Sherman Oaks Housing Market and Neighborhood Guide

Ventura Boulevard at Van Nuys Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, California
Photo: Cbl62 / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sherman Oaks is the Valley community that most cleanly captures the region’s golden rule: the hills south of Ventura Boulevard command a premium, the flats to the north are more attainable, and the two sit minutes apart. Add a strong Ventura Boulevard dining scene, a central location straddling the 405/101 interchange, and some of the closest-in access over the pass to the Westside, and you have one of the Valley’s most consistent markets.

The neighborhoods buyers ask about

The defining split is south of the Boulevard (hillside, premium) versus north of the Boulevard (the flats). Established pockets buyers name include Chandler Estates and Magnolia Woods — both areas that were formally folded into Sherman Oaks in 1991 — and the district around Westfield Fashion Square, which buyers use as a locator.

Schools

Sherman Oaks is LAUSD, with well-regarded neighborhood elementaries (Sherman Oaks, Dixie Canyon, Kester, Riverside Drive) feeding into Van Nuys Middle and, by zone, Van Nuys or Grant high schools. Notre Dame High and The Buckley School are prominent private options. Confirm attendance boundaries and magnet options by address.

Landmarks and lifestyle

Westfield Fashion Square and the reinvented open-air Sherman Oaks Galleria are the retail anchors; Sherman Oaks Castle Park is a local institution; and the Ventura Boulevard corridor is one of the Valley’s better restaurant rows. Low residential density — among the lowest in the city — is part of the appeal.

The Sherman Oaks market right now

Sherman Oaks market metric First half of 2026 (Jan–Jun) First half of 2025 (Jan–Jun)
Median sale price $1,650,000 (up 12.6% year over year) $1,465,000
Homes sold 254 (down 11.2% year over year) 286
Average sale price $2,028,080

There are roughly 427 homes for sale in Sherman Oaks right now — about 9.7 months of supply at the current pace.

Numbers describe the trend; the listings tell you what it means for you. See what homes are currently available in Sherman Oaks, or browse recently sold homes in Sherman Oaks.

Frequently asked questions

Why is south of the Boulevard more expensive in Sherman Oaks?

The streets south of Ventura Boulevard climb into the Santa Monica Mountains foothills, offering hillside settings, views and the closest access over the pass to the Westside — all of which command a premium over the flats to the north.

What school district is Sherman Oaks in?

LAUSD. Neighborhood elementaries are well-regarded; high school zoning runs to Van Nuys or Grant depending on the address.

Comparing Valley communities? See the San Fernando Valley market roundup.

Source: recorded single-family, condo and townhome sales from this site’s live MLS/public-record IDX feed, covering January 1–June 30, 2026, with the same period in 2025 for comparison. County recording lags the closing table by several weeks, so first-half figures may firm up slightly as late-June sales finish recording; days-on-market is not carried in this feed. Small markets swing on a handful of sales — read price alongside count. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

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About the Author
Gary Jacobs
Gary Jacobs is a Southern California local, raised in Westlake Village, with real estate experience that spans hundreds of home sales across dozens of Southern California communities. He writes local guides, area updates and market insight on the main communities he serves — Conejo and San Fernando Valleys, Coastal Ventura to West Los Angeles, to help residents, community members and prospective buyers and sellers make confident, well-informed decisions.