5 splendid homes for sale right now in Long Beach

The real estate market in Los Angeles proper is bringing us down. The prices are bananas. So let’s look to our neighbor to the south: Long Beach. The homes there are cheaper and the architecture, for the most part, is lovely.

As evidence, we present these five homes for sale right now:

One-bedroom condo for $199,990

↑ Measuring 672 square feet, this condo is compact but doesn't look cramped. The main room is spacious and open, and the kitchen appears to have a fair amount of counter space. It’s just three blocks from the beach, and the neighborhood has a Walkscore of 89. The HOA dues are just $78 a month.

Three-bedroom Craftsman for $659,900

↑ This sweet Craftsman is equidistant from all of the action in Downtown and Belmont Shore. The rock fireplace and butcher block countertops give it some country character, but it’s not overdone. We’re really digging the curb appeal and the wood deck out back.

Three-bedroom Cape Cod for $1.299M

↑ Hands down, 1st Street is one of the loveliest in all of Long Beach. It runs parallel to the ocean, is wide, lined with trees, and is dotted with old, stately homes, this one included. Built in 1925, it features nine-foot ceilings on the first floor and a “large period bathroom” on the second, according to the listing.

Three-bedroom midcentury for $799,950

↑ This updated midcentury sits on a nearly 7,000-square-foot lot in Long Beach’s Rancho Estates neighborhood, which architect Cliff May designed for developer Ross Cortese in the 1950s. May is considered to be the father of the modern ranch style house. The 1,368-square-foot residence retains some of its of-the-period features, including clerestory windows and open beam ceilings. But it's also been updated to include new heating and air conditioning, and expanded "to provide a more spacious living/dining area."

One-bedroom condo for $440,000

Sure, this condo in one of Long Beach’s historic buildings is only on bedroom, but it measures a more-than-adequate 873 square feet. And we’re willing to sacrifice a spare room for a private terrace, parquet wood floors, and a bay window with a window seat. The $680 HOA fees are steep, but the listing says they do include all utilities, including cable.