Taya DiCarlo, Realtor

05/22/2026

The South Bay’s best-kept secret? 🤫 Let’s talk about Hollyglen.
It’s the question I get asked all the time: Where is the best place to buy in the South Bay? 🏡
Even people who have lived in Manhattan Beach, Hermosa, or Redondo for years are often completely unfamiliar with this pocket. To clear up the confusion—no, it’s not Del Aire or Wiseburn or Ramona Burleigh (other great Hawthorne neighborhoods)…Hollyglen is a highly specific, very small neighborhood of only about 1,300 homes tucked away West of the 405, North of El Segundo Blvd, South of Rosecrans, and East of Aviation. 📍

In my humble opinion, it is the absolute best alternative for buyers who have been priced out of Manhattan, Hermosa, and Redondo. Even El Segundo has become incredibly unaffordable for anyone wanting a classic single-family home with a good yard.

Hollyglen gives you that tight-knit community, flat tree-lined streets, and access to the award-winning Wiseburn School District—giving you Manhattan Beach-adjacent proximity without the same price tag.
But the secret is officially out, and the data proves it:
📈 Prior to 2016, there had never been a $1M+ sale in Hollyglen.
🤯 Today, homes that would have sold for $1M back in 2016 are trading for over $2M.
In fact, there was a beautiful property on W 133rd St that was 4 bedrooms and approx 2,900 sqft that sold this past November for $2.4M!

With less than a 3% neighborhood turnover rate, once people find their way into this pocket, they rarely want to leave. If you’ve been looking for that perfect Southbay neighborhood feel with a yard for the family, Hollyglen needs to be on your radar.

Thinking about making a move or want to check out what’s currently available here? Let’s chat! Click the link in my bio to see the full details of the neighborhood market. 📲✨

05/20/2026

If I had a dollar for every time I heard one of these walking down the Strand... 😂
But seriously, jokes aside, there is a reason everyone is smiling (even the 🐶 lol). This really is the ultimate beach town. On any given day, you’ll see people of all ages out here doing something active in the ☀️ — surfing 🏄‍♂️ , swimming, skating 🛼🛹 , jogging, biking, and yes lots of volleyball!
On the weekends, those beach courts are packed, and the tournaments throughout the year bring the absolute best energy. 🏐🏄‍♀️

And yes, those are juvenile great whites you might spot out there occasionally, but they’re mostly just sharing the lineup with the dolphins riding the waves with the surfers. 🐬🦈

The best part? This lifestyle is for everyone. Whether you’re living right here in MB or just a hop, skip, and a jump away in Hermosa, Redondo, El Segundo, Torrance, or Hawthorne—for the Southbay, the Strand is our collective backyard. And those sunsets? Always Free.99. 🌅

Now, if you do want to talk about living directly on the Strand, “Free 99” isn’t exactly the market rate. 💸 Real estate here is incredibly elite and tight—in the past year alone, there have only been about 8 sales on the Strand, with an average price tag just under $11 million. (Though the lowest entry point was a 3-bedroom for $4.8 million!)

When inventory is this rare, who you work with matters. I actually had the pleasure of selling one of those 8 coveted properties last year—a gorgeous townhouse right on the Strand for $6 million. 😉🏡

What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever overheard while walking the Strand? Im sure I missed a few 👀
Drop it below! 👇🏐🚲

05/19/2026

There’s luxury… and then there’s The Madison Club.

Known for its world-class golf course, extraordinary privacy, and some of the most exceptional estates in the country, The Madison Club has become one of the most coveted addresses in the desert for those seeking true luxury, discretion, and effortless indoor-outdoor living.

Feeling incredibly grateful to have been invited to such a special and intimate evening inside this remarkable $85M La Quinta estate, personally owned and represented by renowned luxury agents, Ginger Glass and

Being able to experience a property of this caliber firsthand — alongside an inspiring group of top agents and industry leaders from across Southern California, including our fearless CEO — was truly unforgettable.

From the architecture and scale of the home to the hospitality and attention to detail, every aspect of the evening reflected the level of excellence Ginger and Alex are so well known for.

Experiences like this are such a reminder that luxury real estate is about so much more than beautiful homes — it’s about creating a feeling that stays with you long after you leave.

