Beverly Hills Real Estate Guide: Every Topic, by Task

Key takeaway

This Beverly Hills real estate guide sorts every topic on the site by the job in front of you: choosing an area, buying, selling, owning, or reading the ultra-luxury market. Most start with one fact, the city a home is in, because a sale over $5.4 million inside the City of Los Angeles pays Measure ULA and the same sale in the City of Beverly Hills doesn't. Find your task below and each guide opens with the figure that matters most for it.

Who this guide is for

You're planning to buy, sell or own a home in Beverly Hills or a neighboring enclave and want the guide that answers the task in front of you.

How to use this Beverly Hills real estate guide

Each guide on this site has one home topic, so a figure like the Measure ULA threshold lives on one page and the others link to it. That keeps the numbers in step when a rate changes, which several of them do every year. The table lists the six rules that move the most money at this price level, with the year each figure applies to.

Rule or figure	Current value	Who it reaches	Guide
Measure ULA thresholds	4% over $5.4M, 5.5% from $10.9M (closings after June 30, 2026)	Sales inside the City of Los Angeles	Los Angeles mansion tax
Conforming loan limit, Los Angeles County	$1,249,125 for a one-unit home (2026)	Any loan above it is a jumbo loan	Jumbo loans
Property tax rate, central Beverly Hills	1.189084% before direct assessments (2026-27)	Every owner, on the assessed value	Property tax
California FAIR Plan residential limit	$3 million per location	Owners who can't place fire cover privately	Home insurance
FIRPTA withholding	15% of the gross price, plus 3 1/3% for California	Sellers who are foreign persons under the tax code	FIRPTA
MLS filing after public marketing	Within one business day (NAR Clear Cooperation)	Sellers marketing a home privately	Pocket listings

Four of those six turn on the address or the parties, not the house. The ULA line depends on the city, the property tax rate on the tax rate area, FIRPTA on the seller's tax status and the FAIR Plan cap on what private insurers will write in your fire zone. So before you pick a guide, confirm the city; our overview of Beverly Hills neighborhoods sorts every enclave by it.

Real estate guides for choosing where to buy in Beverly Hills

These four guides compare places before you compare houses. They answer where prices sit, where the city line runs and which school district serves an address.

Beverly Hills housing market and median home price

Redfin's median sale price in Beverly Hills was $4,029,331 on 73 sales in September 2026, while Zillow's typical home value was $3,676,482. Our Beverly Hills housing market report explains why the two disagree and why a handful of estate sales can move the median by a third in a year.

Beverly Hills ZIP codes and 90210 homes

Beverly Hills has three ZIP codes, but Census 2020 puts about 60.5% of 90210's land in the City of Los Angeles. The guide to 90210 and the Beverly Hills ZIP codes shows what each ZIP's price figure does and doesn't describe.

Beverly Hills vs Bel Air

Bel Air and Beverly Hills trade in the same price range and their 2026-27 property tax rates are within 0.004 points of each other. The difference is the transfer tax: a $20 million Bel Air sale pays $1.1 million of Measure ULA that the same sale in Beverly Hills never pays, as our Bel Air vs Beverly Hills comparison sets out.

Beverly Hills schools and district lookups

Two districts serve homes with Beverly Hills addresses, BHUSD and LAUSD, and the ZIP doesn't decide which. Our Beverly Hills schools guide links each district's own address lookup, because we never say a home is zoned for a school.

Real estate guides for buying a Beverly Hills home

Above $5 million the parcel decides more of your cost than the asking price does. These guides cover the checks, the private search and the financing.

Buying a luxury home in Beverly Hills

Start with the lot: which city it's in, whether it's in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and how much the code lets you build. Since August 17, 2024, buyers working with a REALTOR® sign a written buyer agreement that states a definite compensation amount. The Beverly Hills buyer's guide puts those checks in order.

A private search for off-market homes

Since NAR's 2025 rules, a seller who wants privacy files an office exclusive or a delayed-marketing listing that the public can't see. You reach those homes through an agent asking inside a brokerage and broker to broker, so our private search for off-market Beverly Hills homes starts with a written brief.

Jumbo loans in California

In 2026 a one-unit mortgage over $1,249,125 in Los Angeles County is a jumbo loan, against a national baseline limit of $832,750. Freddie Mac's 30-year average was 7.24% in the week of October 29, 2026, a conforming-loan figure, so the jumbo loan guide explains how a jumbo quote can differ.

