Holmby Hills may be the quietest of the three neighborhoods that form the Platinum Triangle, and that is precisely the point. Where Beverly Hills offers the energy of a world-class city and Bel Air offers the grandeur of hillside estates, Holmby Hills offers something rarer: absolute seclusion on some of the largest residential lots in Los Angeles, set on gently rolling terrain shaded by centuries-old trees, and illuminated at night by the original 1920s English-style street lamps that have welcomed residents home for nearly a hundred years.

Jade Mills has represented some of the most significant properties in Holmby Hills, including transactions that have set records in both price and scale. For her, the appeal of this neighborhood has never changed. It is a place where privacy is not a feature. It is the foundation of everything.

Origins

The story of Holmby Hills begins with Arthur Letts Sr., an English-born department store magnate who purchased 400 acres of the former Wolfskill ranch in the early 1900s. He named the development after his childhood village of Holdenby in England. The street names, too, were drawn from places in his home country: Mapleton from Derbyshire, Conway from Wales, Carolwood and Comstock from the English countryside.

After Letts passed away in 1923, his son-in-law Harold Janss and the Janss Investment Company carried out his vision. They marketed Holmby Hills as a refined alternative to other luxury developments, emphasizing elevated views without steep grades, underground utilities, generous setbacks, and carefully controlled architecture.

The Homes

The scale of properties in Holmby Hills is difficult to overstate. Estates here routinely occupy two to four acres of land, with residences ranging from 8,000 to well over 30,000 square feet. Many are set far back from the road behind mature hedges and long gated drives, invisible to anyone passing by.

Architectural Range

Unlike Bel Air, Holmby Hills has historically allowed greater architectural freedom. The result is a neighborhood where a 1930s Tudor revival can sit alongside a contemporary glass-and-steel masterpiece, and both feel entirely at home.

• Tudor and English Country estates dating to the neighborhood’s earliest years, many with formal gardens, libraries, and hand-laid stone detail
• French Château-inspired residences with limestone facades, interior courtyards, and the kind of grandeur associated with European aristocratic homes
• Mediterranean and Spanish Colonial estates with terracotta tile, wrought iron, and lush outdoor living spaces
• Contemporary and modern construction with open plans, wellness amenities, and smart-home technology, often built on sites where older homes have been thoughtfully reimagined

Historic Significance

Holmby Hills has been home to some of the most recognized estates in the world. The Spelling Manor on Mapleton Drive was, for many years, the largest private residence in Los Angeles. The Owlwood Estate on Carolwood Drive, originally built in 1937, has long been considered the crown jewel of the neighborhood. Walt Disney once lived on Carolwood, where he famously ran a miniature railroad through his backyard.

Jade has personally represented landmark properties in this community, including the Playboy Mansion, which sold for $100 million. She understands not only the financial significance of these transactions but the responsibility of stewarding homes that carry genuine historical weight.

Living in Holmby Hills

Holmby Hills is purely residential. There are no commercial streets, no storefronts, no through traffic to speak of. The pace of life is deliberate and private. Yet the neighborhood sits within minutes of everything that makes the Westside of Los Angeles so appealing.

Holmby Park

The neighborhood’s green heart is Holmby Park, a 13-acre public park created in the 1920s when the Janss Investment Company deeded the land to the city. It features walking paths, picnic areas, a lawn bowling green (home to the Holmby Park Lawn Bowling Club, founded in 1927), and the Armand Hammer nine-hole putting course.

The Los Angeles Country Club

Directly adjacent to Holmby Hills, the Los Angeles Country Club is one of the most exclusive private clubs in the United States. Its two championship golf courses, including the venue for the 2023 U.S. Open, are a significant draw for residents who value both the sporting and social dimensions of club membership.

The Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation

Located on Carolwood Drive within Holmby Hills, the Weisman Foundation houses a private collection featuring works by Picasso, Warhol, Rothko, and other major twentieth-century artists. Tours are available by appointment, offering residents and their guests access to one of Los Angeles’s finest private art collections.

Proximity

• Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive: 5 minutes
• Westwood Village and UCLA: adjacent
• Century City: 5–10 minutes
• Santa Monica: 15–20 minutes

Schools

Families in Holmby Hills are served by the Los Angeles Unified School District (Warner Avenue Elementary, Emerson Middle School, University High School) and have access to premier private institutions including Harvard-Westlake School, Marymount High School, and the John Thomas Dye School, all within a short drive.

There is a stillness to Holmby Hills that is unlike anything else in Los Angeles. The streets are wide and quiet. The trees are old and tall. The lots are so generous that each property feels like its own private estate, even within the fabric of a neighborhood. For families who value tranquility, space, and the kind of privacy that cannot be manufactured, Holmby Hills stands alone.

Jade’s Most Notable Home Sales in Bel Air

• 594 South Mapleton Dr.                   $85 Million - 7/14/11
• 111 North Mapleton Dr.                    $21.5 Million - 5/3/11
• 250 Delfern Dr.                                 $19.5 Million - 2/25/13
• 320 North Carolwood Dr.                 $18.5 Million - 11/12/10
• 100 North Carolwood Dr.                $18.1 Million - 11/2/12
• *360 South Mapleton Dr.                 $14.888 Million - 12/14/10
• 530 South Mapleton Dr.                   $14.4 Million - 8/5/11
• 200 South Mapleton Dr.                   $13.75 Million - 5/25/11
• *550 South Mapleton Dr.                 $13.6 Million - 11/3/10
• 210 North Carolwood Dr.                 $13.5 Million - 2/17/11
• 201 Delfern Dr.                                 $12 Million - 10/31/12
• 651 North Faring Dr.                         $11.5 Million - 3/23/12
• 355 South Mapleton Dr.                    $11 Million - 8/6/10
• 100 South Mapleton Dr.                   $10.175 Million - 2/13/12
• 250 North Carolwood Dr.                 $9.49 Million - 3/19/12
• 130 Delfern Dr.                                 $8.4 Million - 10/25/11
• 271 South Mapleton Dr.                   $8.25 Million - 6/9/11
• 560 North Beverly Glen                  $8 Million - 5/3/11
• 444 North Faring Rd.                       $7.375 Million - 3/31/11
• 10372 West Sunset Blvd.                 $7.2 Million - 11/30/12
• 1188 Brooklawn Dr.                         $6.2 Million - 12/20/10
• 1150 Brooklawn Dr.                         $4.8 Million - 6/15/12
• 302 Parkwood Dr.                            $4.5 Million - 12/13/12
• 520 North Beverly Glen                   $4.225 Million - 12/1/11 
• 221 South Beverly Glen                   $3.4 Million - 11/5/10

Want to continue your home search? Contact us today to schedule a showing of our homes for sale in Holmby Hills.
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