Featured in The Wall Street Journal
Rarely is a ZIP Code an international celebrity. But that is the case with 90210, digits that became famous thanks in large part to the 1990s television drama “Beverly Hills 90210.” The ZIP Code is the primary one for Beverly Hills, Calif., a stand-alone city within central Los Angeles County. Today, 90210’s prestige endures: It has the priciest homes in Los Angeles, as ranked by median listing price, and some of the most expensive properties in the U.S., according to Realtor.com. (News Corp, owner of The Wall Street Journal, also operates Realtor.com.) It is outranked only by Atherton, in California’s Bay Area, and the Aspen, Colo., area. Walkable with green spaces, the area attracts residents with its public services, school district and tightknit community in the heart of the country’s second-biggest metropolitan area.
Notable stops and shops
Gearys Beverly Hills
When it opened in 1930, this small neighborhood shop was known for its selection of dinnerware and hardware. Today, it is an empire of luxury, where shoppers can pop into the North Beverly Drive location to buy everything from a Rolex watch to Baccarat crystal to Fred Leighton diamond-encrusted jewelry to Christofle silver. It is a top spot for local engaged couples to register.
Beverly Gardens Park
This 1.9-mile park stretches from Wilshire Boulevard to North Doheny Drive along Santa Monica Boulevard. It opened in 1911. The decomposed granite path is a favorite of joggers and walkers. The park is also home to art sculptures, the 40-foot-long Beverly Hills sign and lily pond, and the Electric Fountain from 1931.
Spago
Chef Wolfgang Puck’s swanky flagship restaurant has been a Beverly Hills institution since 1982. Its most famous dish is smoked salmon pizza with caviar. There are more than 3,000 selections on the wine list. It is located on North Canon Drive, a Beverly Hills destination unto itself due to the number of restaurants on the street.
The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Since opening in 2013, this 70,000-square-foot campus has showcased world-class dance, theater, music, cabaret, comedy, family entertainment and film created by local, national and international artists. It is located in the original 1934 Beverly Hills post office.
English Rabbit
This children’s luxury fashion boutique, which opened in 2017, is one of the few in the world that carries a range of designer labels for tots, such as Versace, Marni, Dolce & Gabbana and Off-White. Merchandise is sourced by owner Kelly Dowdy via trips to global fashion hubs, like New York, Paris, London and Milan. The store offers at-home personal styling for children.
Nate 'n Al's
This beloved Jewish delicatessen with an old-school diner feel opened on North Beverly Drive in 1945. Seventy-eight years later, it remains an authentic bastion of pastrami, brisket, stuffed cabbage and bagels and lox.
Event of the year
The Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance car show has taken place annually on Father’s Day since 1993. This year, more than 44,000 people headed to blocked-off Rodeo Drive to view some of the world’s most exotic cars manufactured by such brands as Bentley, Bugatti, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce and more.
Membership to have
There are no country clubs in Beverly Hills, so residents seek out nearby options in Los Angeles, including the Los Angeles Country Club, which is where the 2023 U.S. Open golf tournament was held in June. The facility backs up to 90210.
Advice for the buyer
Houses in 90210 range from about 4,000 square feet to 20,000 square feet, says Marc Noah, a real-estate agent with Sotheby’s International Realty—Beverly Hills Brokerage. Noah says one of the hottest 90210 neighborhoods is the Flats, which sits between Santa Monica and Sunset Boulevards and is walkable to the Golden Triangle. Prices here typically range from $20 million to $30 million, he says. “If you’re buying the smallest, cheapest house in the Flats, it’s probably around $7.5 million and a teardown,” he says, noting that these houses often get passed down from generation to generation and don’t often come on the market.
On the market
North Crescent Drive
$45 Million
10 bedrooms 9 bathrooms
1.26 acres 8,484 sq. ft.
This classic Beverly Hills estate was built in 1911 and has period details throughout. There is a large living room, a dining room that can seat 20 people and a wood-paneled library. All public rooms have french doors that open to the grounds. There is also a pool and guesthouse. Agent: Marc Noah, Sotheby's International Realty-Beverly Hills Brokerage and Drew Fenton, Carolwood Estates.
San Ysidro Drive
$17.995 Million
7 bedrooms 11 bathrooms
0.6 acres | 11,369 sq. ft.
This Italian-style house built in 2006 was recently remodeled. All seven bedrooms have en suite bathrooms. There is a breakfast area in the kitchen.The lower level has a 10-seat theater, bar, 3,000-bottle wine cellar and a gym. There is a pool and a hot tub. Agent: Barry Peele, Sotheby's International Realty -Beverly Hills Brokerage and Santiago Arana, The Agency.
North Sierra Drive
$15.95 Million
6 bedrooms 8 bathrooms
0.57 acres 8,059 sq. ft.
This house was built in 1943 and was recently renovated, including the gourmet kitchen. Public rooms have doors that open to outdoor covered living areas and a large pool. The primary suite has double marble bathrooms and large walk-in closets. There is also a gym, four-car garage and gated motor court. Agent: Drew Fenton, Carolwood Estates.
$9.67 Million
Median list price, down 9.77% year-over-year
$1,644
Median price per square foot
65
Median days on the market
165
Number of active listings, down 5.73% year-over-year
