Why we recommend Mercedes Van Pelt for Torrance
Torrance is a large market with very different price levels: Redfin's median sale price for detached houses ran from $899,773 in ZIP 90502 to $1,586,850 in 90505 over the three months to September 2026. An agent who knows which streets sit in which band, and how older 1950s and 1960s houses are priced once updated, saves buyers and sellers real money. Mercedes Van Pelt grew up in West Torrance, works from the Compass office on Hawthorne Boulevard in Torrance, and lists homes in the city, including a West Torrance house that sold for $1,630,000 in 2026.
She is our recommendation for this page because her license is active with no disciplinary record, her office and upbringing are in Torrance, and her published sales and client reviews cover Torrance and the neighboring South Bay cities that Torrance buyers often compare.
About Mercedes Van Pelt
Mercedes Van Pelt's background in Torrance
Her website says she was born at South Bay Hospital in Redondo Beach, grew up in West Torrance and has lived in most of the South Bay cities. It says she became an agent 19 years ago, after watching her parents buy a first home in Torrance and later investment property. She reports holding the Real Estate Negotiation Expert (RENE) designation and serving as chair of the South Bay Association grievance committee from 2017 to 2022.
Mercedes Van Pelt's DRE license and brokerage
The California Department of Real Estate public lookup, checked November 1, 2026, lists Mercedes Van Pelt as a licensed salesperson, license 01835336, first issued January 3, 2008 and valid to January 2, 2028, with no disciplinary action and no other public comments. Her responsible broker is Compass California, Inc. (broker license 01991628). Her office is at 21250 Hawthorne Boulevard, Suite 750, Torrance, CA 90503.
Where Mercedes Van Pelt works
Her website names Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Torrance and El Segundo as the cities she covers, and it has area pages for Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Hawthorne, Lawndale and Rancho Palos Verdes. Her recent sold listings are in Torrance, Redondo Beach, El Segundo and Lomita.
Mercedes Van Pelt's record: sales and reviews
A recent Torrance sale by Mercedes Van Pelt
Her website lists her as listing agent for 4509 Cadison in West Torrance (ZIP 90503, MLS SB26047299), a 4-bedroom, 3-bath house of 2,244 square feet on a 5,209-square-foot lot, built in 1954, which sold for $1,630,000. Redfin's median for detached houses in 90503 was $1,349,660 in the three months to September 2026, so this sale sits in the upper part of the ZIP for an updated, larger house. Her site also lists a Lomita sale at 2019 Via Nova for $1,550,000.
Production Mercedes Van Pelt reports
She reports 155 career transactions and about $165 million in career sales, listings that average 6 days on market and 104% of list price, and 138 client reviews. She also reports RealTrends Verified status in 2024 and 2025 and top producer awards at Coldwell Banker (2019 and 2020) and Vision Realty (2017 and 2018). These figures are self-reported; we have not matched them against MLS records, so ask her for a list of recent Torrance closings.
What Mercedes Van Pelt's clients say
These are quoted word for word from the testimonials on her website:
- A buyer: "We are new to the South Bay and Mercedes was recommended to us by friends. She helped us get to understand different areas and purchase a house."
- A seller: "We had a buyer and buyers agent that were extremely difficult. Mercedes was a true pro in the way she handled them and ultimately got the deal done."
- A seller: "Most importantly, she was able to get me my asking price even as rates were rising and the market was softening."
Mercedes Van Pelt's community work
She reports founding and organizing the Golden Hills Food Drive in Redondo Beach, which her website lists as in its 15th year. The site reports 212 bags and more than 1,700 pounds of food collected in 2025, going to families at Jefferson Elementary, Beryl Elementary and Parras Middle and to New Challenge Ministries' food bank.
How Mercedes Van Pelt works with Torrance buyers and sellers
Use these questions with her, and with any other agent you interview:
- Selling an older Torrance house. The median Torrance home was built in 1964 (Census, 2020-2024). Ask what she would fix before listing, what it would cost, and whether her brokerage offers to front any of it.
- Pricing by ZIP. Ask for the closed sales she would use for your street. Redfin's median price per square foot for detached houses was $899 in 90503 and $637 in 90502 over the three months to September 2026.
- Buying in a tight ZIP. 90504 and 90503 had 1.5 and 1.6 months of supply (Redfin). Ask how she structures offers when several buyers compete.
- Fees. Commission is negotiable. Ask for her fee in writing, and read our California real estate commission guide first.
Torrance prices by home type
Zillow's typical home value for Torrance was $1,100,115 in September 2026, up 1.9% in a year. Redfin's figures for the city's most active ZIP, 90503, split the market by home type:
| Home type, ZIP 90503 | Redfin median sale price | Homes sold |
|---|---|---|
| Detached house | $1,349,660 | 49 |
| Townhouse | $885,001 | 22 |
| Condo | $744,978 | 16 |
Figures are Redfin's rolling three months to September 30, 2026. For every ZIP, see our Torrance homes for sale guide and Torrance ZIP code guide.
How we chose Mercedes Van Pelt
We confirmed her salesperson license, its status and her responsible broker on the DRE lookup, read her website's biography, testimonials and sold listings, and reviewed the details she supplied. Every featured agent passes the same checks. Read our full method on how we choose agents.
How to contact Mercedes Van Pelt
Call Mercedes Van Pelt at (310) 600-1223. Her office is Compass, 21250 Hawthorne Boulevard, Suite 750, Torrance, CA 90503, and her website is mercedesvanpelt.com. Before you call, note your price range or target sale date and the Torrance ZIP you are focused on.