The story, briefly
Burroughs, flush from Tarzan of the Apes, bought General Harrison Gray Otis's Mil Flores estate in 1919 — 550 acres of the old Rancho El Escorpión-adjacent Valley land. He ran it as Tarzana Ranch (cattle, crops, a golf course experiment), then subdivided as the Valley boomed; residents voted the Tarzana name for the new post office in 1928. He kept writing here until his death in 1950 — among the only American authors to have a city named for his creation while he lived in it.
What survives for today's buyer
- The ranch core street grid: the blocks south of Ventura around the old ranch headquarters carry the mature canopy and irregular heritage lots tract-era Tarzana never replicated.
- Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.: the author's company still operates in Tarzana — a living link few neighborhoods anywhere can claim.
- Melody Acres: the half-acre equestrian-zoned pocket is the ranch lifestyle's direct descendant — horses by right, a century later.
- El Caballero Country Club: the fairway land along the boulevard's south side traces the estate-era landscape.
Heritage as a buying lens
Heritage pockets price on scarcity: established canopy, lot irregularity, and story — and Tarzana's are underpriced relative to equivalent Encino blocks one neighborhood east (the band's structural discount). Diligence is standard mid-century-plus (no mission-era restrictions); the value is in the setting. The Tarzana pillar and band comparison carry the market math.
Market context
| Market | Median price | Days on market | County | School district(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarzana | $1,150,000 | 57 | Los Angeles | Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), Taft Charter HS zone for most addresses |
| Encino | $1,800,000 | 56 | Los Angeles | Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) |
| Woodland Hills | $1,180,000 | 26 | Los Angeles | Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), incl. El Camino Real Charter zone |
Figures from /data.json, the site’s canonical data file (June 2026). Always verify current numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tarzana really named after Tarzan?
Yes — author Edgar Rice Burroughs named his 550-acre ranch "Tarzana Ranch" after his character in 1919, and the community adopted the name (formalized with the 1928 post office). It is LA's only neighborhood named for a fictional character.
Did Edgar Rice Burroughs live in Tarzana?
Yes — he lived and wrote here from 1919 until his death in 1950, and Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. still operates from Tarzana offices today.
Where is the historic core of Tarzana?
The old ranch-headquarters blocks south of Ventura Boulevard — mature canopy, irregular lots — with Melody Acres preserving the ranch era's equestrian zoning.
Work with Brian Cooper
20+ years and $100M+ closed across Ventura County, the San Fernando Valley, and the Conejo Valley. Direct, data-first representation — you work with Brian, not a hand-off.
Contact Brian Home Value