Mar Vista, CA Real Estate

Mar Vista is a district that is located on Los Angeles's West Side. It is close to one of Los Angeles's most well known attractions--the La Brea Tar Pits. The La Brea Tar Pits are known for their bubbling pools of asphalt that still exist today. In fact, the asphalt pools, along with the methane gas that causes them to appear as though they are boiling, are still active and special precautions must be taken to see that buildings that are built on, near, or around them are not affected by these naturally-occurring materials.

The La Brea Tar Pits also house the fossilized remains of prehistoric animals (and, reportedly, one human) that wandered into the pits and became trapped and ultimately died. Their decaying carcasses slowly sank into the pits where the asphalt did a remarkable job of preserving the bones and other remains. Sony Pictures Studio is also located in Mar Vista. In addition, one can also reach Pacific Park, where the Santa Monica Pier is located.

Single-family homes in Mar Vista are sometimes referred to as "McMansions" or "Persian palaces." The two terms are used to denote homes that are (for the most part, although there are always exceptions) built in developments or subdivisions. Their square footage-usually between 3,000 and 5,000 square feet-makes them larger that conventional homes, and the design may be a little more complex than the average home. Additionally, the homes are often built on small lots with the structure itself taking up most of the space, thus resulting in a smaller yard.

Mar Vista has a large graduate student-housing complex for those who attend nearby UCLA. Before going to UCLA, however, children must have elementary, middle and high school educations. Mar Vista supplies this through its three elementary schools, its two middle schools and one high school.