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A Rare Beachfront Opportunity in Manhattan Beach — and a Look at Why This Stretch of Coastline Commands Some of the Highest Prices in America
The Strand in Manhattan Beach is a roughly 3.2-mile oceanfront walkway widely regarded as one of the most desirable beachfront addresses in California. Frontage is finite, rarely trades, and when it does, it sets records — recent sales have ranged from the low teens of millions to a reported $24.5 million for an assembled beachfront compound.
At $11,999,000, 2516 The Strand represents one of the most accessible entry points onto the sand: an oversized oceanfront lot with sweeping 180-degree-plus views, configured today as a duplex, with the flexibility to hold, rent, occupy, or one day build a custom legacy residence.
For buyers who have spent years circling this stretch of coast — from the Westside to Aspen, Palm Beach to Park City — opportunities like this are not a question of price alone. They are a question of when one becomes available.
What Is The Strand, and Why Does It Matter?
The Strand is the elevated oceanfront promenade that runs the length of Manhattan Beach, separating a continuous wall of beachfront homes from the wide white sand below. It is, simply, where the South Bay meets the Pacific — and for more than a century, it has been the most coveted ground in the Beach Cities.
Its history is built, literally, on sand. In the early 1900s, settlers laid narrow planks across shifting dunes — some fifty to seventy feet high — to navigate between the few scattered homes. A boardwalk of Oregon pine was eventually installed along the coast, later replaced with concrete as high tides reclaimed the wood.
Today, that walkway is a destination in its own right: a flat, flower-lined ribbon that draws walkers, runners, and cyclists from dawn to dusk, with the Marvin Braude Bike Path running just below and the iconic red Roundhouse at the Manhattan Beach Pier anchoring its southern view.
Step off the sand, and you are minutes from downtown Manhattan Beach — its galleries, boutiques, coffee houses, and some of the most celebrated dining rooms in coastal Los Angeles. This is the rare luxury enclave where the car is optional and the day’s rhythm is set by the tide. For those relocating from other prime markets, the appeal is immediate and familiar: it is the Southern California coastal life in its most concentrated, walkable form.
Why The Strand Commands the Prices It Does
Scarcity. There is a fixed, finite amount of beachfront on The Strand, and almost none of it ever comes to market in a given year. When it does, the results make headlines.
Recent and recorded sales along The Strand:
| Address | Year | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 108 The Strand | 2025 | $16,750,000 | Louie Tomaro designed trophy property |
| 1800 The Strand | 2024 | $24,500,000 | Corner-lot trophy; former Manhattan Beach record-holder |
| 3216 The Strand | 2024 | $21,000,000 | ~7,450 sq. ft. custom oceanfront estate |
| 708 The Strand | 2024 | $13,250,000 | Beachfront residence |
| 2516 The Strand | Available | $11,999,000 | Oversized lot · duplex · value-in-land |
The pattern is consistent: properties on The Strand tend to appreciate dramatically over time, and the land itself — irreplaceable oceanfront frontage — is the asset that holds and grows. Against that backdrop, 2516 The Strand stands out not for being the grandest home on the sand, but for being one of the most attainable ways onto it.
A Rare Opening: 2516 The Strand
Set along one of the South Bay’s most photographed stretches of coastline, 2516 The Strand occupies an oversized beachfront lot — approximately 3,498 square feet, measuring 33 by 105 feet. An existing view easement across the property to the north allows the home to live much like a corner lot, opening sweeping coastline views that extend well beyond 180 degrees.
The approximately 3,568-square-foot property is configured today as two spacious two-bedroom, two-bath residences. The upper unit occupies the entire top level, capturing classic Manhattan Beach oceanfront living: expansive living areas, abundant natural light, front and rear balconies for true indoor-outdoor flow, and fireplaces in both the living room and primary bedroom. The lower residence offers its own generous, comfortable beachside living with immediate access to the Strand just outside the door.
