Some of my favorite clients didn't find me through real estate at all. Before I was an agent, I tended bar. One of my regulars was a touring musician, and a year or two after I got my license and left bartending, they called me. They were ready to buy.
I'm Breanne Wahl, a Los Angeles real estate agent with ACME | SERHANT. In 2011, I represented that buyer on 1408 N. Avenue 46, a 1921 cottage in Eagle Rock with two bedrooms, one bath and 710 square feet.
Not much house, on purpose
When you're on the road for long stretches, you don't need a big house to keep up. You need a place that's easy to lock up and easy to come home to. This was exactly that. It was listed at $349,000, and we closed at $350,000 in December 2011.
So which neighborhood is it?
This is the part I still love. The ZIP code is 90041, which is Eagle Rock. The elementary school across the street says Eagle Rock. The listing said Eagle Rock. But pull up the city's neighborhood council map, and the line takes a little notch out near Toland Way and the 40s avenues. This house lands on the Highland Park side.
Both answers are true. Los Angeles doesn't draw official neighborhood borders. ZIP codes are for mail. Neighborhood council maps decide which local council represents your block. By address and everyday life, it's Eagle Rock. For neighborhood council elections, it's Highland Park.
What this means when you buy near a border
Don't go by the name in the listing. Check what actually affects your life:
- School assignment for the exact address, confirmed with LAUSD.
- Which neighborhood council represents you.
- Which comparable sales an appraiser is likely to use.
The referral that kept going
My client went back on the road, happy in their little house. Then they did the kindest thing a client can do. They sent me their bandmate. That story starts at a Danzig show.
Buying in Eagle Rock or Highland Park?
I'll help you sort out exactly what you're buying, border quirks and all. Let's talk.
Questions about this sale
Who represented the buyer of 1408 N. Avenue 46?
I did. I'm Breanne Wahl of ACME | SERHANT. I represented the buyer in 2011, and the home closed in December 2011 for $350,000.
Is Avenue 46 in Eagle Rock or Highland Park?
Near Toland Way, it can be both. The ZIP code is 90041, Eagle Rock, but the city's neighborhood council map places a small section of the 40s avenues in Highland Park's council area. Los Angeles has no official neighborhood borders.
What should I check when buying a home near a neighborhood border in Los Angeles?
Don't go by the name in the listing. Confirm school assignment for the exact address with LAUSD, which neighborhood council represents you, and which comparable sales an appraiser is likely to use.