A big, beautiful property on Palms Boulevard in Venice, California just hit the market — but there’s one other thing that really makes it stand out.
It’s big in price, too.
It asks $16.5 million via listing agents Weston Littlefield and Alex Howe of Christie’s International Real Estate Southern California. And if the property sells for that sum, it will set a new record for this beach town known for its bawdy boardwalk and picturesque canals.
According to the reps, the record for the most expensive home sold in Venice to date is held by a seven-bedroom compound featured in the Showtime series “Californication,” which traded hands in 2017 for $14.7 million.
Big in size and space, this sprawling 10,800-square-foot double-lot spread occupying 637 and 649 Palms Blvd. has a total of eight bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms spread over four structures. There’s also a large pool set among gardens.
“We are asking a record number,” said Howe, adding that it’s justified by the lot size and over 6,700 square feet of renovated interior space.
“The pricing also reflects the time and effort and energy put into the property by the owners. It’s an incredibly well-built property,” said Littlefield of the recent renovation.
The home, or homes, date back to Venice’s early 20th century Craftsman community beginnings. The four-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom main house at 649 Palms was built in 1912; the two-bedroom, one-bathroom bungalow dates to 1914.
The decades had taken a toll, however.
“It needed a lot of work,” said Howe of when the current owners bought the lots in 2021 for $7.27 million, according to Zillow. The agents declined to put a number on the renovation, but they said Venice-based Electric Bowery did a gut-renovation that reoriented interiors, yet added back pre-World War I charm via custom millwork and deep-colored paint.
Centered around private gardens and connected by landscaped paths, there’s also a two-car garage with a studio unit located above it. A second two-car garage was converted to house a first-floor gym, and a bamboo-shaded one-bedroom, one-bathroom “treehouse” with a private sitting area and kitchen above.
Despite a sluggish LA market, the agents anticipate a big buyer pool for this property. Venice continues to draw tech and social media personnel, Howe said, as well as, “a lot of big actors and actresses, like Margot Robbie.” Also, he said the Palisades fire has driven families looking to stay around the city’s beach areas.
Also, the property’s vintage Venice Craftsman charm leaps out.
“It’s quaint and cozy and stands apart from the ‘architecturals’ going up along the beaches,” said Howe of the industrial-style contemporary trend. “And it’s a great location,” he adds of the 25-minute walk to Venice Beach, 5-minute stroll to fashionable Abbot Kinney Boulevard and an all-important Erewhon grocery is even closer.
“But it’s so quiet and homey. The first thing I want to do when I walk in this house is take off my shoes and relax,” said Littlefield. “The breeze coming through the open windows … It’s a very welcoming home.”
