West LA Multifamily Broker: Apartment Building Sales
West LA covers four Westside neighborhoods of the City of Los Angeles: West Los Angeles, Westwood, Palms, and Mar Vista. All of it is inside the City of LA, so LA rent control and Measure ULA apply. Highlight sold 3667 Mentone Ave in Palms and 12770 Caswell Ave in Mar Vista.
Get a Free Broker Opinion of Value in West LATransit Access
- Metro E Line (Expo): Palms, Westwood/Rancho Park, and Expo/Sepulveda stations
- Metro D Line (Purple) subway extension: Westwood/UCLA and Westwood/VA Hospital stations, projected for fall 2027
- Metro bus lines along Wilshire Blvd
Local Retail
- Westwood Village
- Sawtelle Blvd restaurants and shops (Sawtelle Japantown)
- The Santa Monica Blvd and Pico Blvd corridors
Major Employers
- UCLA (Westwood)
- VA West Los Angeles Medical Center
- Silicon Beach tech and media employers nearby
West LA Multifamily Sales So Far This Year
Buildings built before 1978 fall under the LA Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) and trade differently than newer buildings under AB 1482, so we break them out separately. Confirmed West LA sales through September 2026. Figures are shown only when there are enough sales to be meaningful.
Built Before 1978 (RSO)
- Median Price Per Unit
- $266,984
- 56 West LA sales
- Median Price Per SF
- $316
- 56 West LA sales
- Typical Cap Rate
- 4.76% – 6.02%
- 44 West LA sales
Built 1978 or Later (AB 1482)
- Median Price Per Unit
- $407,143
- 17 West LA sales
- Median Price Per SF
- $405
- 17 West LA sales
- Typical Cap Rate
- 4.99% – 5.32%
- 10 West LA sales
Curious what your own West LA property could be worth? Try our free value calculator →
West LA Apartment Owners: Four Neighborhoods, Four Price Levels, and Two Subway Lines
West LA is not one market. This page covers four Westside neighborhoods of the City of Los Angeles: West Los Angeles, Westwood, Palms, and Mar Vista. All of it is inside the City of LA, so LA’s rent control and Measure ULA apply. But the neighborhoods price very differently, and the transit is changing.
In our 2026 data, older buildings across the area sold for a median of $266,984 per unit across 56 sales. That one number hides a wide spread by neighborhood.
- $266,984median price per unit, older West LA-area buildings (56 sales in 2026)
- $237,500 to $451,786range of older-building medians, from Palms to Westwood
- 3E Line stations in the area: Palms, Westwood/Rancho Park, and Expo/Sepulveda
Know which West LA you are in
Older buildings sold for a median of $451,786 in Westwood (6 sales), $303,333 in West Los Angeles (19 sales), $237,500 in Palms (21 sales), $247,542 in Mar Vista (10 sales). The gap between the highest and lowest is about $210,000 per unit, so the neighborhood your building sits in changes the price a great deal. A figure for all of West LA is a starting point, not a price.
A second subway line is on the way
The E Line already stops at Palms, Westwood/Rancho Park, and Expo/Sepulveda. Metro projects the D Line subway extension’s Westwood/UCLA and Westwood/VA Hospital stations for fall 2027, which is an estimate and not a set date. If your building is a short walk from a station, put the minutes in the offering.
Check your zoning near the stations
SB 79 took effect July 1, 2026 and allows more housing near major transit stops. Los Angeles adopted a phased approach in March 2026 that delays full implementation in historic districts, lower-resource areas, and high fire severity zones until 2030. If your lot is near a station, a developer may value the land more than an investor values the building. Print your parcel’s zoning from ZIMAS and ask us to price it both ways.
We have sold two buildings in the area: 3667 Mentone Ave, 10 units in Palms, and 12770 Caswell Avenue, 11 units in Mar Vista.
