Carol Gilles Realtor
Beach Cities Online — Your Trusted South Bay Real Estate Resource Led by award-winning Realtor® Carol Gilles, Beach Cities Online is your one-stop destination for buying or selling homes across Torrance, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Palos Verdes, and the greater South Bay area of Los Angeles.
With decades of local expertise, Carol helps buyers find their dream homes and sellers maximize their property value through personalized service, deep neighborhood knowledge, and proven results. Explore the latest MLS listings, discover detailed community guides, and get expert insights into the dynamic South Bay real estate market.
Whether you’re searching for a beachfront property in Redondo Beach, a family home in Central Torrance, or downsizing in Palos Verdes Estates, Carol Gilles and her team are here to guide you every step of the way.
Listings
Homes For Sale by Fredericks Realty
Search South Bay Cities
Why Choose Carol?
Realtor Expertise That You Can Trust
Testimonials
Don & Sherri Wright
Carol Gilles is the most amazing realtor we have ever met in our lifetime! She has been helping us buy and sell property for many years. Whether you’re looking for an investment, A forever home or just curious about the market Carol should be your first go to! Carol is a knowledgeable, intelligent, professional, caring, understanding and kind hearted! She will fight for you! We bought our Forever home when the market was extremely competitive and there were at least 12 offers per home. The market for homes by the beach are always very competitive, but at the time we were buying it was more competitive then usual! We got our home because she was quick, efficient and made it happen.Carol Is Dedicated to Helping You Check All The Boxes
Home
Find your dream home with our personalized search and expert guidance. We offer a wide range of houses to fit your needs and lifestyle.
Condominiums
Discover comfortable and convenient condos in prime locations. We have options that suit your budget and preferences.
Multi-Unit Investments
Explore multi-family properties perfect for investment. Our listings provide diverse options to meet your specific requirements.
Real Estate Articles
Summer is Right Around The Corner:Time to Get The Yard and Patio Ready
Just because the weather is still a little chilly at times here in the South Bay, it doesn’t mean you can’t start thinking about getting your outdoors areas ready for summer and warm weather.
Plans can be made about what plants you are going to put and where. Need to order seeds? Check out those outdoor lights, fix any wiring problems and put in new bulbs if needed. What about the BBQ pit? Do you need to replace the burners or grill area? Also, does the patio floor need a refinish?My suggestion is to talk to a pro and get some advice and new ideas especially if you plan to put your home on the market. Many of us are caught up in the rut of just getting the yard ready every year that we aren’t aware of the new products and plants and decorating ideas out there.
Think about this: Once you have the planters finished, think about a fountain or water feature someplace in the patio, or yard. Everyone loves them and they look nice, and sound great in the hot summer evenings.
So whatever improvements you make to your Torrance home, your family will reap the benefits all summer long and after.
Short Sales – The New Normal!
SHORT SALES: TOP 9 MYTHS DEBUNKED! I have been doing short sales for 3 years. All of my short sale listings have closed and the sellers have avoided foreclosure. But there is some confusion .. so here are some answers to clarify what you may or may not know about...
Now Is The Time To Buy, Per University Researchers
According to several researchers from several universities, “Now is the perfect time to buy that real estate property that you have been wanting to buy. The study which was completed in February 2012, concluded that now is the time for renters to buy that real estate property and become a homeowner if they ever plan to. The study was aimed at those renters who feel that owning a real estate property can appreciate and build them wealth. This is a part of a series discussing the rent vs. buy decision that faces some of us.
So if you are one of our South Bay residents still renting, perhaps I could show you some properties you will love and the ways it is possible for you to purchase that Torrance home of your dreams.
WHY PEOPLE STILL WANT TO BUY HOMES
If you listen carefully, people are still in conversation as to why they wish to get involved in the South Bay real estate market and eventually buy a home.
The #1 reason is still the fact they want to own the place they live in. And, they just want to be a homeowner. The tax considerations, growing equity over time and being able to renovate and remodel to their tastes or as they see fit, is part of being a homeowner. Even after the few bad years in the real estate market that we have all experienced, the vast majority of people want to invest in their own place to live.
The #2 reason is that many want to buy now and then move later. This is a partially market-based sentiment, of course, as the rationale for buying right now is that prices and interest rates are low.
The #3 reason is that they don’t want to have to move anymore. Many people bought homes at the top of the market and many ended up selling the home for less than they bought it for, and of course, many went underwater and lost the home to foreclosure. Loss of jobs, re-location and other reasons, including rising gasoline prices and prices of other items did not help the situation.
This all proves that owning real estate, especially the home you live in is still an American dream that lives on and on
IT’S LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION (when dealing with any real estate)
Where you decide to buy a Hermosa Beach home or any other South Bay house, the location not only affects the homes current value but also affects future value, your standard of living and your lifestyle. It’s important that you be direct with your real estate agent or broker about your preferences with regards to neighborhoods, amenities, schools, parks, etc.
Some important factors that you should carefully consider and communicate to your Realtor are the following:
Location: rural, city, urban, or suburban
Your commuting times for you and your family. This means for work and schools and commuting to the conveniences that you are used to. Shopping, entertainment, gasoline stations, post office, etc.
What school district are the kids going to be in. Check out the district and how the schools score statewide.
Get a list of all desirable neighborhoods in the community or city that you want to move to.
Proximity to restaurants, entertainment, parks, recreation centers, banking, and retail shops, grocery stores.
Proximity to transportation hubs: Airports, trains, buses, and major highways.
Proximity to medical offices and health care facilities.
How long do you plan on living in your new home? If your real estate agent or Realtor is aware of your plans, he/she can research growth trends, and planned developments in the area that might affect your lifestyle and overall standard of living. This could affect your return on your investment dollar over time.
SOUTH BAY REAL ESTATE
The South Bay area Los Angeles, has fifteen incorporated cities plus portions of the City of Los Angeles and unincorporated portions of the County of Los Angeles. The area is bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the south and west, and generally by the City of Los Angeles on the north and east. Its called the South Bay because it is located on the south end of the Santa Monica Bay.
Because of its location, with the Pacific Ocean at its backdoor, LAX and the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the South Bay area is prime real estate because of these transportation hubs.
The real estate throughout the South Bay area is highly desired and sought after. This is a beautiful part of Southern California and most of the real estate is made up of beachside communities like Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Rancho Palos Verdes, and El Segundo. There are many other cities that are all located within a few miles of the Pacific Ocean and beaches.
The South Bay area is not only a beautiful place, but it is also a geat place to live, work and vacation, which accounts for the thousands of tourists that visit the South Bay each year.
You can find a diversity of homes in the South Bay including single family homes, estate homes, hillside and waterfront homes, condominiums and townhomes, cottages, duplexes and beautiful apartment buildings. Many of the homes in the South Bay that are going on the market for sale, often sell before they can be advertised in the newspapers. The South Bay homes real estate market has always been, and continues to be very hot. Demand remains very high for any South Bay homes for sale.
The South Bay home buying market is hot, but the South Bay selling market is just as active. Often, there is a shortage of homes on the market for buyers. South Bay prices are rising again with many homeowners unaware of just how much their homes are increasing in value.
Commercial properties in the South Bay continue to be hot also, whether it’s land, new, pre-owned or undeveloped, there is always a demand for good location business property.
With the diversity and great selection available in residential homes in the South Bay, you can find just about the perfect home for you and your family and at a price to fit your budget.
