Lauren Perreault

PRO

Broker Associate with RE/MAX Estate Properties Manhattan Beach

  • Local Expert 257 points
  • Review 1
  • Questions 0
  • Answers 6
  • Discussions 0

About Me

Born in Chicago, I moved to Los Angeles in 1976 and to Manhattan Beach in 1983 -- I would not live anywhere else! I attended Michigan State University (B.S. Mechanical Engineering) and University of Southern California (MBA), so now I'm both a Spartan and a Trojan -- gotta love those Greek City-States!

After 25+ years in executive management positions with local aerospace companies like Northrop and Boeing, I followed my passion for real estate and started "flipping" homes in 2004. I quickly earned my real estate license and later my Broker's license and have been helping people to find their own unique place in our wonderful South Bay ever since. No two buyers and no two homes are alike, so the constant challenge keeps me learning and loving it.

I have been married to my terrific husband, Garth Sheriff, AIA, a noted local architect, for almost 25 years. (He is available for free consultations for my clients!) We have two gorgeous daughters, who are both in college. One is going to follow in Mom's footsteps and is already licensed as a real estate agent, the other wants to be a veterinarian, which will be quite helpful since our family has 2 dogs, 2 horse, and 4 cats!

My motto is "Fabulous Service, Fabulous Results". Let me show you how my focus on service AND results can work to your financial benefit and make your real estate transaction stress-free and smooth.

My Expertise

Luxury homes, relocation, residential sales, investment property, horse property, first time buyers

My Awards

RE/MAX 100% Club Award 2012
RE/MAX 100% Club Award 2011

My Designations

Masters of Business Administration MBA
Certified Residential Specialist CRS
International Real Estate Specialist (IRES)
Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE)
Short Sale and Foreclosure Expert (SFR)
Certified HAFA Specialist (CHS)
Certified Probate Specialst (CPS)
Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI)
Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES)
Accredited Home Staging Specialist (AHS)
Real estate computer professional (e-Pro)
Project Management Professional (PMP)

My Groups & Associations

Past President, Las Amigas De Las Lomas charity benefitting Orthpaedic Hospital
Chair, Multiple LIsting Service Committee, South Bay Board of Realtors
Council of Residential Specialists
South Bay Board of Realtors
California Association of Realtors
National Association of Realtors

My Service Locations

Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Torrance

Office

400 S. Sepulveda Blvd., #100 Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 (Google map)

Websites

Local Links

Reviews

5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 5/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 5/5
  • Peace & Quiet 5/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 5/5
Just now

"A tale of two Cities -- North Redondo and South Redondo"

If you look at a map of Redondo Beach, you'll see that it is divided into two distinct areas, North Redondo and South Redondo, and they barely touch at a tiny constriction near 190th and PCH. These two areas have very distinct property types and price points, influenced mainly by the topography (North Redondo is pretty flat except for the Golden Hills area) whereas South Redondo has lots of ocean view hillsides, and by the proximity to the beach -- North Redondo does not touch the beach, being interrupted by Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach. Because of this, North Redondo tends to be less expensive than South. It also has better freeway access if you need to commute to your job.

Both parts of Redondo have excellent schools, restaurants, shopping, and strong resale values.

North Redondo has a lot of townhouse options as well as mostly smaller single family homes and the infamous "tall and skinny" single family homes on their 25 foot wide lots of the Golden Hills area. South Redondo also has lots of townhomes as well as single family homes in "the Avenues" (Avenue A through H) and many condominium projects, especially near the beach such as those on Catalina and the Esplanade. South Redondo also has some very affordable housing options such as the four "The Village" complexes (Seascapes I, II, and III plus the original 600 - 660 The Village) as well as Brookside Village, which is FHA approved and at the entry level of Redondo Beach homes.

Riviera Village shopping, "RAT' (Redondo And Torrance) Beach, and the King Harbor area all are wonderful places for recreation in the Redondo area.

I've sold lots of homes in Redondo -- let me put that expertise to work for you!
Pros
  • Great Beaches
  • Great Living
  • Great Schools
  • relaxed and friendly
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 5/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 5/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 2/5
  • Childcare 4/5
Just now

"A great town for investors!"

Lawndale has, I believe, the highest percentage of residential investment property in the South Bay, with many, many duplexes, triplexes and quadriplexes at affordable prices. Low purchase prices and high rents make this an investors paradise, with a possibility of good positive cash flow with 25 percent down. Local tenants tend to move in, pay cash, and stay for years, too, so you won't have a huge problem with turnover. The area is nestled right next to big beach powerhouse cities like Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach, so the area is close enough to the beach to probably see some huge appreciations once the recession issues have cleared. I have sold lots of these great little duplexes to investor clients -- let me show you what you can find there!
Pros
  • Terrific for investors
Cons
  • Schools not the best in the South Bay
5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 5/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 5/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 5/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 5/5
Just now

"The Crown Jewel of the South Bay's "Queen's Necklace""

The South Bay's coastline is often called the Queen's Necklace because at night, it glistens with the lights along the curved coastline like a diamond necklace. Along that coast, Manhattan Beach has got to be the brightest gem of the beach!

Because of its' placement closer to LAX (but not TOO close) and to the Westside of Los Angeles and the freeways providing access to the rest of Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach residents have much less of a commute than other parts of the South Bay, especially for movie stars, star athletes, or financial/technology consulting "road warriors" who have to travel a lot. Anyone working downtown in our financial district or in Long Beach for the Pacific rim trade with Asia also finds MB very convenient for getting to where you're going.

Add Manhattan Beach's near-perfect weather (warm but not too hot), clean, smog free air due to beach breezes, and our award winning public school system (no more private school tuition!) and you really get why people are fighting to get to live here in our own little local piece of Paradise.

Manhattan Beach has 6 different "sections" or areas and these have distinct personalities and price points. The Sand Section gets its name from its obvious proximity to the beach, but all of the town is within biking distance and much within walking distance of the shore. In the Sand Section, lots are tiny (30 x 90 or even "half lots" of 30 x 45), homes are vertical, usually three stories, and you usually will only have a teeny tiny yard -- but hey, there's the beach, right there!

In the Tree Section, you have larger lots of typically 40 x 112 or 40 x 120 and larger homes up to about 3000 square feet. These streets are narrow and many times have no curbs or sidewalks. Separated from the Sand Section by the greenbelt or the Sand Dune Park, this area is mostly families and is much quieter than the busy, bustling Sand Section.

The Hill Section is the area where you are most likely to find large homes with large yards AND ocean views --- but you will also pay the price to live here. This area still has some tiny older homes, but these are rapidly being torn down in favor of 5000+ square foot homes. If you want it all, this is an excellent place to look!

East of Sepulveda, you have the gated community of Manhattan Village (perfect if you like privacy and uniformity of your neighborhood), the Manhattan Heights area and Liberty Village post war tract of smaller 3 bed/2 bath homes, and finally the Mira Costa section, named after the nearby high school, which has large, typically 7500 square foot lots together with a wide range of older smaller homes and large new 5 and 6 bedroom homes.

I've lived in Manhattan Beach since 1983 -- let me show you around and help you find which of these "sections" is the perfect one for you!
Pros
  • Huge variety of housing styles
  • Great Restuarants
  • Great Schools
  • The Beach
  • Ocean Views
  • Weather
Cons
  • Small yards compared to "back East"
  • Expensive

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