Van Nuys Real Estate: Homes and Condos in the Heart of the Valley
Van Nuys is the Valley's civic center and its most populous neighborhood, with an Art Deco city hall, one of the world's busiest general aviation airports, and rail and freeway connections in every direction. Its housing is a mix of 1940s–50s single-family streets and a large stock of apartments and condos. Here's how I look at Van Nuys homes, and how to get a free, no-obligation estimate for yours.
- Four main ZIP codes: 91405, 91411, 91406 and 91401.
- About 77% of single-family homes were built in the 1940s and '50s; the median lot is about 6,800 sq ft.
- Single-family homes are only about 56% of residential parcels; apartments and condos make up much of the housing.
- Transit is a real advantage: two Metro G Line stations, a Metrolink/Amtrak station, and light rail under construction on Van Nuys Boulevard.
- 91405 · 91411plus 91406 and 91401
- ≈6,280single-family parcels*
- ≈6,800 sq ftmedian single-family lot*
- 1950median year built*
*My analysis of LA County Assessor parcel data and City of LA zoning data for the Van Nuys Neighborhood Council area, retrieved October 2026. Figures are approximate.
About Van Nuys
Van Nuys is a neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles in the central San Fernando Valley. The Van Nuys Neighborhood Council area covers about 6 square miles. Its general boundaries are Roscoe Boulevard on the north; Sepulveda Boulevard, the Tujunga Wash, Woodman Avenue and Hazeltine Avenue on the east; Oxnard Street on the south; the Sepulveda Basin on the southwest; and Odessa and Hayvenhurst Avenues and Balboa Boulevard on the west. Neighbors include North Hills, Panorama City, Valley Glen, Lake Balboa and Northridge.
A 1911 town that became the Valley's civic center
Van Nuys was founded in 1911 and named for Isaac Newton Van Nuys, one of its developers. It was the first new stop on the Pacific Electric "Red Car" line into the Valley, which boosted early land sales, and it was annexed to Los Angeles on May 22, 1915, after the Los Angeles Aqueduct brought water. In 1932 the Art Deco Valley Municipal Building, now known as Van Nuys City Hall and a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, made Van Nuys the Valley's government center. General Motors' Van Nuys Assembly plant ran from 1947 to 1992 and built 6.3 million vehicles, and the postwar boom filled in most of the residential streets you see today. In 2009 the City Council approved moving some former Van Nuys blocks into neighboring communities, including Lake Balboa and Valley Glen, so older addresses don't always match today's map.
Van Nuys Homes, Condos and Lots
Van Nuys has more apartments than almost anywhere in the Valley. Based on LA County Assessor records, single-family homes are only about 56% of residential parcels, and the area has about 1,920 condominium parcels, about 1,300 units in two-to-four-unit buildings and about 17,500 units in buildings of five or more units. In the 2000 Census, renters occupied about 74% of Van Nuys housing. For about 6,280 single-family parcels:
| Single-family homes in Van Nuys* | |
|---|---|
| Median lot | ≈6,800 sq ft (middle half ≈6,400–8,000 sq ft) |
| Lots 10,000 sq ft or larger | ≈10% |
| Era | Median 1950; ≈32% built in the 1940s, ≈45% in the 1950s, ≈13% before 1940 |
| Median living area | ≈1,520 sq ft |
| Most common bedroom count | 3 (≈56%), then 2 (≈23%) |
| Pool indicated by Assessor use code | ≈24% |
Compared with the newer tracts farther north, Van Nuys has a noticeable share of pre-war homes from the 1920s and '30s, along with a wide range of postwar ranch houses. About 1 in 4 single-family homes has a pool. For buyers, that range is the appeal: you can find a condo near transit, a starter house, or a larger home on one of the RE-zoned streets, all in the same community.
Van Nuys Zoning and ADU Potential
About 90% of single-family parcels are zoned R1 (One-Family) and about 4% RE11 (Residential Estate, 11,000 sq ft minimum for new lots). The multifamily zones (RD, R3 and similar) cluster near the main boulevards. Van Nuys is covered by a City community plan adopted in 1998, which City Planning is in the process of updating, and the Van Nuys Central Business District around the civic center has its own Community Design Overlay with design guidelines for commercial projects.
- ADUs. State law requires LA to approve qualifying ADUs on single-family lots, including a detached ADU of up to 800 sq ft and a junior ADU of up to 500 sq ft inside the house (HCD's ADU Handbook). With strong rental demand and transit nearby, an ADU can add meaningful value here.
- Small multifamily. Some Van Nuys lots are zoned for duplexes or more. If you own one, the zoning, not just the existing house, can drive what a buyer will pay.
Check any parcel on ZIMAS before you plan an addition, an ADU or a redevelopment.
Getting Around Van Nuys
- Freeways: The I-405 runs through Van Nuys, and the US-101, SR-170 and SR-118 are all nearby.
- Metro G Line: The Van Nuys and Sepulveda stations connect east to the B Line subway at North Hollywood and west across the Valley, with a bike path alongside.
- Metrolink and Amtrak: The Van Nuys station is served by Metrolink's Ventura County Line and Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight.
- Light rail: Metro's East San Fernando Valley line will run up Van Nuys Boulevard from the Van Nuys G Line station, with stops at Victory, Sherman Way and the Metrolink station. Major construction began in July 2026; Metro estimates completion in early 2032.
- Airports: The FlyAway bus runs from Van Nuys to LAX. Van Nuys Airport (VNY), at the west side of Van Nuys, is a 730-acre general aviation airport that LAWA describes as one of the world's busiest; it has no scheduled airline service.
