Choosing a Los Feliz Neighborhood

In the real estate world, we all know that it truly is all about location.  In Los Feliz, whether you decide on Laughlin Park, The Oaks, Los Feliz Estates or the Franklin Hills, there is a location for you.....

Most of the homes and estates in Los Feliz houses were built in the era between the World Wars, and more than half of the housing stock is of the Spanish or Mediterranean revival styles. These styles are now the most popular of all California housing styles—and they command premium prices when the original details are intact. Los Feliz also is rich in virtually all of the other revival styles: Country English, Norman French, Traditional(especially from the 1930s and ‘40s), Colonial, Italianate and the like, many by noted architects such as Paul Williams and Wallace Neff. If you are looking for a prime, vintage revival style house, Los Feliz is fertile ground. Not to be overlooked are the fine Modern and Moderne houses which are sprinkled through the Los Feliz hills. Signature architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, Rudolph Schindler, Lloyd Wright, Raphael Soriano and J.R. Davidson among others did some of their finest work in Los Feliz.

Laughlin Park

Laughlin Park is an exclusive, gated community of about 60 homes in Los Feliz that was rated by Los Angeles Magazine as one of the “top five” neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Originally established in 1905, many famous architects have designed homes in Luaghlin Park, including several by Frank Lloyd Wright, Gordon Kaufman, Julia Morgan, and Roland Coate.  The luxury and architectural estates run the gamut in style from English to Mediterranean and Craftsman to Traditional and Modern, many with spectacular city and ocean views. 

Laughlin Park was once home to many of Hollywood’s rich and famous including W.C. Fields, Charlie Chaplain and Cecil B. DeMille. Today many well-known celebrities and filmmakers are still drawn to the neighborhood with its quiet seclusion and peaceful tree shaded streets:  De Mille Drive is the main street of Laughlin Park, Lindwood Drive, Laughlin Park Drive and Cummings Drive are the other streets in the community.  

 For more information on Laughlin Park real estate, read our other blog posts.

The Oaks

The Oaks is a neighborhood of hillside homes aptly named, as all of the street nanes have the word "OAK" in their name:  Spreading Oak, Live Oak, Red Oak, Verde Oak etc.  The streets lie between Beachwood Canyon and Griffith Park bounded by Fern Dell Drive on the east and Foothill Drive to the south. The neighborhood feels of private and secluded with its winding, hilly, tree lined streets and many homes have canyon and city views all the way to the ocean.  By the way, all of Los Feliz is in the 90027 zip code, except for The Oaks which is in the 90068 zip code and has a very active homeowners association and a great sense of neighborhood pride.  Read more about The Los Feliz Oaks here.

The Oaks is a draw to many in the Entertainment industry and is populated with beautiful homes full of life and character. Another popular area among Hollywood’s elite, past and present, The Oaks offers homes that are a generous mix of revival styles dating back to the ‘20s, balanced by modern architectural gems.  

Franklin Hills

Franklin Hills is situated in the hilly area east of the village flats, south of Los Feliz Boulevard, and with Hyperion Avenue at its eastern edge.  As with most of the hilly areas nearby, the streets are winding and its homes have panoramic views of everything from downtown to the coast. Homes run the gamut in style and include designs from many of the preeminent architects of the 20th century. The residents span a wide income range and are a generous blend of long-time residents and new-to-LA creative types that want the benefits of a quiet, family neighborhood while staying close to their artistic, hipster kin and colleagues in Silver Lake. 

A charming point of entry into the hills is via Franklin Street, heading west from the village flats, traversing the iconic Shakespeare Bridge. Built in 1926 and named in honor of the playwright William Shakespeare, this concrete, gothic style bridge was designated an L.A. Historic Cultural Monument in 1974.  In 1998 the bridge underwent a major seismic retrofit with special care to preserve its original appearance. To the east of the bridge begins the Franklin Hills Public Stairway system. This series of 14 stairways date back to the 1920’s, purportedly built to provide hillside owners with access to trolley lines below.  Today these stairways provide residents and visitors with a fun way to combine exercise with getting to know the neighborhood. The longest in Franklin Hills is 167 steps.

Los Feliz Estates

Dating back to 1960, this tract of homes is referred to simply as “The Estates” by locals. The development is unique among hillside communities in that its streets are straight and configured as single-loaded terraces, which means the homes are situated on one side of the street only.  This terraced hillside layout, combined with predominantly one-story homes, provides most of its residents with broad city views. 

Another benefit to the unique design is that it provides flat yards, allowing for the easy installation of swimming pools, which are present in most of the homes in this community. In keeping with the era of construction, the homes’ layouts typically include large kitchens, family rooms, and garages.  The community has a homeowner association with dues. This includes a 24-hour security patrol car, which is a factor in the very low crime rate that this community enjoys. 

Los Feliz Village

Los Feliz Village is the southern section of Los Feliz, home to most of the commercial storefronts in the district. It is centered on the thoroughfares of Vermont and Hillhurst Avenues and spans from about Prospect Avenue to Los Feliz Boulevard. There are several coffee shops, restaurants, and small clothing and vintage stores. It is also the part of the neighborhood that has more affordable housing, with blocks of apartments and single-family homes that are less expensive than those found closer to Los Feliz Boulevard.

People living in, or close to, the heart of the village tend to be a younger set with an urban sensibility, but not necessarily dyed-in-the-wool hipsters. These residents enjoy a lifestyle that provides for every need within a few minutes walk. In terms of housing, this area has a balanced mix of single-family homes and apartment buildings of all sizes.  Most of the homes are rich in character, built in the 1920’s and 30’s and are predominantly Spanish style and classic California bungalows with period revival influences.  Within Los Feliz, the village is a great location for first-time home buyers. 

Los Feliz Village is home or in proximity to numerous restaurants and bars. They are mostly located on Hillhurst between Los Feliz Boulevard and Prospect Avenue, and on Vermont between Franklin Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard. Some were classic dives in their hey-day, frequented by the likes of Charles Bukowski, Lawrence Tierney, sundry working class drunks, poets, artists, writers and other creative types.

Los Feliz Village is the southern section of Los Feliz, home to most of the commercial storefronts in the district. It is centered on the thoroughfares of Vermont and Hillhurst Avenues and spans from about Prospect Avenue to Los Feliz Boulevard. There are several coffee shops, restaurants, and small clothing and vintage stores. It is also the part of the neighborhood that has more affordable housing, with blocks of apartments and single-family homes that are less expensive than those found closer to Los Feliz Boulevard.

The Los Feliz Towers

The Loz Feliz Towers, built in 1966, is a fantastic condominium community in the, consisting of two 14-story towers, at 4411 and 4455 Los Feliz Blvd.   The towers offers 196 residences and numerous building amenities, including a 24-hour doorman, resort style heated pool with sun deck, deluxe fitness center, saunas, party room, security and secure garage parking. 

Los Feliz Towers offers a variety of floor plans with open living spaces, walls of glass and expansive balconies with stunning views in every direction. Many units have been completely renovated as younger people are moving in and updating the spaces

Los Feliz Towers is located in the heart of Los Feliz, with the village in one direction and griffith park in the other, walking distance to both.