Southwest Carmel & Carmel Point: Living Near the Beach
Southwest Carmel and Carmel Point: living near the beach
They sit next to each other at the south end of Carmel Beach and both put the sand at the end of your street. One is inside Carmel-by-the-Sea; the other is not. Here is how the two neighborhoods differ, what each is like to live in, and the rules that change what you can build.
The short version: Southwest Carmel, also called the Golden Rectangle, is the flat, beach-side part of Carmel-by-the-Sea roughly bounded by Scenic Road, Dolores Street, Ocean Avenue, and Santa Lucia Avenue, a few blocks from both the beach and downtown, under city rules. Carmel Point is just south of town, bordered by the Carmel River to the south, the Pacific to the west, and the city to the north and east. It is in unincorporated Monterey County, zoned with an 18-foot height limit and a 45% floor area cap, and projects near its known archaeological sites need a coastal permit. Both are among the most sought-after places to live around Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Southwest Carmel
Inside Carmel-by-the-Sea, under city design review.
Carmel Point
Unincorporated Monterey County, in the coastal zone.
Carmel Point height limit
Zoning MDR/2-D(18), per county planning documents.
Beaches
Carmel Beach and Carmel River State Beach.
Southwest Carmel and Carmel Point, compared
The short version. Boundaries for Southwest Carmel are the ones I use with buyers; the city doesn’t draw official neighborhood lines.
| Southwest Carmel | Carmel Point | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Inside Carmel-by-the-Sea: roughly Scenic Road, Dolores Street, Ocean Avenue, and Santa Lucia Avenue | Just south of town, between Carmel-by-the-Sea and the mouth of the Carmel River |
| Jurisdiction | City of Carmel-by-the-Sea | Unincorporated Monterey County |
| Permits | City design review and city tree permits | County coastal permits; Carmel Area Land Use Plan |
| Height and size | City standards | Zoned MDR/2-D(18): 18-foot height limit; 45% maximum floor area ratio |
| Addresses and mail | New city street numbers (2026); mail at PO boxes | Conventional county street numbers, e.g. 26304 Ocean View Avenue |
| Beaches | Carmel Beach at the end of the street | Carmel Beach one way, Carmel River State Beach the other |
| Market stats | Carmel-by-the-Sea stats page | Carmel stats page (nine neighborhoods) |
Southwest Carmel (the Golden Rectangle)
The part of Carmel-by-the-Sea most buyers picture: flat streets, cottages and gardens, and the beach a few blocks away.
Where it is
Roughly bounded by Scenic Road, Dolores Street, Ocean Avenue, and Santa Lucia Avenue. It’s fairly flat, a few blocks from the beach, a short stroll to Ocean Avenue, and gets more open sky than most of town.
The beach edge
Scenic Road runs along the bluff above Carmel Beach, with the city’s Scenic Pathway and beach stairways on the ocean side. The city has beach access walkways from San Antonio Avenue to Scenic Road at 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Avenues.
Evenings on the sand
Propane fire devices are allowed on the beach south of 10th Avenue, from 10th to Martin Way, so the south end of the beach is where evening gatherings happen. Wood fires are banned.
City rules
Design review for most exterior changes, city permits for many trees, and no rentals under 30 consecutive days in the R-1 district. Rental rules.
Addresses
Like the rest of town, homes went by descriptions like “San Antonio 2 SW of 10th” until the city rolled out street numbers in 2026. Mail still goes to PO boxes. How addresses work.
A recent sale
I represented the buyers of “Crows Nest” on the west side of San Antonio Avenue, south of 10th, a beach house with views from Point Lobos to the Pebble Beach Golf Links ($7,000,000, 2023). See the sale.
Listings and more: Golden Rectangle homes · oceanfront homes in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Carmel Point
A residential point with water on three sides, steps from the village, under county rules.
Where it is
The Coastal Commission describes Carmel Point as a predominantly built-out residential neighborhood bordered by the Carmel River to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea to the north and east. County planning documents describe it as a point surrounded on three sides by Carmel Bay.
Two beaches
Carmel Beach is a short walk north. Carmel River State Beach, where the Carmel River forms a lagoon popular with waterfowl and songbirds before reaching the ocean, is to the south; it’s open 8 a.m. to sunset and allows dogs.
Tor House
Poet Robinson Jeffers’ Tor House and Hawk Tower are on Carmel Point at 26304 Ocean View Avenue, facing Scenic Road. The nonprofit Tor House Foundation runs guided tours ($25 per adult).
County, not city
Planning and permits go through Monterey County, under the Carmel Area Land Use Plan in the coastal zone. Don’t assume what you’ve heard about Carmel-by-the-Sea’s rules applies here.
Addresses
Carmel Point homes have conventional county street numbers, like Tor House’s 26304 Ocean View Avenue.