Also incredibly proud of my dear friends and luxury marketing powerhouses and for helping bring such a beautiful and memorable evening to life 🫶🏼🙌🏼👏🏼

A sincere thank you to Ginger and Alex for opening the doors to such an extraordinary residence and creating such a memorable evening. 🌅 🌵 💫

If you want to see more photos of this unrivaled trophy estate, go to the link in my bio.

05/19/2026

The reality of working in real estate is far from glamorous… and yes, the irony of me filming this in workout clothes while doing my makeup is not lost on me 😆

I’ve actually never watched a full episode of a reality real estate TV show. And while there are some legitimately successful agents on TV — like Tracy Tutor and Ryan Serhant — a lot of what you see is heavily scripted and designed for entertainment. Some people on these shows aren’t even licensed real estate agents.

Meanwhile, most successful Realtors I know are working around the clock behind the scenes and have a really hard time turning it off.

And the relatively small percentage of agents who’ve made it to the real-life “glamorous phase” of luxury real estate? They earned it through years of grit, consistency, rejection, sacrifice, and countless hours nobody sees.

And guess what? They’re still out there putting in the work every single day.

Sidenote: I also find it fascinating that there are people out there (who aren’t Realtors 🤓) studying home values in their neighborhood more than the average agent.

To those people, I say thank you 😂 You help make the below-average Realtor look useless… and the great Realtors look like the real deal.

05/14/2026

04/22/2026

Happy 44th birthday to you my beautiful friend!! Cheers to you today and always!
Our friendship is like a fine wine! 🍷 😘 love you!!!! 🎂 🎈

04/22/2026

Over 70% of active Realtors last year did not close one deal last year 😳😮‍💨…
I still pinch myself every day that I’m still in this business and thriving, because it is not easy!

The highs are high and the lows are low… it’s a love/hate relationship that I have with my career, and in spite of that, I’m still so proud and happy that I am one of the few that’s still around and growing every year helping my clients build wealth through buying and selling real estate.

Shout out to all of the tough cookies out there😉

04/11/2026

Feeling really honored to be invited to the NorCal Top Producer Summit this year ✨

For those who don’t know, I’m a third-generation San Franciscan—grew up in Burlingame with deep roots still in the Bay, even though LA has been home for almost 20 years.

So getting to come back for something like this feels like a full circle moment.
My brother is up there doing his thing with , and my parents and extended family are still in the Bay… so this trip is a little work, a lot of “coming home” 🧡

Also really excited to stay at the —been hearing so much about this boutique hotel and it looks incredible 🍷

And I can’t wait to see so many people I love… including some Compass agents I’ve known since middle school (you know who you are, ).

Grateful to be in the room—but even more grateful for the roots that got me here.

04/10/2026

Rollin into the weekend 🛴
And yes, gas is well over $6 a gallon for regular in LA🫠

12/24/2025

Have yourself a merry little Christmas 🎄 🙏🏼
With love❤️
Taya, Gio, Luca & George 🐾
📍 Mission San Juan Capistrano

Confession: Christmas cards didn’t quite happen on time this year… or at all. 🙊
And instead of beating myself up about it, I’m choosing grace.

The reason?
More living in the moment.
A little travel.
And finishing the year strong at work.

So if you’ve received a Christmas card from me in years past and you’re wondering where it is this year… consider this your gentle heads-up that a Happy New Year card is coming instead. 😉

And honestly, perspective helps.
I was raised by a single mom, and we never took professional photos of the three of us — not once.
I don’t remember yearly cards being a thing either.
And somehow, I turned out more than okay😘
Which is probably why this tradition means so much to me now.

This season is a reminder to slow down and be grateful — and this year I’m deeply thankful for my health, my kids, my parents, my family, my friends, and all the memories from 2025. The good and the hard. Every experience came with a lesson… and I’m grateful for it all🫶🏼🙌🏼

My hope for you today and over the Christmas holiday:
Be present with the ones you love.
Reconnect with who matters most.
And enjoy making memories in the moment ✨

We’ve been lucky enough to do our family photos with the insanely talented for the past 12 years.
She took my maternity photos back in 2014 and has captured our family every year since — I’m clearly a creature of habit, and Rhea, you truly are the best. We love you 🥰
12 years in.
Same photographer. Same crew. Same sass 🤪 🥹