Live in Long Beach (Bixby Knolls), commute SOMETIMES to Los Angeles (Belmont: rental, condo)

[lynn32580]

Hi! I'm considering buying a condo in Bixby Knolls in Long Beach because I feel like this area is nicer than the Valley (the other place I could afford) and you get more "bang for your buck."
I am in the performing arts industry and will be commuting sometimes to Los Angeles but nowhere specific and not at specific hours, and not every day.
If my commute to L.A. is not every day and not necessarily at rush hour, is it still crazy to buy in Long Beach?

[thelopez2]

No it's not crazy.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by lynn32580

Hi! I'm considering buying a condo in Bixby Knolls in Long Beach because I feel like this area is nicer than the Valley (the other place I could afford) and you get more "bang for your buck."
I am in the performing arts industry and will be commuting sometimes to Los Angeles but nowhere specific and not at specific hours, and not every day.
If my commute to L.A. is not every day and not necessarily at rush hour, is it still crazy to buy in Long Beach?

Sounds good to me. Were I to return to LA, Bixby Knolls would be on my radar screen. During off hours getting to DTLA, Hollywood, WLA, etc, is not all that difficult.

[timtemtym]

There's Bixby Knolls (close to the 710 and 405) and Bixby Hill (other side of LB close to Long Beach State). I'd pick the latter if Bixbys were my only choice.

Bixby Knolls has a nice little walkable shopping area, but I've known several people who moved in and out of the area quickly due to crime. One teacher friend rented a house close to the country club and stayed there a year. She couldn't wait to get out. They had two break-ins and their cars were broken into. Other friends had similar stories about the area. The teacher friend found another rental in Signal Hill and has been there four years now with no problems. Cal Heights is just southeast of there and seems much safer.

You can take the blue line into LA, but please read the threads on that if you're not familiar. I took it once back and forth to an event in DTLA and wouldn't do it again. But I do know some friends who take it to events in LA all the time and say it's not as bad as its rep.

I think the issue with Bixby Knolls is that it is a peninsula of nice in an area where it is surrounded by higher crime that sometimes spills over.

It could be on the comeback and a great investment, but to buy there without having lived there for a little bit? I'd seriously suggest renting in the are for a short term before making that decision.

[socal88]

The commute is not a problem at all, especially considering you won't be going every day.

As noted, the problem is that while Bixby Knolls is a nice area, but it is adjacent to higher crime areas just to the north and just south of the 405.

If you're interested in Long Beach, I'd look into east Long Beach closer to the 605 freeway or right around Cal State Long Beach / Belmont Shores if you can find something within your budget.

[lynn32580]

Wow, just reading these now, thank you all so much for taking the time to respond!!

The condo is actually considered Cal Heights I think, it is on Linden Street near Wardlow.
Does that make it a better option or worse option?

[thelopez2]

no comments on air plane noise?

[timtemtym]

I like the Cal Heights area, especially closer to Signal Hill which has come a long ways in the last few years. Cal Heights has a lot of little social events and farmer's markets. It's a nice area. But yes, closer to the airport. The airport has been all over the news recently for the increase in late-night flights which are very disruptive.

[LuvSouthOC]

Lots of us need Long Beach! LAX can't handle the traffic.

[JRayV]

lynn32580, what did you end up doing?

I live in Bixby Knolls. Scherer Park is the other side of my fence. I'm going to give you all a raw PC-unfriendly review of Bixby Knolls.

The neighborhood immediately to the south of Scherer Park is Upper-Blue Collar working class (if that makes sense) even though we all pay middle-Middle Class property taxes! Got to pay for that zip code... LOL We call it the White Ghetto. It's an affectionate term. The neighborhood is still mainly white. There is a good sprinkling of Asian, Hispanic and black folk throughout. it's safe to assume that despite it being a modest neighborhood everyone here who owns their home had to work hard to have it. As you go south into Bixby Knolls the homes become much nicer and of course PRICIER.

Go take a look on Yelp for the reviews on Scherer Park. Very helpful. If it were up to me I would have the basketball court LOCKED after 7:PM no matter the day of the week.

Just to the north of Scherer Park are the train tracks. LOL, it's a literal and figurative boundary. The socio-economic environment changes rather drastically overall. It's from this area that B.K. gets hit by criminals. Because we're right next door it's easy for them to walk through the neighborhood without arousing too much suspicion, sort of... Most of the house break-ins occur during the day. Most of the car break-ins occur at night. The park's easy multiple access points provide a quick way to vamoose.

The car break-ins are crimes of opportunity. The house break-ins are thought out and planned. I'll tell you how I think it's done. During the day you'll see a group of young blacks walking down the sidewalk (or the street) dribbling a basketball. They stop from time to time to chit chat as they're listening to their "keeping it for real" music. What they're doing in fact is "painting" a target. So they make their observations and take their notes. Young blacks are responsible for 90% of crime in this neighborhood. That sounds racist and harsh I know. I don't really give a damn. That's the truth of it.

Now this will sound crazy but a lot of the car break-ins are done by mostly the white homeless and or addicted-to-whatever heads. When they start building their encampments in the park, petty crimes go up in the neighborhood. Stuff that's easily stolen from the front yard and such.

The aforementioned neighborhood north of us is demographically made up (from my eyeball observations) of 50% Hispanic, 25% black, 15% Asian-looking and 10% white. Among the Hispanics maybe 5% are illegals. This one is a little tougher to gauge and I'm going by outward appearances.

I am convinced that the Hispanics are responsible for 90% of the damned fireworks NOISE! LOL, around the 4th of July and New years it's a damn nuisance. As far as other kinds of street crime, percentage wise they commit very little.

So all in all I love Bixby Knolls even taking into account my observations. My next house will NOT be near a park! The aircraft noise... I hate it but accept it as part of living in a big city. It's not constant but some of the older aircraft are noisy mothers. There is a cut-off point at night, thank goodness. If it were up to Jet Blue the planes would be landing and taking off all night long! Jet Blue will never get my business.