Cecilia Agraz | Bayside Real Estate Partners / Stroyke Properties Group
Most of the best transactions in Manhattan Beach never appear on Zillow. The buyers who end up on The Strand, on the Walk Streets, or in the Hill Section’s premier view homes aren’t scrolling listings the way a first-time buyer would. They’re working directly with someone who knows which homes are available before they hit the market — or instead of hitting the market.
That’s what I do for clients at the $5M+ level. This page is for the buyer who already knows what they want and is looking for an agent who operates at that level.
What I Offer at the $5M–$20M+ Level
Off-Market Access
Manhattan Beach has a significant off-market segment, particularly above $5M. Owners of Walk Street homes, Strand properties, and Hill Section view estates don’t always want to put a sign in front of their house. They’d prefer a quiet, controlled transaction with qualified buyers only — what we call an off-market sale. I’m part of the network where those conversations happen. When a Strand owner is ready to consider an offer, I hear about it before a listing goes live — sometimes instead of a listing going live.
Market Intelligence, Not Market Noise
At this price level, you don’t need a list of homes with estimated values pulled from an algorithm. You need someone who can tell you: what the actual off-market comps look like, why a specific property is priced the way it is, what the seller’s real motivation is, and what you should offer versus what you should walk away from. I give you honest analysis, not cheerleading.
Discreet Representation
Privacy matters to buyers at this level. I understand that you may not want your search known — not to neighbors, not to colleagues, not to the market at large. I’m accustomed to working with clients who have specific privacy requirements and I know how to represent your interests without creating unnecessary visibility around your plans.
Full Transaction Coordination
At the $5M–$20M+ level, the transaction itself is complex. Inspections, title, legal review, escrow, post-close logistics — I coordinate everything and work alongside the attorneys, wealth managers, and advisors who are typically part of transactions at this scale. You don’t need to manage ten different parties. That’s my job.
New Construction and Custom Build Guidance
Many buyers at this level are not looking for a turnkey home — they want the right lot and the right builder, or they want to understand what it costs to build the home they actually want from the ground up in Manhattan Beach. I know this market deeply enough to connect you with the builders who actually work here, help you understand what questions to ask about costs and timelines, and make sure you have the right architect, contractor, and city contacts on your team. The city has final say on what’s permitted on any specific parcel — I make sure you’re talking to the right people from day one.
The Properties I Specialize In
The Strand ($12M–$20M+)
The Strand is the most coveted address in Manhattan Beach — oceanfront homes in the Sand Section with direct beach access and unobstructed views from Malibu to Palos Verdes. There are fewer than 90 Strand homes in Manhattan Beach — for recent transaction data, see our most expensive homes sold analysis. Inventory is extremely limited, transactions are infrequent, and the market requires specific knowledge of what actually drives value at this level. I’ve studied this segment in depth and know what separates a well-priced Strand opportunity from one that will disappoint.
Walk Streets ($5M–$12M+)
Walk Streets are numbered streets in the Sand Section where cars are not permitted. They’re the most sought-after residential addresses in coastal Los Angeles — an oceanside lifestyle where your street is a pedestrian path, not a road. Walk Street properties rarely come to market, and when they do, they move fast. I know this inventory well.
Hill Section Views ($4M–$10M+)
The Hill Section sits on the bluff above downtown Manhattan Beach with views that stretch from the Santa Monica Mountains to Palos Verdes. Not every Hill Section home has views worth paying for — the quality depends heavily on the specific lot, elevation, and orientation. I know which streets and which lots deliver genuinely exceptional panoramas versus marketing-language “partial views.”
Mira Costa High School + Space ($2M–$5M)
Some buyers at this level are optimizing for something different: maximum space, real backyards, excellent schools, and a quieter residential environment — not oceanfront prestige. East Manhattan Beach — the Mira Costa Section, Liberty Village, and The Village — delivers all of that. I work across the full range of the Manhattan Beach market, and I’m as effective helping you find the right family home in East MB as I am sourcing a Strand property.
Why Work With Me Specifically
I’ll be direct: there are a number of competent agents in Manhattan Beach. Here’s what makes our work together different.
I’m an Associate Broker at Stroyke Properties
Stroyke Properties is the dominant brokerage in Manhattan Beach luxury real estate. Robb Stroyke has been the #1 agent in Hermosa Beach by volume for years running and Bryn Stroyke in Manhattan Beach. Working with me means you have access to the full Stroyke network, plus my genuine relationships with other top agents, access to off-market opportunities, and the institutional knowledge of our team that has handled more high-value transactions in this market than anyone else.
I Know This Market From the Inside
I’ve been immersed in Manhattan Beach real estate from the ground up — not just as an agent, but as someone who has lived and competed in this community. I know the streets, I know the pockets, I know the sellers, and I know which properties are worth what the seller thinks they’re worth and which aren’t. That’s knowledge you can’t access from a data terminal.
My Background is Different From Most Agents
I’m an active pro beach volleyball player — AVP tour, still competing at the highest level of my sport. That’s not a marketing line. It means I understand what it takes to compete at the top, I work with a level of preparation and intensity that most agents don’t, and I communicate directly. I don’t tell buyers what they want to hear. I tell them what I actually think. At this price level, that’s what you need from the person representing you.
I’m also fluent in Spanish and have worked with international buyers and families for whom that matters — particularly from Latin America and Europe, where Spanish is a bridge. If that’s relevant to your situation, let’s talk.
I’m Accountable
I don’t hand your transaction off to an assistant. If you’re working with me, I’m the one at the table.
How I Work With Private Clients
Every engagement starts the same way: a conversation. I want to understand what you’re actually trying to accomplish — not just the square footage and price range, but the life you’re trying to build, the timeline you’re working with, and what success looks like to you.
From there, I put together a specific picture of what’s available — on-market and off — that actually fits. I don’t show clients fifty properties. I show them the right ones.
If you’re a serious buyer in the $5M+ range and you want a direct conversation about what’s available in Manhattan Beach right now, reach out. If you’re considering selling at this level, our guide to selling a luxury home in Manhattan Beach covers what’s different above $5M. If you’re not ready to transact yet but want to understand the market better before you are — that conversation is equally welcome. The best client relationships I have started months before anyone was ready to make an offer.
Cecilia Agraz
Real Estate Broker | Bayside Real Estate Partners / Stroyke Properties Group
DRE: 01974999
310-803-9338
cecilia@manhattanhermosahomes.com
920 Manhattan Beach Blvd, Suite 4, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Also reading: Most Expensive Homes in Manhattan Beach | Strand Sold Prices | Selling a Luxury Home in Manhattan Beach | Off-Market vs. On-Market | Hill Section Neighborhood Guide
Cecilia Agraz
South Bay neighbor and Realtor® focused on clear guidance and low‑stress moves in Manhattan Beach & Hermosa Beach.