Long Beach California is home to the West Coasts most affordable beach real estate.  Set in sunny Southern California we enjoy moderate temperatures year round, sweet ocean breezes and a resort atmosphere.  With our purchase prices so reasonable is it any wonder snowbirds are flocking here?  Palm Desert, 2 hours inland, is fantastic, but nothing compares to luxury oceanfront property and the beach is just more fun!

Long Beach has an endless array of entertainment to suit any lifestyle or age from water-sports to nightlife, theater and fine dining.  This is the perfect place to do everything, do nothing or to just go fly a kite!

Yes we have golf courses!  Long Beach is centrally located making access to all Southern California golf courses just a short drive.

Long Beach is conveniently located just 20 minutes south of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), 20 minutes north of John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Irvine, and home to our own Long Beach Airport – which we love.  We are also just a 20 minute drive into Downtown Los Angeles – in case you were thinking about catching a Lakers game; attending a concert at the fabulous Staples Center or a performance at our beautiful Music Center.  Fantabulous and incomparable, 8 time Grammy award winner, Tina Turner
is performing at the Staples Center as I write this, had I known that ahead of time I would be there tonight singing along……..What’s love got to do with it? La la la… Gotta love that woman!

Did I say we were centrally located?  A 2 hour drive north will find you in beautiful Santa Barbara.  Head north just a little further and enjoy a day, or a romantic weekend, in wine country.  A leisurely drive south will take you into lovely San Diego.  Catch a Padres game or spend a day at the San Diego Zoo or perhaps SeaWorld with the family then head into the Downtown San Diego gaslight district for a delicious dinner and some relaxing down time.

Surfer? 10 minutes to surf city – Huntington Beach, where you will catch some of the finest waves on the west coast.

Long Beach is slated to become the new home of the largest movie studio in California.  A deal has been struck to take over the Boeing facility near the Long Beach airport. This will infuse new life into Long Beach and will certainly attract celebrities to our lovely waterfront homes and high rise condominiums.  How could they resist?  You never know who your new neighbor may be!

Did you know that Hollywood got its start in Long Beach?  Long Beach was known as the motion picture capital of the world until post World War I when Hollywood developed around the glitz of the era.  With its perfect Southern California climate, Long Beach afforded the perfect setting for the industry.  There were eight film houses, two stock companies,  roller-coasters and bath houses at the historic Pike, along the shore of Downtown Long Beach.  This was the home of the Balboa Amusement Production Company, the  world’s most prolific silent-film studio.  W. C. Fields and other stars lived in beautiful mansions in the Bluff Park neighborhood along Ocean Boulevard and First Street, many of which remain in the families to this day.

Speaking of historic districts, Long Beach has 17 of them, California Heights being the largest.  We love our historic homes here.  You can find out more about the history of Long Beach here as well.

Redevelopment in Alamitos Beach and the bustling Downtown Long Beach communities has birthed fabulous luxury high rise condominiums with endless ocean views, Manhattan style lofts and many fabulous new dining opportunities.

The luxury home market is generally a cash market.  Brian Brady’s 2009 Real Estate Market outlook predicts that disappearing jobs and financing will likely drive the price of luxury properties down in our waterfront and higher end communities.  While that is tragic for the owners of these Long Beach properties it is an incredible opportunity to purchase the Long Beach home, condo or vacation property you, the buyer has been waiting for.

The Long Beach real estate market has gone through several tumultuous years, this winter is certain to be a difficult time for sellers of Long Beach luxury homes, condos and income properties.  FHA loan limits, currently capping at $729,750 for single family home purchases are slated to be decreased to around $625,000 on January 1, 2009.  Decreasing buyer purchasing power is certain to affect prices in the mid-market range of $700,000 to about $1,000,000.

What does this mean for sellers?  If you are planning on selling, you should plan on closing your escrow before the end of the year and should price it to do so. It would be our pleasure to provide a home value assessment.

What does this mean for buyers?  This is an incredible opportunity to purchase your new home at an incredible price.

International buyers are flocking to the United States to purchase real estate at our current depressed prices, there is limited financing for foreign nationals, most are purchasing with all cash.  Long Beach prices have become very attractive to these buyers. You can start your search for Long Beach homes here.  VIP service is provided with the ability to set up custom searches with an automatic email alert system.

If you are interested in purchasing a Long Beach luxury oceanfront home or a high rise luxury waterfront condominium, this winter is the time to make that purchase. It would be our pleasure to assist you.

Long Beach California City and Relocation Resource Guide

What’s available?  

YIKES! There are 539
Condos for Sale in Long Beach!

Need a little perspective? 
464 Long Beach condos have sold (closed escrow) between 1/1/2008 and today
9/28/2008!  This means that it will take
about 10.5 months to sell off the existing inventory of homes.  That does not take into account new listings
entering the Long Beach Real Estate market. 