Jumbo mortgage calculator

The jumbo mortgage calculator turns a price, down payment, rate, term and tax rate into a monthly payment. Its defaults, an $8 million home with 30% down at 7.24% over 30 years, come to about $38,164 a month in principal and interest before tax and insurance.

Real estate guides for selling a home in Beverly Hills

A seller's net depends on three things the list price doesn't show: the city's transfer tax, how the home is marketed under the 2025 MLS rules, and whether the seller is a foreign person for tax purposes.

Selling a house in Beverly Hills

Redfin's September 2026 Beverly Hills sales closed at 95.1% of list price on average. On the Los Angeles side of the line, an $11 million Bel Air sale nets about $60,000 more after city and county transfer taxes if the price drops to $10.89 million, below the 5.5% bracket. The Beverly Hills seller's guide shows how to price against that line.

Pocket listings and off-market sales

Under NAR's Clear Cooperation Policy a listing must go into the MLS within one business day of public marketing, but since March 25, 2025 a seller can sign to keep it as an office exclusive. Miller Samuel found about one-third of Greater Los Angeles sales over $5 million were missing from the MLS in early 2017; our pocket listings guide weighs the trade-offs.

FIRPTA for foreign sellers

When a seller is a foreign person under the tax code, the buyer generally withholds 15% of the gross price for the IRS, and California withholds another 3 1/3% on Form 593. On a $15 million sale that's about $2.75 million held back at closing, which is why our FIRPTA guide for foreign sellers starts with Form 8288-B.

Real estate guides to taxes and the cost of owning in Beverly Hills

The yearly costs of owning here are set mostly by the price you paid and the zone the house sits in. These four guides carry this year's rates and the tools to apply them.

The Los Angeles mansion tax (Measure ULA)

For closings after June 30, 2026, Measure ULA is 4% of the whole price on City of Los Angeles sales over $5.4 million and 5.5% from $10.9 million. It doesn't apply in the City of Beverly Hills, so a $10 million sale there pays about $11,000 in county transfer tax against $456,000 in Bel Air; the Measure ULA guide and calculator works any price.

Beverly Hills property tax

The 2026-27 rate in central Beverly Hills is 1.189084% of assessed value, so a home assessed at $10 million owes about $118,908 a year before direct assessments. A purchase also triggers one or two supplemental bills, which our Beverly Hills property tax guide explains with an estimator.

Cost of living in Beverly Hills

Property tax is the largest yearly bill: about $59,454 on a $5 million purchase at the 2026-27 rate. On top of it come the city's own water, sewer, stormwater and trash charges, with trash billed by the square foot of lot, all itemized in our guide to living in Beverly Hills.

Home insurance and the California FAIR Plan

The FAIR Plan writes residential policies up to $3 million per location and covers named perils such as fire and smoke. On a $5 million hillside home it can only be the bottom fire layer, so our FAIR Plan and home insurance guide covers what has to sit above it before escrow closes.

Ultra-luxury real estate guides: mansions, record sales and reported deals

Above $10 million the public data thins out, and reported sales from named outlets carry most of the evidence. These six guides read that record, always with the outlet and the month and never with an address.

Ultra-luxury homes in Los Angeles

Compass counts ultra-luxury from $10 million and found 2,261 such U.S. sales in 2025; in Greater Los Angeles those sales rose 53.7%. Our guide to ultra-luxury homes shows how that $10 million line sits almost on Measure ULA's $10.9 million bracket.

Beverly Hills mansions

Inside the city, the zoning area caps how much house a lot can hold: 14 feet in Trousdale Estates and 15,000 square feet including basements on the hillside without a special permit. The Wall Street Journal reported a $51.75 million sale in April 2025 as the city's most expensive deal since 2020; see our Beverly Hills mansions guide.

Los Angeles mansions in Bel Air and Holmby Hills

Most of the region's estate market sits inside the City of Los Angeles, where Measure ULA takes 5.5% from $10.9 million, or $2.75 million on a $50 million house. Our LA mansions guide follows the spec homes and the price cuts, such as La Fin's cut to $99.9 million in January 2026.

The most expensive homes in Los Angeles

Chartwell in Bel Air sold for about $150 million in 2019, reported by Los Angeles Magazine in December 2019, and the Warner Estate in Beverly Hills sold for $165 million in 2020, reported by CNBC. Which counts as the record depends on the line you draw, as our list of the most expensive homes in Los Angeles sets out.