Parks and Schools in Van Nuys
Parks: Van Nuys Recreation Center and Delano Park are in the neighborhood, and the large Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, with Lake Balboa, sports fields, a wildlife reserve and bike paths, is just to the southwest. Valley Presbyterian Hospital on Vanowen Street has served the area since 1958.
Schools: Van Nuys is in the Los Angeles Unified School District. LAUSD's school-location data shows these campuses inside the Van Nuys Neighborhood Council area:
- High: Van Nuys High School (6535 Cedros Ave.) and the independent charter Charter High School of Arts–Multimedia & Performing.
- Middle and span: Robert Fulton College Preparatory School (7477 Kester Ave.), plus independent charters including Valley Charter Middle and Girls Athletic Leadership School Los Angeles.
- Elementary: Andres and Maria Cardenas, Columbus Avenue, Hazeltine Avenue, Sylvan Park, Valerio Street and Van Nuys Elementary, plus the independent charters Ararat Charter and Lashon Academy.
Charter and magnet schools have their own admission processes, and neighborhood assignments follow LAUSD attendance boundaries. Confirm any address with LAUSD's Resident School Identifier.
Van Nuys Housing Market: What Drives Value
With four ZIP codes and a big mix of property types, ZIP-level medians say little about any one Van Nuys home. When I price a property here, these are the factors I weigh:
- Property type and zoning. Condos, single-family homes and small multifamily properties each have their own buyer pool, and an R1 house on a multifamily-zoned lot is a different conversation.
- Block-by-block location. Quieter residential streets vs. homes near busy boulevards, and how close the home sits to transit, the civic center or the airport.
- Airport proximity. Homes near VNY's flight paths get noise questions from buyers. I factor in exactly where a home sits relative to the runways.
- Era and condition. Pre-war character homes, postwar ranches and later remodels are priced very differently; updated systems and documented permits carry weight across all of them.
- Pool and outdoor space. With about a quarter of single-family homes having a pool, pool condition is compared directly with nearby sales.
I can send you a free report of recent closed sales that match your home, including sold prices, lot sizes and days on market.
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Tips for Selling or Buying in Van Nuys
If you're selling
- Know your zoning. If your lot allows more units, or already has a permitted ADU, that belongs at the center of the marketing.
- Gather permits and disclosures. Additions, garage conversions and ADUs should be on the record; for condos, have the HOA documents ready.
- Fix what inspectors flag. In 1940s–50s homes that's usually the electrical panel, sewer line, roof and foundation.
- Price for the right buyers. I market to owner-occupants, investors or both depending on the property, then handle offers, repairs, credits and escrow through closing.
If you're buying
- Visit at different times of day to judge traffic and aircraft noise on the specific block.
- For condos, review the HOA budget, reserve study and any planned assessments.
- If transit matters, map the walk to the G Line, the Metrolink station and the future light rail stops on Van Nuys Boulevard.
Related: How to Handle Multiple Offers · How a CMA Helps Price a Home Correctly
Meet David Petikyan
I'm David Petikyan, and from my office in Mission Hills I help sellers and buyers across the San Fernando Valley, including Van Nuys.
David Petikyan · DRE #02089725 · eXp Realty of Greater Los Angeles, Inc. #02188471
Van Nuys FAQ
What county is Van Nuys, CA in?
Los Angeles County. Van Nuys is a neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles, not a separate city, so zoning, permits and city services come from the City of LA.
What are the Van Nuys ZIP codes?
Van Nuys addresses mainly use 91405, 91411, 91406 and 91401. ZIP 91406 also covers parts of neighboring Lake Balboa, so a Van Nuys mailing address doesn't always mean the home is inside the Van Nuys neighborhood council area.
What is Van Nuys known for?
Van Nuys is the Valley's civic center, home to the 1932 Art Deco Van Nuys City Hall and a cluster of government buildings. It's also home to Van Nuys Airport, one of the world's busiest general aviation airports, and was the site of GM's Van Nuys Assembly plant from 1947 to 1992.
What kind of homes are in Van Nuys?
A mix. Single-family homes, mostly built in the 1940s and 1950s on lots of about 6,400 to 8,000 sq ft, make up about 56% of residential parcels. Van Nuys also has a large stock of apartments, condos and small multifamily buildings.
What high schools are in Van Nuys?
LAUSD data shows Van Nuys High School and the independent charter Charter High School of Arts–Multimedia & Performing inside Van Nuys, plus Robert Fulton College Preparatory School, a span school. Check LAUSD's Resident School Identifier for a specific address.
Is Van Nuys good for commuting?
It's one of the best-connected parts of the Valley, with the I-405, two Metro G Line stations, a Metrolink and Amtrak station, the FlyAway bus to LAX, and the East San Fernando Valley light rail under construction on Van Nuys Boulevard.
What are Van Nuys home prices?
They vary widely by property type, zoning, location and condition. Request a free valuation or call me at (818) 394-0012 for recent comparable sales near your home.
Explore Nearby Communities
- Panorama City real estate: directly north and northeast, the Valley’s first postwar planned community.
- Northridge real estate: northwest, home to CSUN.
- Mission Hills real estate: north, around the historic Mission.
- Granada Hills real estate: farther north, with larger lots and foothill homes.
- Porter Ranch real estate: in the northwest Valley foothills, with newer master-planned neighborhoods.
Sources & notes
Sources: LA County Assessor parcel data and City of LA ZIMAS zoning, analyzed October 2026 for the Van Nuys Neighborhood Council area; LAUSD school-location data; LA Metro, East San Fernando Valley Light Rail; Los Angeles World Airports, Van Nuys Airport; Wikipedia: Van Nuys (history, boundaries, 2000 Census figures). Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed; verify zoning, permits and school assignments independently. Equal Housing Opportunity.