Burbank

Located in the heart of Burbank and at the foothills of the Verdugo Mountains, Magnolia Park is a famed community that is highly sought-after by entertainment industry professionals. Known for its proximity to major production studios as well as the many entertainment venues in its vicinity, Magnolia Park evokes a vintage Hollywood character with 1940s storybook homes and the eclectic shops and restaurants along Magnolia Boulevard. “Burbank is the “media capital of the world” as it’s close to all the major studios, and people in the industry can literally bike to work,” says Bryan Ochse, a former licensed contractor and current broker and owner at Media West Realty with 19 years of experience. “People enjoy everything from wine bars to coffee houses and little restaurants, and it’s a great feeling to live in the neighborhood.”<br><br>Colorfully painted cottages and bungalows sit alongside eucalyptus, towering palms and green shrubs in Magnolia Park. Area single-family homes feature a wide range of unique architectural designs, including Tudor Revival, Craftsman, Mediterranean, Mission Revival and ranch-style influence. The starting point for single-family homes in the area is slightly under $1 million and may go up to $1.7 million. Remodeled properties larger than 2,000 square feet may list around $2 million. Multi-unit buildings can be spotted and are scattered throughout the neighborhood. “The houses are all different and unique and cover the gambit from English cottage and Tudor to Spanish Revival and modern barn houses,” Ochse says. “Most of the houses are from the 1930s and 1940s and have been upgraded and configured. Accessory dwelling units are also common here.” <br><br>Magnolia Boulevard is dotted with vintage and eclectic specialty stores, including the antique shop and museum Bearded Lady Vintage & Oddities, the collectibles boutique Blast from the Past and the second-hand store Playclothes. It’s a Wrap Production sells unique finds featuring props and wardrobes from film and television sets. Locals are often spotted grabbing baked cheese rolls, croquettes and potato balls at the area’s most well-known anchoring establishment, Porto's Bakery and Café. People may also order coffee and a sandwich at the chic Romancing the Bean Café, or head to Tally Rand, which has been serving Burbank since 1959, with its famous old-fashioned turkey dinner. Pinocchio Restaurant is another popular eatery that offers traditional Italian fare. Grocery stores and big-box retailers in the area include Handy Market, Whole Foods Market and Target, or people may also go to downtown Burbank on Saturdays and shop at the farmers market. <br><br>The Magnolia Park Food Truck Fridays is a local street festival that takes place on the last Friday of each month, featuring about 30 to 50 local food vendors that line Magnolia Boulevard, providing residents with opportunities to socialize while enjoying the local dining scene. Holiday in the Park celebrates the winter season with over 100 artisan vendors, art exhibits, a winter market and live music and food trucks. Downtown Burbank also organizes various cultural events throughout the year, including the Burbank Comedy Festival, the Burbank International Film Festival and two art festivals that take place in June and December. Residents can also head to nearby attractions such as the popular Flapper's Comedy Club for standups and open mics, live concerts at The Hollywood Bowl or go to one of many downtown Burbank’s pottery, dance, theater and music studios. <br><br>Within the neighborhood, most streets are lined with bike lanes and sidewalks, and locals are often spotted biking to work or walking about. Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center is right by the neighborhood, and Hollywood Burbank Airport is less than 3 miles away with nine airlines and 35 nonstop destinations. Magnolia Park residents can expect a 6.5-mile drive to Hollywood and a 12-mile commute to downtown Los Angeles via U.S. Route 101. Locals can also access Studio City and Culver City by local roads, which are about 5 miles and 13 miles away, respectively. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), which is locally known as Metro for short, has bus stops in Burbank and provides transit throughout Los Angeles. <br><br>Prospective primary schools include Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School and Thomas Edison Elementary School, each of which rates an A and an A-minus Niche score, respectively. Dolores Huerta Middle School, which is formerly known as David Starr Jordan Middle School, has an A-minus. John Burroughs High School scores an A and offers National Academy Foundation (NAF) career academies in business, medicine and engineering. Known for its award-winning arts programs, the school’s Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) offers programs in drama, dance, visual arts, instrumental music and vocal music, of which the choral program has earned 13 national championships and over 150 regional championships. <br><br>The Mary Alvord Recreation Center, which is home to Verdugo Park, has an indoor gymnasium and basketball courts while offering various sports programs for both adults and youth. Locals may also play a tennis match or swim and enjoy the water slides at the center’s outdoor facility. Whitnall Highway Park South is several blocks away and is a popular place for residents to walk or exercise. Cyclists may take advantage of the Chandler Bike Path along Chandler Avenue. About 4 miles south, Griffith Park is situated amidst the Santa Monica Mountains and is home to over 4,000 acres of forestland and recreational opportunities. Stargazers may go to the Griffith Observatory and look over the Los Angeles skyline, and horseback riders can take a ride at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. In addition to various trails, people can also book tee times at the park’s two courses, including Harding Golf Course and Wilson Golf Course.

