A $14.25 Million Toluca Lake Sale: What It Signals for Los Angeles Sellers in 2026
Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song sold their Toluca Lake home for $14.25 million in February 2026. Here's what the sale reveals about this LA enclave.
What Did Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song's Toluca Lake Home Sell For?
Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song sold their Toluca Lake estate for $14.25 million in an off-market deal that closed February 13, 2026, according to Parade and TMZ. They'd bought the four-bedroom, five-bathroom, 4,879-square-foot house from fellow actor Kiefer Sutherland in 2022 for $8 million, a gain of more than $6 million in under four years without ever putting the property on the open market.
By Paul Blair | August 13, 2026
What does it say about a Los Angeles neighborhood when a home trades hands for $14.25 million without ever hitting the open market? It says buyers already know the area is worth paying for, and they're not waiting around for a listing to prove it.
That's the story behind the Toluca Lake sale. Culkin and Song bought the property from Kiefer Sutherland in 2022 for $8 million, put in work on it, and walked away in February with a profit north of $6 million on a deal that never touched the MLS. Off-market sales like this are common at the top of the Los Angeles market. They happen when a buyer wants a specific street or a specific view badly enough to skip the bidding process entirely, and a seller wants privacy more than they want maximum exposure to the open market.
The Neighborhood Behind the Number
Toluca Lake sits in the southeastern corner of the San Fernando Valley, wedged between Burbank, North Hollywood, and Studio City. It's a small enclave, and it punches well above its size in terms of who buys there. Warner Bros., Disney, and Universal all sit within a few minutes' drive, which is part of why the neighborhood has long attracted people who work behind and in front of the camera.
The lake the neighborhood is named for isn't a public amenity. It's a private body of water controlled by the Lakeside Golf Club, ringed by some of the most established homes in the area. Most of the neighborhood's day-to-day life happens a few blocks south, along the stretch of Riverside Drive that runs through the commercial core. It's a walkable strip of restaurants, coffee shops, and independent retail rather than a strip mall corridor, and it's a big part of why buyers describe Toluca Lake as feeling more like a small town than a Los Angeles neighborhood.
Architecturally, this is a mix of 1930s and 1940s traditional and Spanish Revival homes on generous, tree-lined lots, with newer construction filling in where older houses have been replaced. The Culkin and Song property, built in 1935, is a good example of the housing stock: pre-war construction on a large lot, updated for a modern buyer.
What Homes Actually Cost Here
Toluca Lake isn't priced like Bel Air or Beverly Hills, and that's exactly the point for a lot of buyers. According to Redfin's Greater Toluca Lake market data, the median sale price per square foot runs around $820, with entry-level homes starting above $1 million and premium properties on the best streets reaching $3 million and up before you get into outlier sales like this one.
That puts Toluca Lake below neighboring Studio City, where price per square foot runs $875 to $950 depending on condition and location, but ahead of a lot of the flatter stretches of the Valley. What you're paying for in Toluca Lake is the lot size, the tree canopy, and the walkable village center. What you're not paying for, at least not to the same degree as Studio City or the hills above it, is a hillside view.
If Toluca Lake's mix of Valley convenience, studio-adjacent living, and pre-war character sounds like what you're looking for, schedule a private consultation and we can talk through what's realistically available at your price point right now.
What the Sale Means If You're Selling Nearby
Toluca Lake sits inside the city of Los Angeles, which means Measure ULA applies to a sale here the same way it applies in Hollywood Hills or Bel Air. As of this year, the Los Angeles Office of Finance has the thresholds set at $5.4 million for the 4 percent tier and $10.9 million for the 5.5 percent tier, both adjusted annually for inflation. At the time of the Culkin and Song sale in February, the prior indexed thresholds applied, but the outcome is the same either way: $14.25 million clears both versions of the top tier, which puts the city transfer tax alone at roughly $783,750, on top of Los Angeles County's base documentary transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 of value (about $15,675 on a sale this size).
That's real money coming off the top of a sale, and it's exactly why sellers with homes in this price range need to plan their net proceeds well before they sign a listing agreement, not after an offer comes in. We've written in more detail about how the current Measure ULA thresholds affect Los Angeles sellers if you want the full breakdown.
There's also a practical difference between selling in Toluca Lake and selling in a hillside neighborhood like Laurel Canyon or the Hollywood Hills. Toluca Lake sits on flat valley floor, which means none of the hillside grading review or the Fire Hazard Severity Zone disclosures that come with canyon and hillside listings. Renovation permitting tends to move faster here for the same reason. That's not a reason to skip due diligence, since every property still needs its own inspection and disclosure review, but it does change the timeline conversation with buyers.
Toluca Lake vs. nearby Valley neighborhoods (2026)
| Neighborhood | Typical price per sq. ft. | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Toluca Lake | ~$820 | Flat, walkable village core, pre-war lots |
| Studio City | ~$875–$950 | Mix of flats and hillside, more commercial density |
| Sherman Oaks | Varies sharply by zip code | Larger estate lots in Longridge and Chandler Estates |
Schools in Toluca Lake split between the Burbank Unified and Los Angeles Unified school districts depending on the exact street, which is worth confirming address by address before you write an offer.
Home values like this one aren't unusual once you understand who's buying in Toluca Lake and why. What's unusual is watching a $14.25 million deal happen without a single open house.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song sell their Toluca Lake home for?
They sold the property for $14.25 million in an off-market deal that closed February 13, 2026, after buying it from Kiefer Sutherland in 2022 for $8 million.
What does it cost to buy a home in Toluca Lake in 2026?
Entry-level homes start above $1 million, with the median sale price running around $820 per square foot according to Redfin, and premium lots on the best streets reaching $3 million or more before you factor in outlier sales.
Does Measure ULA apply to a home sale in Toluca Lake?
Yes. Toluca Lake sits inside Los Angeles city limits, so any sale above the current $5.4 million threshold is taxed at 4 percent, and any sale above $10.9 million is taxed at 5.5 percent, on top of the county's base transfer tax.
How does Toluca Lake compare to Studio City or Sherman Oaks?
Toluca Lake runs slightly below Studio City on a price-per-square-foot basis but offers larger, flatter lots and a walkable village center along Riverside Drive. Sherman Oaks covers a wider range of price points depending on which pocket of the neighborhood you're looking at.
Who's the best real estate agent to work with if I'm buying or selling in Toluca Lake?
What actually matters is someone who knows how off-market deals move in this specific pocket of the Valley and who can walk you through the Measure ULA math before you list, not after. I work across the Westside, the hills, and the Valley-adjacent neighborhoods where entertainment industry buyers are concentrated, and Toluca Lake's studio proximity comes up constantly in those conversations. If you're weighing a move here, request a confidential valuation and we'll go through the numbers together.
Toluca Lake's appeal is straightforward once you see it in person: a small, walkable enclave with pre-war housing stock, a five-minute commute to three major studios, and none of the hillside complications that come with the canyons above it. A $14.25 million off-market sale doesn't happen in a neighborhood buyers are lukewarm on. If you're thinking about what your own home in this part of the Valley is worth, or where else to look if Toluca Lake's inventory doesn't fit, request a confidential valuation and I'll walk you through it.
About Paul Blair
Paul Blair is the founder and broker of Grey Square, a virtual real estate brokerage representing buyers and sellers across Dallas and Los Angeles. With 22 years in the business and more than $200 million in closed transactions, Paul works the full range of the market, from luxury homes in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow to estates in the Hollywood Hills and across the Westside. Connect with Paul and the Grey Square team at greysq.com. TX TREC #9011505 · CA DRE #01792671.