Malaga Cove · Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274
841 Via Somonte
$5,488,000
4 Beds · 5 Baths · 4,490 SF · 14,339 SF Lot
Area Guides/Palos Verdes Estates/MLS Area 163
Malaga Cove
Malaga Cove is the oldest corner of Palos Verdes Estates and the one that feels most like a village. The arcaded plaza, the library gardens, and the 1926 school building sit at the top, and the streets below wind down toward the bluffs with the whole curve of Santa Monica Bay in front of them. Homes are mostly Mediterranean or Spanish in spirit, the lots are irregular and often terraced, and the view people pay for here is the Queen's Necklace, the string of coastline lights that runs from Redondo to Malibu after dark.
Quick Facts
| City | Palos Verdes Estates |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| MLS area | 163, Malaga Cove |
| Zip | 90274 |
| School district | Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified |
| Assigned schools | Montemalaga Elementary, Palos Verdes Intermediate, Palos Verdes High |
| HOA | No monthly dues. Palos Verdes Homes Association deed restrictions and Art Jury review apply to every exterior change |
| Typical homes | Mediterranean and Spanish revival, 1920s to 2000s, plus a small number of condos near the plaza |
| Prices | City median about $2.7M to $3.0M (2026). Malaga Cove view homes commonly trade from the high $2 millions to well above $5M |
| Commute | Riviera Village 5 min, LAX 30 to 40 min, downtown LA 45 to 60 min off peak |
Checked 2026-09-14. School assignments and prices change; confirm the address with the district and ask for current comparables.
Where the Peninsula started
In 1913 a group led by banker Frank Vanderlip bought about sixteen thousand acres of ranch land here, and after the war the Olmsted Brothers and planner Charles Cheney laid out a garden city on the hills. Malaga Cove was the first unit built. The plaza went up as an arcaded Mediterranean block, the school opened in 1926, and the first lots sold in 1923. The Neptune fountain in the plaza is a copy of the one in Bologna and is still the meeting point for the whole neighborhood.
Because it was planned first, Malaga Cove has the Peninsula's only real commercial core inside Palos Verdes Estates. The plaza covers coffee, a market, restaurants, and services. For a full restaurant strip, Riviera Village in Redondo Beach is a five minute drive down the hill, and that proximity is a big reason people who like the beach cities but want quiet end up here.
The view and the terrain
The land drops fast between Palos Verdes Drive West and the bluffs, so lots are stepped and many homes are built into the slope. That is why a modest looking street frontage can hide a three level house with a lower garden. Streets closest to the bluff, and the higher streets that look over them, get the Queen's Necklace. Streets tucked into the folds of the hill get quiet and trees instead of the view, and they cost noticeably less.
Malaga Cove sits low on the hill compared with the neighborhoods above it, so the marine layer lingers longer in late spring. In exchange you get quick access to the beach path at Torrance Beach and the bluff trails along Paseo del Mar.
Rules that shape every house
Palos Verdes Estates has no monthly homeowners dues, but every property is bound by the 1923 protective restrictions and every exterior change goes through the Art Jury of the Palos Verdes Homes Association before the city issues a permit. That includes additions, windows, roofing, paint, fences, and landscaping visible from the street. Review fees scale with the project and can run from about a thousand dollars into five figures for a large remodel. Build that time and cost into any plan to change a house, and ask for the approved plans on any home that has been remodeled.
Who It Suits
- ◆Buyers who want a walkable village feel with a real view, not a gated enclave
- ◆People who work in the beach cities or LAX side and want a short drive down the hill
- ◆Anyone who values original architecture and is fine with an approval process to protect it
Before You Buy
- ◆Confirm the exact view corridor at the time of day you care about. Trees and neighboring roofs matter more here than on the flat streets up the hill.
- ◆Ask for Art Jury approvals and city permits for every past remodel. Unpermitted work can result in a lien from the Homes Association.
- ◆Sloped lots mean retaining walls and drainage. Get a geotechnical read on any home built into the hill.
- ◆Check whether the home is in the Palos Verdes Intermediate or Peninsula High feeder pattern if that matters to you. Most of Malaga Cove goes to Palos Verdes High.
Listings and Sales in Malaga Cove
Questions People Ask About Malaga Cove
Is there an HOA in Malaga Cove?
There are no monthly dues. Every property in Palos Verdes Estates is covered by the Palos Verdes Homes Association deed restrictions, and exterior changes need Art Jury approval before a city permit. Fees are paid per project rather than monthly.
What schools serve Malaga Cove?
Montemalaga Elementary, Palos Verdes Intermediate, and Palos Verdes High, all in the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District. Confirm any specific address with the district's school locator.
What does a home in Malaga Cove cost?
The city of Palos Verdes Estates had a median sale price around $2.7 million to $3.0 million in 2026. In Malaga Cove, homes with a Queen's Necklace view typically run from the high $2 millions to well over $5 million, and hillside homes without the view sit below that.
What is the Queen's Necklace?
The curve of coastline lights you see from Malaga Cove after dark, running from the Redondo pier around Santa Monica Bay to Malibu. Homes on the bluff side streets and the higher streets above them get the full arc.
Are there condos in Malaga Cove?
A few, close to the plaza. They are the least expensive way into Palos Verdes Estates and they sell quickly when they come up.
Nearby Guides
- Lunada Bay and Margate
Palos Verdes Estates
- Valmonte
Palos Verdes Estates
From the Journal
- The Queen's Necklace: Why Malaga Cove Views Command a Premium
Lifestyle · 4 min read
- Palos Verdes MLS Areas, Explained: A Local's Guide to 160 Through 186
Area Guides · 7 min read
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