Pacific Palisades

The Palisades was founded in 1922 as a Methodist Chautauqua community on the bluffs above the ocean, and grew through the twentieth century into distinct sections: the Alphabet Streets and Huntington Palisades around the village, the Riviera near the country club, the canyons of Rustic and Santa Ynez, Marquez Knolls, Castellammare above PCH and the Highlands up Palisades Drive. Will Rogers State Historic Park, Temescal Gateway and the beaches are its public spaces.

The Palisades Fire of January 2025 burned through much of the neighborhood and destroyed thousands of homes and much of the village commercial district. Rebuilding permits, debris removal and new construction have been under way since, and conditions vary street by street. Anyone considering a purchase should verify the status of a specific property, its utilities and its neighbors.

The market now has three kinds of listings: homes that survived the fire, vacant lots offered for sale by owners who are not rebuilding, and new homes built since the fire. Prices for standing homes depend heavily on the condition of the surrounding streets, and lot values are set by location, view and the progress of nearby rebuilding.

The long-term geography is unchanged: the Riviera and Huntington Palisades carry the largest lots and the highest values, the Alphabet Streets are walkable to the village, the Highlands and Marquez Knolls have hillside and view homes, and Castellammare and the bluffs overlook the ocean. Fire-hazard zoning, insurance availability and rebuilding rules are central to any transaction here.

Los Angeles Unified School District serves the neighborhood, with Palisades Charter Elementary, Marquez Charter Elementary, Paul Revere Middle School and Palisades Charter High School. Several campuses were damaged in the fire and have operated from temporary sites during rebuilding, so check the current status and enrollment rules with the district and the schools.

Pacific Coast Highway runs along the bottom of the neighborhood to Santa Monica and Malibu, and Sunset Boulevard runs east through the village to Brentwood and the 405. There is no freeway inside the Palisades, so the commute depends on Sunset and PCH, both of which have been affected by post-fire construction traffic. The beaches, Temescal Canyon and Will Rogers park trails are at the neighborhood’s edges.