Burbank’s world-famous Media District is home to TV and movie studios, including Disney, Warner Bros. and The Burbank Studios, among many others. “The studios are obviously a big part of the neighborhood,” says Compass Realtor Corrie Summers, who went to M.I.T.'s School of Architecture and specializes in luxury homes. The neighborhood is trendy with young people working in the entertainment business. “It’s really cool just to drive around here. You get such a sense of celebrity," says Keller Williams agent Anne Gettings, who has lived in Los Angeles for over 30 years. The Media District has a wide range of restaurants, countless employers and easy access to Griffith Park. There is a lot of high-density housing development in the works to meet the demand of prospective new residents. <br><br>The Warner Bros. Studio is located in the heart of the Media District and occupies a storied place in history. The 62-acre studio lot, which offers regular tours to movie fans, was built in 1926 and has since served as the principal filming location for thousands of major motion pictures. Some of the biggest hits in recent Hollywood history were filmed here, including "The Dark Knight," "La La Land" and "Blade Runner," along with iconic TV shows like "Friends" and "The Big Bang Theory."<br><br>Johnny Carson Park in the Media District is one of Burbank's most used and best-loved parks. Situated on Bob Hope Drive, the lush park has walking paths, a pedestrian bridge over a natural stream bed and a robust playground under sunshades. The dedicated picnic area on a concrete slab includes a coal-burning grill. Each September, the park is home to the annual Fall Festival, which includes live music, food trucks and a screening of Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas." "I would say the biggest draw for most people is Griffith Park," Summer says. "A lot of houses are just a block or two from trails that lead into one of the most famous urban green spaces in the entire world." One of the largest municipal parks in the U.S., it's home to world-famous landmarks like the Hollywood Sign and the Griffith Observatory. The park is set in the Santa Monica Mountains and has a 53-mile network of trails, fire roads and bridle paths for horseback riding.<br><br>The main commercial stretch through the media district is around the intersection of West Alameda Avenue and West Riverside Drive. There are also businesses on West Olive Avenue, which has a Whole Foods Market for stocking up on groceries. Lou, The French On The Block is a warm, relaxed coffee shop serving a ranch of French pastries, coffee, sandwiches, quiches, and salads. Hank’s Bagels is a laidback deli-style counter that serves bagels and sandwiches. Olive & Thyme is a cozy family-owned market and café featuring a menu of breakfast-to-dinner eats. The homey restaurant has quaint country kitchen vibes and eclectic seating. The neighborhood is also home to the Garry Marshall Theatre, a modest venue owned by the late director Garry Marshall that emphasizes new work by emerging artists.<br><br>The Media District is classic Americana, with its white picket fences and modest homes built between the 1920s and 1950s. The streets are clean and wide, with plenty of parking and unique landscaping in every yard. Architecture includes a variety of one-story housing, including bungalows and ranch-style homes, and a selection of contemporary homes built on teardown lots. The community is in flux, with thousands of new homes on the horizon. An update to zoning announced in late 2023 would permit 4,600 new homes and nearly 2.5 million square feet of new commercial. “These apartment complexes are going up; any place there’s land, apartments are going up,” Gettings says. “It’s become a trendy place for a younger demographic.” Single-family home prices start around $800,000 for a two-bedroom bungalow with just over 700 square feet and can climb as high as $3 million for something more expansive and contemporary. Condos and townhouses sell between $500,000 and $1 million.<br><br>Burbank Unified is a public school district with an A grade from Niche, which ranks it in the top 15% of California districts. Kids can start their education at R.L. Stevenson Elementary before moving on to David Starr Jordan Middle — both schools are graded A-minus by Niche. John Burroughs High School, which is graded A, is one of the top high schools for the arts in the state and ranked nationally by Niche. JBHS has an internationally recognized choir program that has been featured on “America’s Got Talent,” “Dancing With the Stars” and “The Voice,” among others. The choir plays at public and private events in Los Angeles and beyond.<br><br>The Media District's main thoroughfare is the Ventura Freeway, which connects west to Sherman Oaks and east to Glendale. The neighborhood is about 3 miles from Interstate 5, which connects 10 miles south to downtown Los Angeles. "This area is super convenient to the 5 and the 134, so you can either go downtown or the San Fernando Valley, which is where a lot of people go for work," Gettings says. The Hollywood Burbank Airport is under 4 miles away via North Hollywood Way. "Sometimes there's a little congestion to get to the airport, but it's not that bad," Gettings says. Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center is in the neighborhood. Public transportation options include a train station just south of the 5 in downtown Burbank and locally operated bus routes along major thoroughfares.