What makes it modern farmhouse, or contemporary
Drive through almost any flat part of the Valley or the Westside and you'll see two kinds of new house next to the older ranch homes. Both are built for the way LA uses a house now, with the kitchen, dining and living areas as one big space opening to the backyard through sliding or folding glass doors.
The modern farmhouse borrows the shape of a country farmhouse and cleans it up. Look for steep gable roofs, often stacked, white board-and-batten siding or stucco, black window frames, a standing-seam metal roof over the porch or a bay window, and a natural wood front door. Inside: white oak floors, shiplap accents, a large island, open shelving and a barn door or two.
The new contemporary, the house most listings simply call "modern," goes the other way. Flat or low roofs with deep overhangs, smooth white or gray stucco, wood or porcelain slat accents, black or bronze aluminum windows, a tall pivot front door and glass railings on second-floor balconies. Many have a pool, an outdoor kitchen and sometimes a rooftop deck.
The two share a footprint. Most are two stories built out close to the maximum the lot allows, often with the primary suite upstairs and a guest suite downstairs. California's energy code has generally required solar on new low-rise homes since January 1, 2020, so many newer builds come with panels.
How LA got so many
These houses are mostly spec builds. A developer buys an older house on a standard lot, often a 1940s or 50s one-story, tears it down and builds new to sell. The pace picked up as the housing market rebounded after the recession. In January 2014 the LA Times reported that the City of Los Angeles had approved demolition of 1,227 houses and duplexes from January through mid-December of 2013, up 29 percent from all of 2012, though still well below the more than 3,000 in 2006. In Manhattan Beach, builders pulled permits to demolish 84 residential units from July 2012 to June 2013, nearly double the year before.
The farmhouse look spread nationally in the same years. HGTV's Fixer Upper, which premiered in 2013 and ran through 2018, is widely credited with making farmhouse style popular, and LA builders brought it to Valley streets. The flat-roofed contemporary has deeper roots here, borrowing from the city's mid-century modern houses, though usually much larger.
The City of Los Angeles answered the wave with size limits. The Baseline Mansionization Ordinance, first passed in 2008, caps floor area relative to lot size in single-family zones. The Baseline Hillside Ordinance followed in 2011, and the City Council tightened both on March 1, 2017, including how garages and grading count.
Where to find them
- The Valley. Sherman Oaks, Encino and Studio City have many new spec houses, mostly on flat streets of older ranch homes on both sides of Ventura Boulevard.
- The Westside. Brentwood has new builds on its flatter streets, mixed in with older ranch and traditional homes. Pacific Palisades is in the middle of a large rebuild, so new houses there will be common for years to come.
- The South Bay. Manhattan Beach has replaced many of its older beach cottages with larger new homes built out to small lots.
Buying one: what to look for
Permits and final sign-offs. A new house should have finaled permits for everything on the property. In the City of LA, the city building department (LADBS) issues a Certificate of Occupancy for new construction once the inspector has approved all the work. Ask for the permit history and the certificate, and check that the pool, the ADU, retaining walls and any rooftop deck were permitted and signed off too. LADBS has permit records online; other cities, like Manhattan Beach, run their own building departments.
Builder warranties. This is general information, not legal advice. California's Right to Repair Act (Civil Code section 895 and following) sets building standards for new homes and a process that generally gives the builder a chance to repair before a lawsuit. It generally sets an outer limit of 10 years after substantial completion for claims, with shorter periods for some items. Builders must also give at least a one-year written warranty on fit and finish items like cabinets, countertops, flooring, paint and trim (Civil Code section 900). Ask for the builder's warranty documents and any manufacturer warranties, and verify the details with a real estate attorney.
Inspect anyway. A new house is not automatically a finished one. Hire your own inspector, and ask about:
- Drainage. Soil should slope away from the house, downspouts should tie into drains that go somewhere, and flat roofs, balconies and rooftop decks need sound waterproofing.
- Windows and big sliders. Large glass doors depend on good flashing and a proper sill. Some inspectors offer water testing during the inspection period.
- Finishes versus structure. Spec builders spend where buyers look: fixtures, tile, lighting. What lasts is in the walls. Ask for the plans, the soils report, the subcontractor list and appliance and HVAC warranties.
- Mechanical systems. Have the HVAC, water heater, pool equipment and solar checked, and confirm whether the solar is owned or leased.
Size rules and hillsides. Many new houses are already built close to the maximum floor area the City of LA allows under the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance, which matters if you hope to add on later. On hillside lots, the Baseline Hillside Ordinance adds limits including on grading, and retaining walls and drainage deserve a close look. City Planning has the current zoning rules, and other cities, including Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach, set their own.
Questions people ask
What is a modern farmhouse?
It's a new-construction style that took off in the 2010s: steep gable roofs, white board-and-batten or stucco walls, black window frames, a covered front porch and a wood front door. Inside, expect an open kitchen and living area, wide plank floors, a big island and glass doors to the backyard.
Why are there so many new modern houses in Los Angeles?
Builders buy older one-story houses on standard lots, tear them down and build larger two-story homes. The LA Times reported in January 2014 that the City of LA approved demolition of 1,227 houses and duplexes in most of 2013, and the rebuilding has continued since in places like Sherman Oaks, Encino and Manhattan Beach.
Do I need an inspection on a brand-new house?
It's worth it. A new house can still have drainage problems, leaky windows or rooftop decks, unfinished permits or mechanical systems that weren't set up right. An independent inspector works for you, not the builder, and can catch items to fix before the builder's warranty periods run out.
What is the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance?
It's a City of Los Angeles rule, first passed in 2008 and amended in 2017, that limits how much floor area a house can have relative to its lot in single-family zones. A companion Baseline Hillside Ordinance, from 2011, covers hillside areas, including limits on grading. Other cities have their own rules.
