Long Beach Real Estate-Long Beach Condos

Live Work Properties - Long Beach Real Estate

Urban Living Lifestyle Alternatives

I often wonder what is in the minds of real estate developers.  How do they decide what to build and where?  Sure, they conduct surveys and build what they believe will be desirable enough to sell.   But do they hit the mark?  Are they really providing the living spaces that today's savvy buyers crave?  Sometimes yes...sometimes no. 

Long Beach Buyers who contact me almost always want an extra bedroom to convert into a home office; a guesthouse works great too.  I've seen dining rooms and garages in Long Beach turned into home offices when the needed space just wasn't available inside the home.   The thing is that a bedroom office is a work space contained within the homes living space and that isn't always ideal environment for all home based businesses, especially those with consumer traffic, or when you need 2 separate his and hers offices.  Where is the space going to come from?  Do you really want to buy a 4 bedroom house to accommodate the home offices inside the home? 

Our Long Beach Lofts are highly desirable live/work spaces for professionals who love the urban living environment they provide.  Quite a few buyers have either purchased or have considered purchasing one of the newer lofts in Downtown Long Beach or Alamitos Beach planning on carving a home office or work area into the expansive spaces.  It worked for some - mostly for those running virtual businesses from home. 

Downtown Long Beach Loft Living - It's a Lifestyle!

It's difficult to conduct business from within the home environment when children are present, even if you close the door.  While we love our children and most parents have a built in off switch, is it really professional to hear children running around being noisy in the background when you are on a business or sales call?  There is a real need for separate office space for many who chose to work from home. 

With so many people working from home now functional living and work space should be a factor when designing living environments in both urban and more rural areas.  We don't seem to have moved into this arena much; perhaps it is because we are already so built up.   When the majority of homes were built years ago on most of the available land we didn't have the same needs or concerns as we now do. 

When searching for a live/work home there are many things to consider. 

• Does the business need a separate space for instance a storefront or professional office?
• Would a particular neighborhood be more conducive to a successful business?
• Do you need a visible location on a main avenue with signage?
• Do you want your business housed in a free standing structure?
• Do you need a parking lot? If so, how many spaces are required?
• Are you willing to remodel the storefront or office to suit your personal needs? Is it financially responsible to remodel? Or does it need to be in ready condition - already close to perfect for your needs?
• Do you live alone or do you have a family to consider?
• Do you only need a functional living area or do you need an actual home?
• Does your business have foot traffic and how will that affect your personal living space?
• Is your business virtual? Will there be no foot traffic?
• Is the home environment more important than the business?
• Do you prefer a more residential neighborhood?
• Would a bedroom office work for you?
• Do you require a guesthouse to convert into your office? Does it need a separate entrance?
• Would additional rental income help you pay the mortgage?

Many questions need to be addressed and answered when you are considering consolidating your business into your home living space; it's a big decision. 

The shortage of available live/work space in Long Beach has caused some business owners to purchase mixed use income properties providing both space for their business and a living environment.  Live in one, use the other for your business, if that works for you.  In some cases a 3^rd or a 4^th unit will provide additional rental income to help offset that mortgage. 

In Long Beach we have a plethora of Mixed Use Properties available in all sorts of configurations and condition. 

• Storefronts or professional office space with apartments above.
• Freestanding retail stores or professional offices with units out back and/or above.
• Front houses on main avenues, zoned for retail or commercial use, with or without additional units.

Benefits of Working from Home

• Less Stress
• No distractions.
• Privacy. Conversations not overheard. No wandering eyes.
• Control schedule, can flex hours to fit lifestyle.
• Secure environment, no petty theft.
• No drive time. No more wasting 2 hours or more travelling to and from the job.
• No Prep time. Wake up. Have coffee. Go to work.
• Personal space. Decorate or arrange to personal taste. Make functional for yourself.
• Virtual environment
• Hire virtual employees as independent contractors. Decrease payroll expenses.
• Complete control over your life.

Monetary benefits of Working from Home

Deep Reductions in expenses: 

• Rent
• Payroll
• Insurance
• Utilities
• Gasoline
• Eating out
• Other business overhead expenses...
• Business attire
  
  • Clothing
  • Shoes
  • Accessories
  • Dry cleaning
  • Shoemaker
  • Etc...

A Mixed Use property purchase requires a commercial loan.  The interest rates are usually a bit higher as are the qualification requirements.  Lenders usually want the buyer to have at least 50% down payment before agreeing to fund the loan.  Before deciding to search for a property zoned commercial or retail you should consult with a commercial lender. 

If you are thinking that buying a Mixed Use property might work for you it would be my pleasure to guide you through the process from beginning to end.  Contact me to discuss this very real possibility at (562) 212-5420.  If you own a Mixed Use or Residential Income Property and are thinking about selling and understand the value of top of the search engine exposure, ask me about my Unique Internet Marketing plan. 

Long Beach Income Properties Market Update 2 to 4 units For Sale

Long Beach Income Properties For Sale

• Income Property For Sale in Long Beach California-5+ Units
• 2 to 4 Units For Sale in Long Beach California
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Laurie Manny Long Beach Realtor® (562) 212-5420 244 Redondo Avenue Belmont Heights Long Beach, California 90803 Buyers/Sellers/Investors Homes Condos Income Properties 1031 Exchanges