Long Beach Real Estate: $10B in Development Is Changing the City

Long Beach real estate is entering a genuinely exciting period. This is not just a new restaurant here, a refreshed shopping center there, or a couple of homes going up around town. The city is being reshaped through a huge wave of housing, entertainment, waterfront, environmental, airport, and infrastructure investment.

The figure being discussed is roughly $10 billion, and the timing is no accident. With 11 Olympic events planned for Long Beach in 2028, there is a very real deadline behind many of these projects. The city will be on a global stage, and the changes underway could alter how people live here, move around, spend weekends, and evaluate Long Beach real estate for years beyond the Games.

Long Beach has been overlooked for decades by people who only associate Southern California beach living with Manhattan Beach, Newport Beach, or Santa Monica. But that old perception is changing quickly. The city has the coastline, the neighborhoods, the airport, the jobs, and, crucially, a much broader range of housing options than many buyers expect.

Table of Contents

• Long Beach Real Estate and New Housing
• Long Beach Waterfront and Entertainment Projects
• Long Beach Development and the 2028 Olympics
• Long Beach Airport and Convention Upgrades
• Long Beach Real Estate Price Points
• Long Beach vs. Nearby Beach Cities
• Relocating to Long Beach and Southern California
• The Future of Long Beach Real Estate

Long Beach Real Estate and New Housing

Housing is right at the heart of this Long Beach development story. Around 1,700 new housing units are planned across three separate developments, with investment approaching $1 billion. That is a major injection of new supply into a city where demand is being supported by incoming employment and a growing profile across Southern California.

There are high-powered jobs arriving in and around Long Beach, including work connected to major automotive, satellite, and space industries. Those employees need places to live. More housing at different price points is an essential part of making the city work as it grows.

For Long Beach real estate, added homes are not simply a headline about construction. They can mean more options for renters, first-time buyers, move-up buyers, and people relocating from pricier coastal markets. More rooftops also support local shops, restaurants, services, and the everyday buzz that makes an area more attractive.

That does not mean every pocket will feel the same. Long Beach is a big city with very different neighborhoods, and property decisions should always come down to the specific location, condition, budget, and lifestyle fit. Still, new housing is a clear signal that Long Beach development is moving at a different scale than many nearby cities.

Long Beach Waterfront and Entertainment Projects

One of the biggest lifestyle additions is a new amphitheater planned opposite the The Queen Mary. It is expected to seat 12,000 people and host about 40 events a year. Think of the kind of draw the Hollywood Bowl has, but right here by the waterfront.

This matters because one of the constant frustrations of living in Southern California is having to get in the car to do absolutely everything. A quality concert and event venue near home gives residents more reasons to stay local and gives visitors another reason to spend time in Long Beach.

The city is also investing in outdoor spaces and connections. Colorado Lagoon is set to be restored by reconnecting it to Marine Stadium, improving how people experience that section of the city. Meanwhile, $30 million has been allocated to realign Shoreline Drive and expand Cesar Chavez Park, with 80 acres receiving upgrades.

The practical benefits are simple:

• More pedestrian pathways for walking around the waterfront.
• More places to cycle and spend time outdoors.
• Better access to parks and recreation.
• A more connected setting for residents and visitors.

These are the sorts of improvements that can be easy to overlook in a property search, but they are exactly what shape everyday quality of life. They also strengthen the lifestyle case behind Long Beach real estate, especially for buyers who want a beach-city feel without being locked into one tiny, ultra-expensive enclave.

Long Beach Development and the 2028 Olympics

The 2028 Olympics are a massive catalyst. With 11 events scheduled for Long Beach, the city will need its major projects ready to handle enormous crowds. Hundreds of thousands of people, potentially far more across the event period, will need places to stay, eat, get around, and enjoy themselves.

That kind of deadline brings focus. Projects cannot simply drift forever when the world is coming to town. The Olympics should put Long Beach in front of an international audience and introduce plenty of people to a city they may never have considered before.

For owners and investors, this creates both a near-term opportunity and a longer-term question. Short-term and long-term rental demand could benefit when visitors, event staff, and workers need accommodation. But the bigger point is not a quick Olympic bump. The real opportunity is whether the city keeps the attention, investment, jobs, and amenities after 2028.

I believe that is where Long Beach has real potential. The city is not relying on one event or one new building. It is combining homes, entertainment, public spaces, convention infrastructure, airport improvements, and employment growth. That is a much stronger foundation for Long Beach real estate than a one-off development.

Of course, no investment outcome is guaranteed. Buyers should not purchase purely because of Olympic headlines or predictions of appreciation. But anyone looking at Southern California should at least understand why Long Beach is firmly on the radar heading toward 2030.

Long Beach Airport and Convention Upgrades

The Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center is being upgraded, which should help Long Beach attract more visitors, events, and business activity. More tourism means more money coming into the city, more demand for hospitality and services, and potentially more jobs supporting the local economy.