One detail rarely found on the beachfront: exceptional parking. A two-car garage is joined by additional space for three more vehicles across the driveway and carport — an almost unheard-of amenity in a location where parking is the scarcest luxury of all.
Four Ways to Own It
What makes 2516 unusual is not a single feature — it is the range of futures it holds. Few properties on The Strand offer this much optionality:
- As a coastal retreat. Occupy the upper residence as a turnkey oceanfront home and enjoy The Strand lifestyle from day one, with the lower unit as guest quarters or a private studio.
- As an income property. Hold both residences and let one of the most desirable beachfront addresses in California work as a long-term asset, with rental demand that rarely cools.
- As a multi-generational compound. Two complete, separate residences under one roof — a configuration prized by families who want proximity without compromise.
- As a future custom Strand estate. With its oversized lot, value-in-land positioning, and that rare extended-view easement, 2516 offers the canvas to one day reimagine or rebuild a legacy beachfront residence — subject to City of Manhattan Beach approvals and applicable coastal regulations.
Few decisions in luxury real estate keep this many doors open at once. Fewer still do it at this number, on this sand.
The Lifestyle Just Outside the Door
From the property, the day organizes itself: sand, surf, and volleyball courts steps away; the Strand walkway and bike path at the doorstep; and the shops and restaurants of Downtown Manhattan Beach a short, walkable distance up the hill. This is a place where morning coffee is taken on a bench above the Pacific, where sunset turns the coastline gold from Malibu to the Palos Verdes Peninsula, and where the line between “home” and “vacation” quietly disappears.
It is, in the truest sense, a legacy coastal property — a rare chance to own, enjoy, invest, or build in one of the most desirable beachfront locations in Southern California.
Quick Facts: 2516 The Strand
Address: 2516 The Strand, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Price: $11,999,000
Configuration: Two 2-bed / 2-bath residences (4 bed / 4 bath total)
Living Area: ~3,568 sq. ft.
Lot: ~3,498 sq. ft. (33′ × 105′), oversized beachfront
Views: Ocean, Pier, Water — 180°+ via existing view easement
Parking: 2-car garage + 3 additional spaces
Year Built / Type: 1980 · Multi-Family
MLS® ID: SB26105156
Listing Agent: Shawn Dugan, Strand Hill | Forbes Global Properties
Frequently Asked Questions
Beachfront homes on The Strand have recently sold from roughly $13 million to a reported record of $24.5 million for an assembled compound, with most trophy residences trading in the $20 million-plus range. At $11,999,000, 2516 The Strand is currently one of the most accessible price points on the sand.
A reported $24.5 million sale on The Strand in 2024 stands as the area’s high-water mark, surpassing a $21 million record hit multiple times.
In many cases, yes — oceanfront Strand lots are frequently redeveloped into custom residences, subject to City of Manhattan Beach approvals and California coastal regulations. 2516 The Strand’s oversized “value-in-land” lot makes it a candidate for future redevelopment.
Its combination of an oversized beachfront lot, an extended 180°-plus view easement, rare on-site parking for up to five vehicles, and a flexible duplex configuration that supports holding, renting, occupying, or rebuilding — all at one of the lower entry prices on The Strand.
Shawn Dugan of Strand Hill, an exclusive member of Forbes Global Properties, represents 2516 The Strand. He can be reached at (310) 265-3428.
See It for Yourself
Opportunities on The Strand are defined by timing. To explore 2516 The Strand in full — including a private property brief with floor concepts, the four ownership scenarios, and complete market context — request the 2516 The Strand Collector’s Brief.
Shawn Dugan | 310-265-3428 | DRE# 01749343
Strand Hill | Forbes Global Properties
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Presented by DIGS — the South Bay’s authority on luxury coastal living — in partnership with Shawn Dugan, Strand Hill | Forbes Global Properties. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed; all figures, square footage, and development potential subject to verification and change. Strand Hill fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act.