Schools
Confirm school assignment for any address with Carmel Unified. Carmel schools guide.
Listings and more: Carmel Point homes.
Building rules that shape these neighborhoods
The two areas look similar from the street, but the rules behind them are different.
County zoning and coastal permits
County planning documents show Carmel Point homes zoned Medium Density Residential with a Design Control overlay limiting height to 18 feet, MDR/2-D(18) (CZ).
The county’s coastal Implementation Plan caps floor area ratio at 45% for MDR parcels, and a 2023 Coastal Commission report notes variances above that have been contested. Development within 750 feet of known archaeological resources needs a coastal development permit, and county approvals can be appealed to the Coastal Commission.
City design review
Inside Carmel-by-the-Sea, most exterior changes need some level of city design review, from staff approval for small projects to a Planning Commission hearing for bigger ones, and many trees need a city permit to remove or heavily prune.
The whole town is in the coastal zone, and the city is updating its coastal hazard rules for sea-level rise.
What homes cost here
I don’t publish separate stats for these two neighborhoods. Here’s what the wider numbers say.
Southwest Carmel
Counted in my Carmel-by-the-Sea market stats. Town-wide, single-family homes had a median of about $3.47M over October 2025 – September 2026, and $2,146 per square foot. Expect to pay a premium near the sand.
Carmel Point
Counted in my Carmel market stats, which cover nine neighborhoods around town. That group had a $2.47M median over the same period, but with only a handful of Carmel Point sales a year, the group median says little about any one street. Ask me for the recent Carmel Point sales.
Few sales
Both are small. In any year only a handful of homes change hands, so comparable sales need careful choosing.
Carrying costs
Taxes and other costs are covered in is Carmel-by-the-Sea expensive?.
What I’d check on any home here
A short list for either neighborhood.
1. City or county?
Confirm which side of the city line the home is on. It changes the permits, the rules, and which stats apply.
2. What you can build
On Carmel Point, check the height limit, floor area, and any archaeological requirements before you plan an addition. In town, talk to a local architect about design review.
3. Coastal hazards
Read the natural hazard disclosure and any geologic or coastal reports, especially near the bluff.
4. Trees
Assume big trees stay. Both the city and the county regulate removal.
5. Beach life
Visit on a summer weekend and at sunset to see the crowds and parking.
6. Rental plans
Plan on monthly (30+ day) or long-term stays. Ask me about rules for a specific address.
Want to live near the beach?
Homes in Southwest Carmel and on Carmel Point rarely come up. I can watch for coming-soon and private listings and walk you through the city-versus-county differences for any home.
I represented the buyers of San Antonio 2 SW of 10th in 2023.
Southwest Carmel homesCarmel Point homesCarmel-by-the-Sea market statsCarmel market stats
Let’s walk the neighborhoods
Call or text 831-747-0310, or book a 30-minute call.
Before you rely on this
- Southwest Carmel boundaries are an informal description, not official city lines.
- Carmel Point zoning, floor area, and archaeology details come from a 2023 California Coastal Commission staff report and a 2024 Monterey County initial study for individual projects. Confirm current rules for any parcel with Monterey County.
- Market figures are from my own stats pages, checked Oct 27, 2026; I don’t publish separate stats for these two neighborhoods.
Southwest Carmel and Carmel Point: quick questions
Is Carmel Point in Carmel-by-the-Sea?
No. Carmel Point is in unincorporated Monterey County, just south of the city. The city borders it to the north and east.
Where is Southwest Carmel?
Southwest Carmel, also called the Golden Rectangle, is the part of Carmel-by-the-Sea roughly bounded by Scenic Road, Dolores Street, Ocean Avenue, and Santa Lucia Avenue. The boundaries are informal.
What is the height limit on Carmel Point?
County planning documents show Carmel Point homes zoned MDR/2-D(18), a Design Control overlay limiting height to 18 feet. Confirm for any parcel with Monterey County.
Why are Carmel Point permits complicated?
It is in the coastal zone, the county caps floor area at 45% for these parcels, and development within 750 feet of known archaeological resources needs a coastal development permit. County approvals can be appealed to the Coastal Commission.
What beaches are near Carmel Point?
Carmel Beach to the north and Carmel River State Beach to the south, where the river forms a lagoon before meeting the ocean.
Where is Tor House?
On Carmel Point at 26304 Ocean View Avenue, facing Scenic Road. The Tor House Foundation offers guided tours.
Which market stats cover these neighborhoods?
Southwest Carmel is part of my Carmel-by-the-Sea stats. Carmel Point is part of my Carmel stats, which cover nine neighborhoods around the town.
Updated October 2026 · Facts checked Oct 27, 2026 against the California Coastal Commission, Monterey County planning documents on CEQAnet, California State Parks, the Tor House Foundation, the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea, and my stats pages
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