All about ocean view Long Beach condos ... (Santa Ana, Huntington Beach: neighborhoods, to buy)

[toffee123]

I am trying to learn more about Long Beach, more specifically, the area around Ocean Avenue, Long Beach. As my search to buy a property near SoCal beaches, I realize Long Beach beach front Condos are not as costly, comparatively speaking.

Why?

Demographic? Crime? Climate? pollution?

[JohnG72]

Comparatively speaking to what? Santa Monica? Other Westside, South Bay, etc?

Long Beach is not considered nearly as upscale an area as those above. Long Beach has a marginal beach(Belmont Shores) and that is not walking distance from the Long Beach condo's. And Long Beach has far fewer upper middle class and high income jobs, whereas Santa Monica is very close to high income legal and entertainment jobs.

Long Beach also features schools that are not as good as those other areas and safety issues of a big city that most of those other areas(other than Venice) do not face.

This is not to say that Long Beach is unsafe, has poor schools, and is horrendous. Thats not the case at all. Most of Long Beach ranges from pretty safe to very safe, many Long Beach schools are quite good(esp considering the demographics), and Long Beach is very nice IMO. But its not an upscale wealthy area. It has very large swaths of blue collar, relatively little middle class(primarily located in the eastern part of the city, north of the 405), and some upscale that largely doesn't look upscale(the portion east of Lakewood Bl that is between the water and the 405).

Its not the same as the other beach cities, which are very wealthy areas.

[toffee123]

true, but even compare to Huntington Beach and Redondo Beach, Long Beach is a lot more affordable. Some high rise view condo on Ocean Blvd near down town are listed for $300k. So I figure there must be reasons.

[JohnG72]

Originally Posted by toffee123

true, but even compare to Huntington Beach and Redondo Beach, Long Beach is a lot more affordable. Some high rise view condo on Ocean Blvd near down town are listed for $300k. So I figure there must be reasons.

Near the beach Huntington Beach and Redondo Beach both qualify as wealthy areas and also each have a great beach as well.

[NaplesRes]

Originally Posted by JohnG72

Comparatively speaking to what? Santa Monica? Other Westside, South Bay, etc?

Long Beach is not considered nearly as upscale an area as those above. Long Beach has a marginal beach(Belmont Shores) and that is not walking distance from the Long Beach condo's. And Long Beach has far fewer upper middle class and high income jobs, whereas Santa Monica is very close to high income legal and entertainment jobs.

Long Beach also features schools that are not as good as those other areas and safety issues of a big city that most of those other areas(other than Venice) do not face.

This is not to say that Long Beach is unsafe, has poor schools, and is horrendous. Thats not the case at all. Most of Long Beach ranges from pretty safe to very safe, many Long Beach schools are quite good(esp considering the demographics), and Long Beach is very nice IMO. But its not an upscale wealthy area. It has very large swaths of blue collar, relatively little middle class(primarily located in the eastern part of the city, north of the 405), and some upscale that largely doesn't look upscale(the portion east of Lakewood Bl that is between the water and the 405).

Its not the same as the other beach cities, which are very wealthy areas.

I'm going to disagree a bit.

Schools - LB has the best urban school district in the country. The schools on the east side of the city score as well as any in southern california. Think Lowell, Stanford, Gant, Newcomb. Even Wilson is ranked in a couple publications as one of the top 500 high schools in the country.

Beach - No waves because of the breakwater stinks. (Hopefully that will change in the next 5 years.) However, LB has great water opportunities for boating, kayaking, SUP, swimming, etc. Most downtown folks use the bike bath that goes from downtown to Belmont Shore along the beach.

High income jobs - I agree. Other than healthcare and finance, LB offers mostly middle class jobs.

I think the reasons downtown LB condos are cheaper than other beach areas are because it is close to the central area of LB which is a poor part of town. I think the downtown area was overdeveloped with condos ahead of demand which has created price pressure. Finally, a lot of people think of LB negatively because it's a big city with some big city problems in parts of the town. (Of course this is also why it offers a lot of good stuff that other cities don't have.) It would be as if people defined all of Orange County as Santa Ana or Stanton. There are lots of great neighborhoods in LB and the ocean area of downtown is one of them if you like an urban feel.

[NaplesRes]

Originally Posted by toffee123

true, but even compare to Huntington Beach and Redondo Beach, Long Beach is a lot more affordable. Some high rise view condo on Ocean Blvd near down town are listed for $300k. So I figure there must be reasons.

True of downtown. Though if you look at the east side of Long Beach by the coast I think you'll find it is as expensive as HB and RB.

[toffee123]

Originally Posted by NaplesRes

True of downtown. Though if you look at the east side of Long Beach by the coast I think you'll find it is as expensive as HB and RB.

Please don't laugh, as this may sound ignorant. Where's east side of LB by the coast? thought east would be more inland from the ocean? I really don't know LB well at all.

[NaplesRes]

Originally Posted by toffee123

Please don't laugh, as this may sound ignorant. Where's east side of LB by the coast? thought east would be more inland from the ocean? I really don't know LB well at all.

South facing beach. Redondo is generally though of as the dividing line. So east of Redondo is "East Long Beach". East side by the coast would be Belmont Heights, Belmont Shore, Belmont Park, Naples, Peninsula, and so forth.