely, want you don't get with the lesser priced units are views (the building is surrounded by very old apartment buildings on either side, so even in the $1,750,000 penthouse you are still looking into your neighbors carport) nor is there much closet space. Why is this a Hot Prop you ask? For the buyer where location and newness are the most important "must haves" this could be a great opportunity for the right price. If views and ample storage are deal breakers, these units are not for you.

8265 Fountain Avenue, West Hollywood, CA - 2-3brs - From $745,000-$1,750,000

NEWLY CONSTRUCTED ECO FRIENDLY LUXURY UNITS W/ATTENTION TO DETAIL & MASTER CRAFTSMANSHIP MAKE THESE HOMES UNIQUE. FEATURING OPEN FLOOR PLAN, CEASARSTONE COUNTERS, STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES, BAMBOO WOOD FLOORING, HIGH CEILINGS, NO COMMON WALLS, TRIPLE PANE WINDOWS, CENTRAL HEAT & AIR, DESIGNER APPOINTED BATHROOMS WITH SEPARATE TUB & SHOWER AND 2-CAR PARKING. PRE-WIRED FOR CABLE & HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS.

• 101 - 2br/2.5ba - Roughly 1373 sq ft - $775,000
• 102 - 2br/2ba - Roughly 1321 sq ft - $795,000
• 201 - 2br/2.5ba - Roughly 1505 sq ft - $865,000
• 202 - 2br/2ba - Roughly 1321 sq ft - $745,000
• 301 - 2br/2.5ba - Roughly 1505 sq ft - $825,000
• 401 (Penthouse) - 3br/3.5ba - Roughly 3175 sq ft - $1,750,000