Bradbury

Bradbury, a hidden gem nestled gracefully in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County, is an impressive rural enclave filled with stunning homes. “Millionaires built a city of million-dollar homes,” says Eddy Tjoa, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker.

Originally incorporated in 1957, Bradford has undergone a radical transformation in recent years. Until the turn of the century, it was known as an equestrian community where it was perfectly legal to ride your horse around the neighborhood. In fact, it was zoned for such activity. But as the price of land began to skyrocket, horses gave way to houses. In 2010, it was ranked No. 1 on a Forbes list of most expensive zip codes. It is still regularly cited as one of the most expensive zip codes in the United States. “Previously, it was a lot of ranch-style homes with horse property, but in the last 20 years, that’s been replaced with mega-mansions,” says Joseph Chiovare, also with Coldwell Banker. “Property values have gone up, and there’s not a lot of need for horse property in the area anymore.”

The ranch-style homes that remain occupy the low end of Bradbury’s housing, but even those typically list for more than $2 million because of the attached land. In fact, most of the homes in Bradbury must occupy a minimum of 2 acres. “They started building here because of the available land,” says Tjoa. “There are a bunch of giant lots.” The jewel of Bradbury is the gated community of Bradbury Estates. “Once you enter through the gates, you no longer feel like you’re in Southern California. You feel like you’ve just entered an expensive suburb of New York,” says Chiovare. “There’s winding streets and beautiful landscaping. It’s very unique to this area.” Lots there must be at least 5 acres, and listing prices range from $6.5 million for a four-bedroom, 6,200-square foot traditional-style home originally built in 1955 to $38.5 million for an 8-bedroom, 14,600-square foot Mediterranean-inspired mansion with 15 bathrooms built in 2022. French-inspired homes with intricate gardens and neoclassical homes with guest houses and recreational amenities that include pools and private athletic courts also can be found. “Everything is large scale,” says Chiovare. “There’s some high-dollar money being put into Bradbury. People are putting $50 million, $60 million into their homes.”

Students can attend public school in neighboring Duarte at Royal Oaks Steam Academy, a K-8 institution given a B-plus by Niche, and Duarte High School.

The city is conveniently surrounded by plenty of options. “Residents utilize the neighboring communities of Monrovia, Arcadia and Pasadena for their entertainment,” says Chiavore. Old Town Monrovia, concentrated around Myrtle Avenue, is the favored destination. “There are a lot of restaurants and bars, and the street fair on Friday nights is really popular,” says Chiovare. “It’s literally a five-minute drive from Bradbury.” The street fair takes place on the first Friday of each month. It features crafts, produce and a petting zoo. Among the highly rated restaurants nearby are Sunday’s Old Town Bistro, which offers outdoor dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner; and The Diplomat Eatery and Tavern, which serves up Mediterranean classics. Additional retail and dining, including the Target-anchored Mountain Vista Plaza, can be found along the Huntington Drive corridor just south of Bradbury.

Despite the city’s residential growth, it retains its equestrian roots. There is still plenty of space for horses and horse lovers to roam. Bellaventage Farms is a private, state-of-the-art horse-riding facility that offers individual and group lessons based on skill level. The city also is home to several horse farms for boarding and training. Bradbury Farms specializes in thoroughbred care, while Irish Rose Farms provides rehabilitation services.

Ultimately, Bradbury 91008 is not Beverly Hills 90210. It’s better. “This area attracts Beverly Hills types,” says Tjoa. “But one of the good things about Bradbury is that you can save on taxes. You don’t have to pay the Los Angeles luxury tax on homes of $10 million or more. You can find bigger homes with better quality on more land than in Beverly Hills. So why not just move to this beautiful city?”

Written By

Matt Pallister

Photography Contributed By

Bryant Lucero

Video By

Adam Lapallo