11 Studio condos for sale in Long Beach ranging in price from $75,000 to
$497,000, square footage 215 to 527, 143 average days on market.

• 1 condo
  for sale in Belmont
  Shore
• 1 condo
  for sale near PCH & Bellflower
• 6 condos
  for sale in Downtown Long Beach
• 3 condos
  for sale in Alamitos
  Beach

Buyers are looking at these units with a new perspective
lately.  Some are buying these for
weekend getaways, others are using them to run small businesses from and
parents have been purchasing them for students. 
Be sure to check the CC&R’s to make certain that your purpose is
allowed. 

160 one bedroom condos are for sale in Long Beach ranging in price from $64,000 to
$740,000, square footage 471 to 2,461, 111 average days on market. 

• 2 condos
  for sale in Bixby
  Village on 7^th St.
• 2 condos
  for sale in Marina Pacifica Condominiums
• 1 condo
  for sale in Belmont
  Shore
• 16 condos
  for sale in Belmont
  Shore
• 1 condo
  for sale is actually in Lakewood
• 18 condos
  for sale on the Eastside
• 3 condos
  for sale near PCH & Bellflower
• 97 condos
  for sale in Downtown Long Beach and Alamitos Beach
• 9 condos
  for sale in Bixby Knolls
• 11 condos
  for sale in North Long Beach

Lowest Priced one
bedroom condo for sale in Long Beach?

$64,000, 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 660 sq ft in Bixby Knolls.  But don’t go getting all excited, its not a
real price folks, it’s the starting price for an auction and there are other
costs involved as well.  You remember the
old saying, “If it sounds too good to be true…. It’s probably too good to be
true!” 

Highest Priced one
bedroom condo for sale in Long Beach? 

133 N The Promenade #405 in Downtown Long Beach Condo for
Sale is a 1 bedroom, 3 bath, 2,461 sq ft Penthouse, with HOA dues of $604 and
central air and heat which has been on the market for a short 10 days.  This unit went on the market this time at
$689,000 the price was changed the same day to $740,000.  Yes, that is curious!  This is a Short Sale believe it or not, built
in 2007. City lights view. 
Hmmmmmmm…………..  What? No ocean
view for that price???  Can you smell
another foreclosure coming? 

While only on the market for an apparent short 10 days, this
property was actually recently removed from the market to be put back on as
new.  Previously listed on 6/10/2008 for
$950,000, reduced the same day to $789,999, then reduced to $740,000 on
9/12/2008 and removed from the market the same day. 

Can you say psychotic? 

There are 303 two
bedroom Long Beach
condos for sale ranging in price from $80,000 to $1,495,000. 

• 40
  have 1 bathroom
• 249
  have 2 bathrooms
• 14
  have 3 bathrooms

• 55
  indicate no parking (some of these have parking but it is not indicated on
  the MLS)
• 117
  indicate 1 available parking space or garage
• 130
  indicate 2 available parking spaces or garage combination
• 1
  indicates 3 available parking spaces or garage combination

Since 3 parking spaces are so very rare here in Long Beach here is
further information on that particular unit:

2121 E 1st
Street #307 is 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 1,264 sq ft, HOA
$183 Long Beach Condo located in the heart of the Bluff Park Historic District
and is just 1 short block to the beach.  
It is a Probate sale, being sold as is, and is not subject to court
approval.  This unit has been on the
market for 109 days, originally priced at $524,900 back on 2/13/2008, reduced
several times to its current list price of $420,000. 

Since 2 bedrooms so rarely are available at anywhere near $80,000
here is further information on the 2 that are available at that incredible
(realistic?) price:

3245 Santa Fe Ave #71 is a 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 730 sq ft
first floor unit with a carport and HOA $215. 
This is a Short Sale that has not been approved by the bank and has been
on the market for 160 days. 

3265 Santa Fe Ave #138 is a 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 730 sq ft,
HOA $185, no parking indicated which is likely incorrect.  This unit is a bank owned foreclosure and has
been on the market for 51 days. 

I found an interesting blog in Virginia about Condo ownership which you might want to read. 

