In 1926, La Costa was one of the first neighbourhoods — if not the first — to be developed in Malibu. This neighbourhood was the vision of a developer named Harold Ferguson, who had purchased the beachfront and hillside property for $6 million. His plans included a private club, which came to be known as La Costa Beach Club, which would be a perk for homeowners buying hillside lots who still wanted access to the beach. He also laid out the development and named the streets. One of the first buyers of a home in La Costa was Edgar Rice Burroughs, who wrote the Tarzan books.
Today, La Costa is a much-sought-after community that is popular with celebrities and the rich. It is located on the east side of Malibu, just south of Carbon Beach. La Costa’s hillside homes boast mature trees and vegetation and enviable views of the Pacific Ocean, as well as membership privileges for the private beach club.
Potential homebuyers will find a mix of architectural styles in La Costa, including Mission Revival, bungalow, modern and Spanish. Lot sizes can vary greatly. It’s not unusual, for example, to find that a homeowner had bought several lots so that they could build a sprawling compound.
Although homes in La Costa are pricey by most standards, they are typically well below the house prices found in neighbouring Carbon Beach, also known as Billionaire’s Beach. For example, in 2018, a mansion on Billionaire’s Beach sold for a whopping $110 million. In comparison, beachfront homes in La Costa are generally priced at $6 million but can go much higher. Homes on the steep hillside tend to cost less and will generally sell in the $3 million range.
La Costa offers residents a private, secluded lifestyle, yet it is located close to the Malibu Lumber Yard and the Malibu Country Mart, two retail centres that offer a plethora of high-end shopping and dining options. The Malibu Pier is also nearby.
Schools:
Webster Elementary
School — 10 out of 10
GreatSchools Rating. Ranked 284 out of 5,754 Best Public Elementary Schools in California, according to Niche.com.
Parks
Malibu Bluffs Community Park
This six-acre park overlooks the Pacific Ocean and contains baseball diamonds, a soccer field, a playground and jogging paths. It is also home to the Michael Landon Community Center, which offers a number of classes and also hosts special events.