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If you asked me to define luxury in one word right now, it wouldn’t be a thing at all. It would be time.
How This Shift Happened
I’ve watched this change unfold gradually over three decades. Clients used to want more — more square footage, more finishes, more visible signs of success. Increasingly, what they actually want is what all of that used to cost them: time.
A shorter commute. The ability to walk somewhere instead of driving. A home that doesn’t demand constant upkeep and attention. That’s the real luxury for most of my clients today, and I’ve come to believe it probably always should have been.
What This Looks Like in Practice
This shift shows up in specific, practical priorities: proximity to work or daily destinations, low-maintenance building amenities versus large private yards requiring upkeep, and floor plans that support an easy daily routine rather than impressive but rarely used formal spaces.
Why This Matters for Your Search
Understanding this shift changes how to evaluate a potential home. Rather than asking primarily how large a property is, it’s worth asking how much time it will save or cost you
on an ordinary week — commute time, maintenance time, the mental overhead of managing a larger property.
Where Time Actually Goes in a Week
Most people never add it up. A long commute, two trips across town for errands, weekend hours spent on yard work, and a few evenings lost to small repairs. Spread across a year, that is a lot of life. When I help clients compare homes, I try to make those hidden hours visible.
Here is a simple exercise. Write down your normal week. Where do you drive? How long does each trip take at the hour you really travel? What does the house ask of you on Saturday? Then look at a home you are considering and ask how that week would change. The answer is often more useful than the floor plan.
The Commute Is the Biggest Line Item
In Los Angeles, the commute is usually where the most time is won or lost. A great house with a punishing drive can quietly wear you down. A smaller home closer to work or school can give you back an hour every day. That hour turns into dinner at home, a walk, or simply less stress.
I always suggest test-driving the commute at rush hour before making an offer. Not on a Sunday. Not with an app’s best guess. Do it on a Tuesday morning and a Thursday evening. In the Valley, the difference between living near your freeway on-ramp and living on the far side of a canyon road can be bigger than people expect.
Low-Maintenance Is Not Low-End
Some clients worry that choosing an easier home means settling. I see it the other way. A home with newer systems, a manageable yard, and good materials is not a compromise. It is a choice to spend weekends living instead of fixing.
Before you buy, ask what the house will need over the next few years. Roof, plumbing, heating and cooling, landscaping, a pool. None of those are deal-breakers. They are simply time and money you should plan for. A good home inspection and an honest conversation can show you which homes will give you time back and which ones will take it.
Floor Plans That Respect Your Day
I walk through a lot of beautiful homes with rooms nobody uses. A formal living room that stays dark. A dining room that hosts two dinners a year. Meanwhile, the kitchen and family room carry all the real living. When you tour, picture an ordinary Wednesday, not a holiday party.
Where will you drop your keys and bags? Is there a quiet spot to work from home? Is the laundry near the bedrooms? Can you see the yard from the kitchen? These small details shape how many steps, minutes, and frustrations each day holds.
Time in the Valley Neighborhoods I Know Best
In Studio City and Sherman Oaks, time often comes from living close to Ventura Boulevard, so small errands become short walks. In Encino, Tarzana, and Woodland Hills, it can come from more space and a calmer street, which makes home itself feel restful. In the Hollywood Hills, some people gain time by being close to the city’s center, even if the roads are winding. There is no single right answer. There is only the right answer for your week.
My Honest Take
After three decades in this business, I have seen many people buy the most impressive house they could afford. Some loved it. Others felt like they were working for the house. The happiest owners I know chose homes that fit the way they really live. They traded a little square footage for a lot of freedom, and they never looked back.
A Simple Way to Compare Two Homes
When clients are stuck between two homes, I ask them to compare time, not just features. For each home, estimate the weekly commute, the weekly errands, and the weekend upkeep. Then add it up. The home with the better kitchen may cost you three extra hours a week. The home with the smaller yard may give you every Saturday back.
There is no wrong answer. Some people love yard work and long drives with a good podcast. Others want every spare minute for family, rest, or a hobby. The point is to choose on purpose. When you see the hours side by side, the decision often makes itself.
Time Is the One Thing You Can’t Buy Back
Money can be earned again. Square footage can be added or traded. Time is different. Once a week is spent in traffic or on chores you dislike, it is gone. That is why I think of time as the truest form of luxury today.
If you would like help finding a home that gives you more of it, I am glad to talk. Call me at 818-422-1702.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this mean smaller homes are now more desirable than larger ones? Not necessarily smaller, but more efficient — homes designed around how time is actually spent rather than around maximizing square footage.
How does this affect where people choose to live? It’s part of why walkable, centrally located neighborhoods like Century City and Westwood have seen such strong demand — they directly deliver time savings.
Is this trend consistent across all luxury price points? Yes, though it manifests differently — from smaller high-rise units at one end to more efficiently designed larger estates at the other.
Rethinking What You’re Really Buying
If you had to choose — more space, or more time back in your day — which would you pick? I’m glad to help you find a home that reflects your honest answer.
