What a local Torrance agent helps you decide
Torrance covers 21 square miles of southwest Los Angeles County, from 1.5 miles of lifeguard-patrolled beach on the Pacific to the industrial and residential blocks near the Harbor Gateway, according to the City of Torrance. Its five main residential ZIP codes spread more than $680,000 apart in Zillow's typical home value: $725,824 in 90502 against $1,409,942 in 90505 in September 2026. The first job of a local agent is to help you work out which of those markets you are really shopping in.
That comes down to three decisions. Which ZIP and street, because a house a mile apart can be priced $300,000 differently. Which home type, since Torrance has about 31,700 detached houses and roughly 18,975 homes in buildings of five or more units, according to the Census Bureau (2020-2024). And how hard to push on price: Redfin reports that Torrance homes sold for an average of 100.7% of list price in the three months to September 2026, and 40.8% sold above list, so many deals close near or a little over the asking price.
Buying a home in Torrance
Redfin's median sale price in Torrance was $1,174,441 for the three months to September 2026, 4.9% lower than a year earlier, with 266 homes sold and a median of 34 days on market. Zillow's typical home value, which covers all homes rather than only those sold, was $1,100,115 in September 2026, up 1.9% in a year and a record high for the series. The steps below are how a purchase usually runs here.
Step 1 for Torrance buyers: price the payment, not just the house
At Freddie Mac's 30-year average of 7.24% (week of October 29, 2026), putting 20% down ($234,888) on the Redfin median of $1,174,441 means a loan of $939,553 and about $6,403 a month in principal and interest. Property tax adds roughly $1,078 a month at the 1.101432% rate for tax rate area 9327 in Torrance (Los Angeles County Auditor-Controller, 2026-27). Insurance and any HOA dues come on top. Get a written pre-approval before you tour.
Step 2 for Torrance buyers: choose the ZIP and the home type
Redfin's median for detached houses was $1,586,850 in 90505 and $899,773 in 90502 over the three months to September 2026. Townhouses and condos are the lower-priced route: the condo median was $424,987 in 90502 and $744,978 in 90503. Our Torrance ZIP code guide and Torrance condo guide break this down.
Step 3 for Torrance buyers: write an offer that fits the ZIP
Supply differs a lot by ZIP. Redfin put 90504 at 1.5 months of supply and 90503 at 1.6 months, both tight, while 90502 had 5.9 months, where buyers have more time and room to negotiate. Ask for the last three to six closed sales within half a mile, how long each took and whether any cut its price.
Step 4 for Torrance buyers: inspections, disclosures and insurance
The median Torrance home was built in 1964 (Census, 2020-2024), so sewer laterals, electrical panels, foundations and older windows deserve a close look. Read the seller's disclosures and the natural hazard report, and get an insurance quote before you remove contingencies. Our guide to buying a house in California covers each contract step.
Selling a home in Torrance
Torrance sellers are listing into a steady market. Redfin counted 270 new listings and 250 pending sales in the three months to September 2026, with 176 homes for sale and two months of supply citywide, and 45.1% of homes went under contract within two weeks. Across the Los Angeles metro, Zillow found that 24.4% of listings had a price cut in September 2026, which is where overpriced homes tend to end up.
Step 1 for Torrance sellers: price from your own ZIP
Redfin's median price per square foot ran from $570 in 90502 to $809 in 90505 over the three months to September 2026, and detached houses in 90503 reached $899 a square foot. A price built from a citywide average will miss. Ask for a comparative market analysis drawn from your ZIP and home type.
Step 2 for Torrance sellers: order reports before listing
California sellers give buyers a Transfer Disclosure Statement and a Natural Hazard Disclosure. In an older housing stock, a pre-listing home inspection and a sewer lateral video can head off repair requests in escrow. Our California seller disclosure guide lists the forms.
Step 3 for Torrance sellers: work out your net proceeds
Torrance has no city transfer tax, so a sale pays the Los Angeles County rate of $1.10 per $1,000 of value, about $1,292 on $1,174,441. Neighboring Redondo Beach adds a city rate of $2.20 per $1,000 on top, according to the county Registrar-Recorder. Escrow, title and any commission you agree to are the larger costs; see our California closing costs guide and transfer tax guide.
Torrance areas at a glance
Zillow publishes typical values for 33 Torrance neighborhoods. The figures below are September 2026 values; our Torrance neighborhoods guide profiles them in more detail.