The richest neighborhoods in LA by home value

By Zillow's September 2026 typical values, Beverly Hills Gateway ($11.55 million), the Flats ($10.28 million) and Trousdale Estates ($7.91 million) lead the Los Angeles neighborhoods we track. Our ranking of the most expensive LA neighborhoods ranks places by home value only.

Celebrity homes and reported sales

We track only purchases and sales by public figures that reputable outlets reported, and we never publish where anyone lives. That record shows several famous sellers closing below their asking price, such as Lizzo's $11.15 million sale reported by Complex in April 2026; our celebrity homes guide lists the rest.

Neighborhood real estate guides for Beverly Hills and Bel Air

Each enclave has its own guide with its city, building rules, price figures and checks: the Flats, Trousdale Estates, Beverly Park, Bel Air, Holmby Hills and the rest. Our neighborhood overview groups them by city, and the citywide guide to Beverly Hills homes compares the areas inside the city. When you're ready to talk to someone about a specific home, the featured Beverly Hills real estate agent is listed with his license record.

Beverly Hills real estate guide FAQs

Where should I start if I'm buying in Beverly Hills?

Start with the city the home is in, then the parcel. A Beverly Hills 90210 address can sit in the City of Los Angeles, which changes the transfer tax, the building code and the school district. After that, check the fire zone and how much the code lets you build, and line up proof of funds or a jumbo loan before you make an offer.

Does Measure ULA apply in Beverly Hills?

No. Measure ULA is a City of Los Angeles tax and applies only to property conveyed inside that city. The City of Beverly Hills is separately incorporated, so sales there don't pay it. Bel Air, Holmby Hills, Beverly Crest, Beverly Park and other Los Angeles areas with Beverly Hills addresses do: 4% over $5.4 million and 5.5% from $10.9 million after June 30, 2026.

What is the property tax rate in Beverly Hills?

For 2026-27 the rate in central Beverly Hills (tax rate area 2410) is 1.189084% of assessed value, before direct assessments. That's 1% under Proposition 13 plus voter-approved debt rates for the city, the community college district, the water district and the schools. Read the exact tax rate area on the parcel's tax bill, because rates differ by area.

What counts as a jumbo loan in Beverly Hills?

In 2026 any one-unit mortgage above $1,249,125, the Federal Housing Finance Agency's conforming loan limit for Los Angeles County, is a jumbo loan. That's the high-cost ceiling, 150% of the national baseline of $832,750. Nearly every purchase at Beverly Hills prices with a loan will need a jumbo loan, priced by the lender rather than the conforming market.

How much is held back when a foreign seller sells a Beverly Hills home?

Under FIRPTA the buyer generally withholds 15% of the gross sale price for the IRS when the seller is a foreign person under the tax code, and California withholds 3 1/3% of the price on Form 593. On a $15 million sale that's about $2.75 million, unless an IRS withholding certificate or an exemption applies. Confirm your position with a tax adviser before listing.

Can I buy a Beverly Hills home that isn't listed publicly?

Yes. Under NAR's 2025 rules a seller can keep a home off public sites as an office exclusive or a delayed-marketing listing, after signing a disclosure. Those homes are shown inside a brokerage or discussed broker to broker, so you reach them through an agent with a clear written brief of what you want, not through a search portal.

Are the figures in these guides current?

Each figure names its source and its month, week or effective date. Zillow and Redfin data is for September 2026, mortgage rates are Freddie Mac's survey for the week of October 29, 2026, and tax rates and thresholds are for 2026-27 or the year shown. We update a page and its date when a source publishes new figures.

Is this guide legal, tax or lending advice?

No. The guides explain how transfer taxes, property tax, loans, insurance and listing rules work, using sourced figures. Your own situation can differ, so confirm the details with a California CPA, a real estate attorney, a lender or a licensed insurance broker before you rely on them for a purchase or a sale.

Sources

Reviewed by Michael J. Chen

Michael Chen reviewed this page for accuracy on November 4, 2026. Figures come from the sources listed above. Our research process.

Michael J. Chen has held a California real estate license since September 2003 and works from the Beverly Hills office of Christie's International Real Estate Southern California, where the Christie's profile names Michael Chen Executive Director of its Asia Pacific Division. Michael Chen also founded Luxford Group, which develops custom homes in Beverly Hills and Bel Air. Michael Chen is fluent in Mandarin and English and can run a purchase or sale entirely in Mandarin.

REALTOR®, Christie's International Real Estate Southern California · California DRE #01395954. General information, not legal, tax or lending advice.

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Beverly Hills real estate guide: every topic, sorted by task