Dueling Townhomes

I am waiting to see how things unfold for two Manhattan Beach townhomes on 12th Street in East MB. Both were offered at $669,000 and are only a couple blocks apart. They were built within a year of each other and each has 2 bedrooms, 3 baths and an attached 2-car garage. Both are listed by highly qualified agents from good companies. At first glance, they seem roughly identical. But the difference must be in the details, because one seller accepted an offer after 9 days and the other has been on the market for awhile.


In my opinion, the less desirable one sold first. I’d love to hear what others think about these two.

1304 12th Street, Unit A (1179sf) was listed on January 28 and went to pending status on February 6. The one plus I see in this unit is that it has ground-floor patio space, that would be a better play area for small children. The kitchen is smaller and more dated than the competitor down the street. It has a subterranean garage with an entrance off busy Meadows Avenue. This unit is at the front of the building, right on 12th Street across from Meadows school. That has the advantage of not facing another home, but brings with it school traffic and noise.

1421 12th Street, Unit 4 (1337sf) was listed most recently on November 17. It was first offered last April at $749,500, came down to $734,900 in June, and went off the market from July until it was relisted in November. The adjacent unit (#3) sold for $685,000 in December, but it had additional improvements.


This block of 12th Street, between Peck and Rowell, is lined with multi-unit buildings on both sides and has a lot of local residential traffic. However, there always seems to be parking available on the street. This townhome is farther back from the street and likely to be quieter. The garage has been converted to a bonus room, which could be either a plus or minus depending on the needs of the new owner. It could easily be returned to a garage by removing the carpet. There is one additional parking space in front of the garage, which may be adequate for some buyers. The unit is slightly larger, the master bath has been upgraded and the HOA dues are $100 per month less.

So if you missed your chance to buy 1304 12th #A no worries, 1421 #4 is still available and in my opinion the better value anyway. Currently there are only two lower-priced townhomes available in Manhattan Beach: 1525 Artesia Boulevard # B (3br/3ba, 1422sf) at $599,000 and an older neighbor at 1320 12th Street #4 (2br/2ba, 1257sf) for $634,900.

Contact Janie Sue Nagy at Janie.Nagy@shorewood.com to help you find your new home in Manhattan Beach or the surrounding areas.