ZIP 90505 and the Seaside, Southwood and Walteria neighborhoods
ZIP 90505 is the most expensive Torrance ZIP, with a Zillow typical value of $1,409,942, up 3.4% in a year. Among Zillow's higher-valued neighborhoods are Seaside at $1,506,819, Southwood Riviera at $1,393,273, Southwood at $1,353,501 and Walteria at $1,219,808. The city places the Sea-Aire par-3 golf course in the Seaside Ranchos neighborhood of South Torrance. Confirm the ZIP of any listing, since neighborhood names and ZIP lines do not match exactly.
ZIP 90503, West Torrance and the Plaza Del Amo area
ZIP 90503 had a Zillow typical value of $1,275,500 and the most sales in the city, 88 in the three months to September 2026 (Redfin). Zillow's West Torrance neighborhood was $1,336,511. The same ZIP holds City Hall on Torrance Boulevard and the Madrona Marsh Preserve on Plaza Del Amo. It also had more condo and townhouse sales than any other Torrance ZIP, 38 in the three months to September 2026.
ZIP 90501 and Olde Torrance
Torrance was founded in 1912 as a planned community designed with landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., according to Los Angeles County Beaches and Harbors. Zillow's Olde Torrance neighborhood had a typical value of $933,234 in September 2026. ZIP 90501 was $972,418, flat over the year at +0.1%, and Redfin's median for its detached houses was $1,124,716.
ZIP 90504 and the Northwest and Northeast Torrance neighborhoods
ZIP 90504 had a Zillow typical value of $986,228, up 2.6%, the second-fastest gain in the city. Zillow's Northwest Torrance neighborhood was $981,755 and Northeast Torrance $994,975. Detached houses here had a Redfin median of $1,091,225 and sold in a median 26 days.
ZIP 90502, the lowest-priced Torrance ZIP
ZIP 90502 is the city's lowest-priced ZIP, with a Zillow typical value of $725,824 and a Redfin condo median of $424,987. It also had the slowest pace, a median 50 days on market. Zillow neighborhoods with lower values, such as Merit-Carson at $573,938 and New Horizons South Bay at $571,916, are worth checking for home type, since a value that far below the city figure usually means attached or manufactured homes.
Local property checks before you buy in Torrance
These checks catch most of the costs specific to a Torrance address.
- Tax rate area. Your bill depends on the tax rate area printed on the parcel record. TRA 9327 is 1.101432% for 2026-27: the 1% base plus 0.070253% for Torrance Unified bonds, 0.022679% for the community college district and 0.0085% for the Metropolitan Water District. Look up the parcel with the County Assessor and read our Los Angeles County property tax guide.
- Flood and coast. Check the FEMA Flood Map Service Center for the parcel, especially near the beach bluffs and low-lying blocks. Homes close to Torrance Beach should also be checked against the state tsunami hazard maps.
- Fire hazard and earthquake. Read the Natural Hazard Disclosure for the fire hazard severity zone and any earthquake fault or liquefaction zone. Our California wildfire zones guide and earthquake insurance guide explain what each means.
- Insurance. Get at least two quotes before removing contingencies. If carriers decline, the California FAIR Plan is the fallback; see our California homeowners insurance guide.
- HOA health. For a condo or townhouse, ask for the reserve study, the budget and the balcony inspection report. Our California HOA laws guide and balcony inspection law guide cover what to read.
- Airport noise. Torrance Municipal Airport-Zamperini Field has about 543 based aircraft, according to the city, and the city runs an airport noise concern form. Visit at different times of day if the home is near the flight path.
How to choose a real estate agent in Torrance
Torrance has many licensed agents, and the right one depends on your ZIP, your home type and whether you are buying or selling. These questions separate local experience from general claims.
- Which Torrance homes have you sold in the past year? Ask for addresses in your ZIP and home type, and what each sold for against list price.
- How would you price this home? A good answer uses closed sales within half a mile, not a citywide median.
- How do you handle older houses? With a 1964 median build year, ask which inspectors and contractors they use and how they handle repair requests.
- Is your license current? Check the agent on the California Department of Real Estate public lookup.
Since the 2024 changes to commission rules, buyers sign a written agreement with their agent before touring, and that agreement states how the agent is paid. Commission is negotiable and is not set by law. Our California real estate commission guide explains who pays what. If you want a starting point, see our featured local agent and how we chose her, then interview at least two agents before you sign.