How the Manhattan Beach condo market works
The Census Bureau's 2020-2024 survey counted 15,281 homes in Manhattan Beach. Of those, 10,068 (66%) were detached houses, 1,368 (9%) were attached single-family homes such as townhouses, 2,407 (16%) were in buildings of two to four units, and only 1,375 (9%) were in buildings of five or more units. Large condo towers do not exist here. That shapes the market in three ways.
- Few sales: with 2 condo and 17 townhouse closings in three months (Redfin, to September 2026), a single sale moves the median. Use recent sales in the same building or block, not citywide figures.
- Slow sales: condos took a median of 88 days and townhouses 76 days to go under contract, against 33 days for detached houses in the same ZIP.
- Land value: many attached homes sit on a shared lot with one other unit, so their price follows the value of the land underneath. For comparison, Redfin's Los Angeles County condo median for September 2026 was $644,414.
Best areas to buy a condo in Manhattan Beach
Manhattan Village townhomes
Manhattan Village, on the east side of the city, is a townhouse community described in its listings as gated, with access to the Manhattan Village Mall and the country club. A two-bedroom, 1,465-square-foot townhouse on Cordoba Court, built in 1987, sold for $1,525,000, or $1,041 per square foot, with HOA dues of $830 a month, according to its Coldwell Banker listing.
Manhattan Beach Boulevard condos
Small condo buildings line parts of Manhattan Beach Boulevard. A three-bedroom, 1,224-square-foot unit at 1447 Manhattan Beach Blvd, built in 1976, sold on August 28, 2026 for $967,500 with dues of $400 a month (MLSListings). Closer to the ocean, a two-bedroom, 1,850-square-foot unit at 720 Manhattan Beach Blvd, built in 1991 with coastline and Catalina views, sold for $2,599,000 with dues of $425 a month (Coldwell Banker).
The Strand and the Sand Section
A few small condo buildings sit on The Strand itself. Unit A at 1304 The Strand, a three-bedroom, 1,690-square-foot home built in 1984, sold on April 23, 2026 for $4,800,000, about $2,840 per square foot, with HOA dues of $5,000 a year (MLSListings). Expect few listings and prices set by ocean frontage.
Small townhouse buildings on residential streets
Much of the attached housing is two or three units on one lot. A three-bedroom, 1,655-square-foot townhouse at 1833 11th Street, unit B, built in 1990 and one of three condo units on its lot in the County Assessor's records, sold on October 26, 2026 for $1,349,000 (MLSListings). Ask whether the owners have a formal association, a budget and insurance, or only a recorded agreement.
Newly built townhouses
Some attached homes are brand new. A three-bedroom townhouse on 1st Street, built in 2026, sold on October 16, 2026 for $4,100,000 (MLSListings). Ask for the builder's warranty and the city's final sign-off on the permits.
Is it wise to buy a condo in Manhattan Beach now?
It depends on what you compare it with. A condo or townhouse is the main way into Manhattan Beach under $2 million, when Redfin's detached-house median in ZIP 90266 was $3,904,015 in the three months to September 2026. Zillow's typical home value for the city rose 9.4% in the year to September 2026, so attached homes have not been cheap to wait on either.
Against that, a small association has fewer owners to share a new roof, a major repair or a lawsuit. California rules on balcony and deck inspections and HOA reserves and disclosures apply here as anywhere; follow those guides and ask the seller for the latest inspection reports, the reserve study and any planned special assessment.
Condo insurance in Manhattan Beach
Ask for the association's master policy and what it covers, then price your own unit policy before you remove the contingency. Units near the sand should also be checked on the FEMA flood map and the state tsunami hazard maps. Our homeowners insurance guide explains the coverage types.
Financing a Manhattan Beach condo
Condo approval and lender review
Lenders review the whole project, not just your unit. Expect questions about the share of units that are rented, the reserve balance, pending litigation and the master insurance policy. For a two- or three-unit association, ask the lender early whether it will lend on that structure, and get the CC&Rs to them at the start.
Jumbo loans and payments at 7.24%
At Freddie Mac's 30-year average of 7.24% (week of October 29, 2026), a $1,346,210 condo with 20% down means a $1,076,968 loan and about $7,340 a month in principal and interest. The Cordoba Court townhouse at $1,525,000 would be about $8,314 a month, before $830 in dues, tax and insurance. Ask each lender whether your loan size counts as jumbo, and compare several.
Condo fees and taxes in Manhattan Beach
The HOA dues in the sales above ranged from $400 to $830 a month, plus $5,000 a year in one small Strand building. Dues pay for different things in different buildings, so compare what each covers: insurance, water, roof, landscaping, reserves.
Property tax is set by your purchase price. In tax rate area 6174, the 2026-27 rate is 1.112987% (County Auditor-Controller), so a $1,346,210 condo would pay about $14,983 a year before fixed charges such as the $225 Measure MB school parcel tax. Check your parcel's TRA on the Assessor portal and read the Los Angeles County property tax guide for exemptions and supplemental bills. Manhattan Beach has no city transfer tax beyond the county's $1.10 per $1,000.
Manhattan Beach condo buyer checklist
- Get three months of sales in the same building or block; ignore the citywide median.
- Ask for the HOA budget, reserve study, last two years of minutes, CC&Rs, rules and any special assessments.
- Ask for the latest balcony and deck inspection report if the building has elevated decks.
- Confirm parking: count garage spaces and check whether they are deeded or assigned.
- For a two-unit lot, read the recorded agreement on shared walls, roof and insurance.
- Check the flood and tsunami maps and get insurance quotes.
- Ask the city for permit history on any additions or roof decks.
- Confirm the rental rules if you may rent the unit later.
For the wider market, see our Manhattan Beach homes guide, and compare attached homes in Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and El Segundo.