Smaller improvements matter as well. The Long Beach Yacht Club is getting an upgrade, and Long Beach Airport is receiving a $37 million makeover. For many local residents, Long Beach Airport is already one of the city’s best assets. It gives people an alternative to dealing with LAX traffic, long lines, and the hassle of crossing Los Angeles for a flight.

When you add up the waterfront projects, event venue, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center work, yacht club improvements, and airport investment, the message is clear. Long Beach is becoming more functional as a destination and more enjoyable as a place to call home. That is a powerful combination for Long Beach real estate.

There is also good momentum beyond the city limits. Redondo Beach is seeing upgrades around King Harbor, while the Metro C Line work in Torrance is intended to improve public transportation access. Southern California has a long way to go when it comes to transit, but the effort to improve it is meaningful.

Long Beach Real Estate Price Points

A common misconception is that Long Beach only works for buyers below a certain budget. That is simply not true. Long Beach real estate has an unusually wide range, from condos that can work for buyers in the $600,000 to $700,000 range to beautiful homes around $1 million and waterfront properties selling above $10 million.

At the higher end, Park Estates, Virginia Country Club, Belmont Heights, and Naples prove that Long Beach can compete with premier Southern California locations. At the same time, a buyer with a far more modest budget can still find a realistic entry point into a coastal city lifestyle.

That breadth is one reason Long Beach real estate is so compelling. A buyer relocating from Hermosa Beach with a $1.2 million budget may be looking at condos there. In Long Beach, that same budget may open the door to a renovated three-bedroom, two-bath home roughly 10 minutes from the beach.

It is not about saying one city is better than another. It is about understanding what your money actually buys, and what lifestyle comes with it. Long Beach gives buyers more room to match their budget to their goals, whether those goals are walkability, space, water access, rental potential, or being near a major employment center.

Long Beach vs. Nearby Beach Cities

Long Beach should absolutely be on the list for coastal buyers, but it should not be treated as interchangeable with every other beach city. A 20-minute drive can put you in a completely different lifestyle, school environment, commute pattern, housing stock, and price bracket.

Here is the broad way I would think about several nearby options:

• Long Beach: A large, diverse beach city with homes across many price points, major investment underway, an airport, waterfront amenities, and room for buyers to find different lifestyle fits.
• South Redondo Beach: A strong option for families with a higher budget, often around $2.5 million to $3 million, who want excellent coastal living and a location that has improved significantly over recent years.
• Manhattan Beach: Exceptional schools, shopping, beach access, and a particularly convenient position for frequent airport trips or commuting toward the city.
• North Redondo Beach: Worth considering for buyers below $2 million who want freeway access, schools, and proximity to Manhattan Beach amenities.
• Palos Verdes Estates: A quieter pace, excellent for those seeking a more relaxed setting and retirement appeal while remaining within reach of the wider Los Angeles area.
• Torrance: A larger, more suburban city with about 150,000 people and often easier commute patterns than some coastal communities.

Long Beach real estate stands out because it can meet very different needs within one city. But the right neighborhood still depends on you. Do you want a lively walkable area? More space? A quiet canal setting? A family-focused street? A short airport run? Those answers matter much more than simply picking a place because it is by the beach.

Relocating to Long Beach and Southern California

My biggest piece of advice is this: do not treat every Southern California location like it is the same. Hermosa Beach may be right near North Redondo, but the lifestyle can be very different. Torrance and Palos Verdes Estates are close on a map, yet they appeal to completely different people.

A good relocation conversation should begin with your actual life, not just a list of homes. Think about:

• Your ideal commute and how often you need access to freeways or airports.
• Your family needs, including schools and neighborhood pace.
• Whether you want walkability, quiet, restaurants, parks, or beach access.
• Your realistic budget and the type of property you want within it.
• Whether rental income, long-term appreciation, or personal lifestyle is the main priority.

I recently worked with someone who was initially focused on Laguna Beach. After talking through what he actually wanted, Manhattan Beach made more sense. He had not even researched it before our conversation, and that is where he ended up living.

That is the value of looking beyond one city boundary. The right answer might be Long Beach, South Redondo, Torrance, Manhattan Beach, or somewhere else entirely. Long Beach development is exciting, and Long Beach real estate deserves serious attention, but the best decision is always the one that connects the right location to the right lifestyle.

The Future of Long Beach Real Estate

Long Beach is going through a complete makeover. New housing, a 12,000-seat amphitheater, restored outdoor spaces, waterfront pathways, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center improvements, airport investment, incoming jobs, and the 2028 Olympics are all converging at once.

That is why I see Long Beach real estate as one of the more interesting stories in Southern California right now. The city has the ingredients of an emerging destination while still offering a broader value proposition than many nearby beach communities.

There is no crystal ball in real estate. Rates, inventory, construction timelines, and the wider economy all matter. But if you have been overlooking Long Beach, it is time to take a proper look. This city is going places.