Compound properties, with multiple structures on one site, offer the best of both worlds—a place for family and friends to gather, and the chance for those guests to retreat to the peace and solitude of their own private living quarters. Buyers in Los Angeles are seeking properties that offer innovative ways to live and entertain, often placing more value on acreage over square footage. While in short supply in L.A., compounds afford owners the luxury of space and substance, as well as the chance to customize their lifestyles.
“The gathering of family and loved ones in a compound setting is a long-lost attribute of an increasingly rare lifestyle, especially here in Los Angeles,” says The Agency’s Craig Knizek, who represents what is perhaps the finest example of a compound estate in the San Fernando Valley, consisting of five separate and adjacent parcels and three houses spread over 3 ½ acres in Studio City’s coveted Silver Triangle. The singular collection, located at 3657 Woodhill Canyon Road and nestled against the expanse of Fryman Canyon, is just a short distance to Ventura Boulevard’s bustling shops and restaurants, famed movie studios, and award-winning schools, but feels worlds away from the city.
Included in the offering is a 2,900-square-foot traditional Guest House, built in 1936 with authentic period details and storybook charm; a 3,100-square-foot Pool House with full kitchen, screening room, changing room and offices; and a 1938 Spanish-style Main House, all surrounded by more than 3 ½ pristine acres that abut protected Conservancy land. Only adding to its charm, the compound comes complete with a sunlit swimming pool, huge mature trees for total privacy, three-horse barn, basketball court with built-in spectator seats, and vintage Coke machine—stocked with the old-timey glass bottles, of course.
Meanwhile, in a storied Beverly Hills canyon, 2539 Benedict Canyon Road, represented by Eduardo Umansky, Mauricio Umansky, and Farrah Aldjufrie, offers its own distinct compound living experience in a private, resort-like oasis setting. Showcasing 27,657 square feet of lush grounds, the property includes an expansive main house with a chef’s kitchen and zen-like Japanese garden off the master suite. On the opposite side of the pool, an expansive casita with a private entrance and entertaining area makes it the ideal compound for an extended family, creative collaborators, or hospitable hosts.
“By reducing the stress of tight living quarters while embracing the intimacy of home—offering a place where guests can prepare their own meals, do their own laundry, and set their own schedules at their leisure—compounds offer a luxury even L.A.’s finest hotels cannot provide,” Craig asserts. “It’s a throwback concept perfectly suited to 21st century living.”