Home or Condo Buyer Information:

• Home Buyer
  Information
• Long
  Beach Home Search-Where do I start?
• Home
  Buyer Tips – Don’t Make Any Major Purchases 
• Home
  Buyers Tips – Changing Jobs Affects Your Ability to Purchase a
  Home 
• Long
  Beach Home Buyer Tips – Things to Avoid Before Purchasing a
  Home

Long Beach Condos For Sale

• Long
  Beach Condos For Sale $1,500,000 and higher
• Long
  Beach Condos For Sale $1,000,000 to $1,500,000
• Long
  Beach Condos For Sale $900,000 to $1,000,000
• Long
  Beach Condos For Sale $800,000 to $900,000
• Long
  Beach Condos For Sale $700,000 to $800,000
• Long
  Beach Condos For Sale $600,000 to $700,000
• Long
  Beach Condos For Sale $500,000 to $600,000
• Long
  Beach Condos For Sale $400,000 to $500,000
• Long
  Beach Condos For Sale $300,000 to $400,000
• Long
  Beach Condos For Sale Under $300,000

Naples Island and Belmont
Shore Luxury Condos For Sale

• Belmont
  Shore and Naples Condos For Sale
• Marina
  Pacifica Condos for Sale Long Beach CA
• Bay
  Harbour Homes For Sale Long Beach California

Belmont Heights Condos For Sale

• Belmont
  Heights Condos For Sale $300000 to $400000
• Belmont
  Heights Condos For Sale $400000 to $500000
• Belmont
  Heights Condos For Sale $500000 to $600000
• Belmont
  Heights Condos For Sale $600000 to $800000

Related Posts:

• Belmont
  Heights Neighborhood of Long Beach California Resource Guide
• Belmont Heights Neighborhood Market Report
• Long Beach – Best Neighborhood for Walking
• Space Saving Ideas for your Long Beach Homes
• Selling YOUR Long Beach California Homes and Condos
• Long Beach California Beach Communities – Area Information
• About Long
  Beach California
• Relocating to Long Beach California-Resource Guide

One of the most appealing draws to living in Long Beach CA is the walkability of many of our local neighborhoods. Well, somebody finally decided to start ranking walkable neighborhoods across the country. Walk Score has ranked 2,508 neighborhoods in 40 of the largest US cities to help buyers find walkable communities to live in.

Long Beach California has been ranked as the 8th Most Walkable Neighborhood!

1. San Francisco
2. New York
3. Boston
4. Chicago
5. Philadelphia
6. Seattle
7. Washington D.C.
8. Long Beach
9. Los Angeles
10. Portland
11. Denver
12. Baltimore

see the rest here…

Long Beach Neighborhood Walk Scores:

52% of Long Beach has a Walk Score of 70 or above.

85% of Long Beach has a Walk Score of at least 50.

15% of Long Beach lives in a Car Dependent Neighborhood.

What do these scores mean?

Here are some general guidelines to how these rankings work:

• 90-100 = Walkers’ Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.
• 70-89 = Very Walkable: It’s possible to get by without owning a car.
• 50-69 = Somewhat Walkable: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.
• 25-49 = Car-Dependent: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.
• 0-24 = Car-Dependent (Driving Only): Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!

How It Doesn’t Work: Known Issues with Walk Score

Walk Score admits that Walk Score is just an approximation of walkability. There are a number of important factors that contribute to walkability which are not part of their algorithm:

• Public transit: Good public transit is important for walkable neighborhoods.
• Street width and block length: Narrow streets slow down traffic. Short blocks provide more routes to the same destination and make it easier to take a direct route.
• Street design: Sidewalks and safe crossings are essential to walkability. Appropriate automobile speeds, trees, and other features also help.
• Safety from crime and crashes: How much crime is in the neighborhood? How many traffic accidents are there? Are streets well-lit?
• Pedestrian-friendly community design: Are buildings close to the sidewalk with parking in back? Are destinations clustered together?
• Topography: Hills can make walking difficult, especially if you’re carrying groceries.
• Freeways and bodies of water: Freeways can divide neighborhoods. Swimming is harder than walking.
• Weather: In some places it’s just too hot or cold to walk regularly.

More information on how the walk score is determined can be found here.

When seeking walkable Long Beach neighborhoods nobody knows the areas better than your Long Beach Realtor. Search Long Beach Homes for sale and consult your Realtor to find out which Long Beach neighborhoods best suit your specific needs.

Feng Shui Influences How Bay Area Houses Are Priced

The Long Beach Real Estate Home Blog is pleased to welcome guest author, San Mateo California Realtor, Leonore Wilkas of The Wilkas Group. 

Living on the San Francisco Peninsula as I do, with our large Asian population, we find all kinds of Asian influences creeping into our daily lives. One of the biggest is Feng Shui, a Chinese mysticism of sorts, where it is believed that your life can improve by doing little things within your living environment through the placement of furniture, artwork, or even the front door of a house. It’s a serious business around here with many experts helping Realtors and non-Asians prepare their houses for sale so that the house will sell quickly.

Having harmony in life promotes wealth, prosperity, good health, and chi – the movement of the air around you. The Chinese are superstitious people. If they believe the Feng Shui is bad at a property, they will not look at it, or seriously consider buying it unless they think the bad Feng Shui can be over come.