Sources: Highlight analysis of CoStar sold multifamily comps, January to September 2026 (ZIP codes 90024, 90025, 90064, 90034, and 90066); LA Metro; walkscore.com. Each median rests on the sale count shown. Checked October 2026.
Rent Control in West LA, in Plain English
West LA is inside the City of Los Angeles, so most older apartment buildings here fall under LA’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO). Rent control is the biggest single factor in what a buyer will pay, because buyers price in how far below market the current rents are. Here is how to tell which rules cover your building.
- Rent can rise once a year by the city’s set percentage: 3% from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027
- Tenants can only be evicted for reasons the ordinance allows
- No-fault move-outs require relocation payments
- The building must be registered with the LA Housing Department every year
- LA’s Just Cause Ordinance limits evictions
- Once a building is more than 15 years old, the statewide AB 1482 cap (5% plus inflation, up to 10%) may apply
- Confirm the status of your units with the city or an attorney
Three rent control rules every West LA seller should know
- Market rent comes back only when a tenant leaves on their own. Under the state’s Costa-Hawkins law, you can set a new rent when a tenant moves out voluntarily. That reset is the upside buyers are paying for.
- You can only raise rent if your registration is current. LA requires every RSO building to be registered and its fees paid each year. Buyers check this, and gaps become credits in escrow.
- Relocation payments rise every July. If a buyer plans to renovate or redevelop, the relocation cost for each tenant is part of their math, and it shows up in their offer.
How Many Units Before Measure ULA Hits a West LA Building?
Measure ULA, the City of LA’s “mansion tax,” takes 4% of the entire price once a sale goes over $5.4 million, and 5.5% at $10.9 million or more. At West LA’s median of $266,984 per unit for older buildings, that line arrives at about 21 units. Here is what that looks like.
Illustration only, using the median price per unit for West LA buildings built before 1978 (January-September 2026). Your building’s price depends on its own rents and condition. ULA thresholds for closings after June 30, 2026, from the City of Los Angeles Office of Finance.
Going from 20 to 21 units adds about $266,984 in value but can add roughly $224,267 in tax. If your building is anywhere near the line, price it with the tax in mind and compare offers on what you keep, not the headline number. Our guide to Measure ULA thresholds walks through the “dead zone” above each line.
Three Moves to Make Before You List a West LA Building
Take this year’s rent increase first
Buyers pay for the rent roll they see. If you have skipped the 3% RSO increase, serve the notices before you list (one increase per 12 months, and only with current registration).
Have your soft-story certificate ready
LA requires older wood-frame buildings with weak ground floors (think tuck-under parking) to be retrofitted, and most deadlines have passed. Buyers and lenders expect the city’s certificate of compliance. Find yours, or the permits showing the work is underway, before a buyer asks.
Know your “rent gap”
List each unit’s rent, move-in year, and what a vacant unit would rent for today. The gap between the two is the upside buyers are paying for. Having it ready shows that upside and keeps the price conversation on your terms.
What West LA Apartment Buildings Sell For
Older, rent-controlled buildings in West LA sold for a median of $266,984 per unit in January-September 2026, across 56 sales, with cap rates typically between 4.76% and 6.02%. Here is how that compares with the other neighborhoods we cover.
Source: Highlight Multifamily Group analysis of CoStar sold multifamily comps. Neighborhoods with fewer than 3 sales are left out.
What to Gather Before Selling a West LA Apartment Building
- Current rent roll with each tenant’s move-in date and current rent
- This year’s LA Housing Department registration and proof the fees are paid
- Copies of the last rent increase notices served
- Soft-story certificate of compliance, or permits for work underway
- Your SB 721 balcony and stair inspection report, if the building has elevated wood balconies, decks, or stairs (see our SB 721 guide)
- A zoning printout for your parcel from the city’s ZIMAS site
- Two years of operating expenses and utility bills
- Any buyout agreements, relocation payments, or pending tenant matters
Not sure where to start? We will walk you through it as part of a free Broker Opinion of Value. Request yours here.
