Manhattan Beach House Hunt: Which Strand home is superior?

In the high-caliber housing market of Los Angeles County, every neighborhood has a distinct style, offering a list of pros and cons that can leave even the surest of buyers second-guessing.

Better views lead to longer commutes. Living closer to the action may mean sacrificing space.

This series digs into these differences, pitting properties against each other in a head-to-head format and allowing the listing agents to proclaim why theirs is best.

To make the most of Manhattan Beach’s shoreline, you must live on the Strand. The 22-mile bike path runs from Pacific Palisades down to Torrance, and some of L.A. County’s most impressive oceanfront homes are found along the way.

Houses lining Manhattan Beach’s two miles of Strand feature uninterrupted ocean views and the easiest access to the city’s wide stretches of sand. They’re impressive, but also extremely expensive.

For $16 million, which would you prefer: a newly built contemporary with a rooftop deck or a corner-lot property with slightly more space and an oceanfront spa?

Contemporary residence

Built in 2019, this three-story home with a rooftop deck boasts expansive open living spaces that flow outside via 22 feet of pocketing doors. It’s listed by Keith Kyle of Vista Sotheby’s International Realty.

Address: 3808 the Strand, Manhattan Beach, 90266

Price: $16.65 million

Specs: Four bedrooms and seven bathrooms in 4,772 square feet (3,501-square-foot lot)

The agent’s pitch: Although it doesn’t get much better than living beachfront, the architect and builder went above and beyond to design and create a home with a true connection to the ocean and beach.

The home offers three oceanfront levels — each with retractable doors — allowing the indoors and outdoors to seamlessly merge. When the doors are open, there’s nothing but ocean views and the sounds of crashing waves.

This architectural masterpiece sought to combine a true sense of luxury with Manhattan Beach’s more casual lifestyle. Luxury features are everywhere, including a 500-square-foot home theater with drop-down seating, multiple fireplaces elegantly wrapped in Brazilian stone, a three-stop elevator, Siberian oak floors and a dazzling great room with coffered ceilings. The open-concept kitchen is ideal for entertaining centered around the incredible 54-square-foot waterfall island.

This is a showcase home offering an open and elegant space for modern beachfront living.

Corner-lot residence

This three-story home offers warm, wood-filled living spaces and opens to two balconies and a beachfront patio. It’s listed by Edward Kaminsky of Strand Hill Christie’s International Real Estate.

Address: 3400 the Strand, Manhattan Beach, 90266

Price: $16.75 million

Specs: Five bedrooms and six bathrooms in 5,478 square feet (3,502-square-foot lot)

The agent’s pitch:

The perfect Manhattan Beach home would be — of course — oceanfront on the Strand. It would need to be on an elevated, south-facing corner walk-street lot for the most spectacular views from Palos Verdes to Malibu.

It would be located far enough from the busy parts of town so you could enjoy privacy and quiet beaches, yet close enough that you could walk or bike to your favorite restaurants and shops. It would be located on the north side of town, making it an easy commute to the Westside.

Welcome to 3400 the Strand: a spectacular work of a true architectural genius through thoughtful design and high-end materials inspired by the Four Seasons Kona. Roughly 5,500 square feet of luxury is yours in this five-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom contemporary home with an open floor plan, spa, 1,500-bottle wine cellar and a front row seat to sand, ocean, sunsets and memories.

This post first appeared on LATimes.com. To see the original, click here.