Numbers play a big influence in Feng Shui

Certain numbers can prevent someone from even considering a property unless they can have a Feng Shui master come and correct the chi of the house. In our area, the number 8, believed to mean wealth, is often seen within the listing price of a home. Asians believe that numbers can create harmony within the house. If the price of the home reflects certain numbers such as 1, 6, or 8, it is considered to be positive so it’s very common to price homes with the number 8 somewhere in the price, for example you might see a house listed at $618,988, $888,888 or $1,886,688. The worst numbers to use are 2 and 5 and if I, as an agent, want to attract a buyer who follows Feng Shui, I will avoid them, if I can.

But, that’s only part of the issue with numbers. What do you do if the house number is considered bad Feng Shui? What if the numbers are really bad like 4, 13, 24, or 104? You can’t exactly change them, can you? No, not if you’re trying to sell the house, so you must use little Feng Shui tricks to provide protection to the property.

Have you ever noticed houses with two large lion-type animals sitting at the front entrance to a house in your neighborhood or city? These are called Foo dogs and they’re placed there to protect the house from bad chi.

If you’re unlucky enough to have house numbers that are considered bad chi you place a circle around your house numbers and protect the chi.

When you see wind chimes anywhere near the entrance of a house, it is considered good luck. Is there a birdbath or water feature somewhere in the front or back yard? They may be trying to improve the chi, or energy, of the house.

The power of Feng Shui is believed in by a whole lot of people on this planet. Many other cultures have similar beliefs. The Japanese and Indians also look at numerology in their daily lives. Japanese like odd numbers like 3, 5 and 7. The Indians believe in a Destiny number that is the total number for your birthday. If you were born on March 1^st, 1968, the numbers would be written out like this: 03.01.68 = 18, 1+8 = 9, and 9 would be your Destiny number. Numerology has been around for thousands of years and is believed by millions of people.

What are the lucky numbers for Feng Shui?

8, 18, 28, 38, 48, 54, 68, 80, 84, 88, 99, 168, and 108.

The number 8 is considered lucky because of how the word sounds in Cantonese. It sounds a little like the word faat (more like you saying phat) and it means prosperity and abundance. Something we all wish for, right?

What are the unlucky numbers?

4 – is considered the worst number because when it’s spoken in Cantonese it sounds like the word for death.

13 – if you add 1+3 it equals 4.

24 and 104 are also considered unlucky.

7 is considered unlucky, too!

Next month, on August 8^th, or 08.08.08, the Chinese people will be trying to either get married on that date or hope to deliver their babies on that date, because of these auspicious numbers. This might be the reason that the Olympics will start on this date.

I have had clients bring in a Feng Shui master to make simple corrections to houses with bad numbers. I have also seen people request a number change from the city and post office. Sometimes this is the easiest thing to do.

Does the number 8 help sell a house faster? Who knows? I try to put at least one 8 in every listing price I have. I do notice that we see a lot of Asian’s coming through our open houses, so maybe it is helpful. Realtors are superstitious, too, so anything that we can do to help our clients sell their homes we’re probably going to try. As long as it’s legal, that is!

Contributed by: San Mateo Realtor, Lenore Wilkas; author of the San Mateo Real Estate News Blog

Yay!  The Down Market is OVER!

No it’s not, but now that I have your attention, the market has changed a bit and there are a few things you really need to know if you are thinking about selling your Long Beach homes. 

Back in the hot sellers market one of the sales strategies used was to price a home a little low, take multiple offers, and play them off of each other to drive the price up.  It worked!  That strategy, applied to today’s Long Beach real estate market is working as well. 

Pricing your home low will inspire the interest of buyers and agents and create a quick, steady flow of traffic and multiple offers to your home. 

For instance, if your home, in great condition, comps out at $500,000 and you listed it at $299,000 you would have the attention of the entire real estate market.  You would have to prepare yourself for a major onslaught of showings, perhaps as many as 30 to 50 a day.  The offers would pour in and bid up.  At $500,000, you would sit on the market for months, probably price reduce a couple of times to about $450k and likely sell around $440k, if at all.  If you choose this road, you will probably sell at around the same price, without the time delay.  It’s clean and fast. 

An added benefit to creating multiple offers is that you have a choice.  You will not be forced to accept an offer with weak financing because it is the only offer you have.  There will be an assortment of offers for you to choose from thereby placing you in a stronger position to close escrow successfully. 

Many sellers in Long Beach are afraid to pursue this road fearing they will have to accept an offer that is lower than they are willing to accept.  Sellers do not have to accept any offer, they are free to accept or decline any offer made on their homes. 

It is just a really smart business decision to choose to sell your home in this fashion, during this market. 

Read Also:

The 7 Dangers of Overpricing Your Long Beach Homes and Condos

Chasing the Market Down – Are You Guilty?

If you are thinking about selling your Long Beach home and are interested in more details, call Laurie for more information.