Thinking of Selling an Apartment Building in West LA?
West LA Multifamily FAQs
What is the price per unit for an apartment building in West LA?
Among buildings built before 1978 sold in West LA so far in 2026, the median price per unit was $266,984 across 56 sales, and the median price per square foot was $316. Figures are through September 2026 and move with the market.
What cap rate do West LA apartment buildings sell for?
Buildings built before 1978 sold in West LA in 2026 had a typical cap rate range of 4.76% – 6.02%, based on 44 sales that reported one (the middle half of those sales). Cap rates vary with building age, condition, and rent levels, so your building can sit above or below the range.
Does rent control apply to apartment buildings in West LA?
West LA is in the City of Los Angeles. Buildings with a certificate of occupancy issued before October 1, 1978 are generally covered by the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, and newer buildings typically fall under the statewide AB 1482 cap. Rent control affects value because buyers price in below-market rents, as we explain in our guides.
2026 AB 1482 rent cap · Selling with rent-controlled tenants
How much can landlords raise rent on rent-controlled apartments in West LA?
Under the LA Rent Stabilization Ordinance, the allowable increase is 3% from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Rent can go up once every 12 months, with proper notice, and only if the building's registration with the LA Housing Department is current.
Does Measure ULA apply to West LA apartment buildings?
Yes. West LA is in the City of Los Angeles, so sales above $5.4 million pay a 4% ULA tax on the entire price, and sales at $10.9 million or more pay 5.5%. At West LA's 2026 median of $266,984 per unit for older buildings, a building of about 21 units or more is likely to cross the $5.4 million line.
How do I find out if my West LA apartment building is rent controlled?
Look up your address on the City of Los Angeles’ ZIMAS site. Under the Housing section, the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) field says Yes if at least one unit in the building is covered, so a building can be only partly covered. Buildings first occupied on or before October 1, 1978 are generally covered, and newer buildings typically fall under the statewide AB 1482 cap. The LA Housing Department answers questions at (866) 557-7368.
Which Metro lines serve West LA?
The E Line (Expo) stops at Palms, Westwood/Rancho Park, and Expo/Sepulveda in the area. Metro projects the D Line (Purple) subway extension’s Westwood/UCLA and Westwood/VA Hospital stations for fall 2027, which is an estimate and not a set opening date.
How much do apartment buildings cost per unit in Westwood, Palms, and Mar Vista?
In our 2026 data, older buildings sold for a median of $451,786 in Westwood (6 sales), $303,333 in West Los Angeles (19 sales), $237,500 in Palms (21 sales), $247,542 in Mar Vista (10 sales). Newer buildings sell for more per unit, and a median from only a few sales can move a lot with one deal, so use our [free calculator](/property-value/) or request a [Broker Opinion of Value](/contact/?intent=bov) for a number built on your own building.
What apartment buildings has Highlight sold in West LA?
Highlight has closed sales in West LA, including 12770 Caswell Avenue (11 units, $8.10M), and 3667 Mentone Ave (10 units, $7.50M). Every closed sale is listed with its details on our closed sales page.
Why do investors buy apartment buildings in West LA?
West LA is in Westside LA, with a Walk Score of 90 (Walker's Paradise; West Los Angeles neighborhood). Transit includes Metro E Line (Expo): Palms, Westwood/Rancho Park, and Expo/Sepulveda stations. Nearby employers and anchors include UCLA (Westwood), VA West Los Angeles Medical Center, and Silicon Beach tech and media employers nearby. Walkable, transit-connected neighborhoods with local jobs tend to keep renter demand steady.
Are there apartment buildings for sale in West LA right now?
We do not have an active West LA listing at the moment. Contact us and we will tell you about upcoming and off-market opportunities as they arise.
What is my West LA apartment building worth?
Start with our free property value calculator, which prices your building using West LA's own 2026 sales. Then request a free Broker Opinion of Value for a number based on your actual rent roll, expenses, and condition.
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