Where Downsizers Are Moving and Why in Long Beach

More Long Beach homeowners over age 60 sold single-family houses in the first half of 2026 and bought condos or townhomes in Belmont Shore and Bixby Knolls than in any prior six-month stretch since 2019.

The shift shows up in escrow data tracked by the Long Beach Association of Realtors, which logged 142 such transactions between January and June. Buyers cite lower maintenance costs and proximity to medical offices along Atlantic Avenue as the main reasons. The moves coincide with property-tax reassessments that hit owners of larger homes after the 2025 county reassessment cycle.

Neighborhoods drawing the buyers

In Belmont Shore, 2nd Street between Bay Shore Avenue and Livingston Drive now features three new four-unit buildings completed in 2025 that sold out within 90 days. Downsizers pay between $725,000 and $865,000 for two-bedroom units with ground-floor parking. The same buyers often walk to the monthly farmers market at Bixby Village Plaza and use the Passport bus line that stops every 12 minutes along 2nd Street.

Bixby Knolls has seen similar turnover. The stretch of Atlantic Avenue between 36th and 39th streets added 28 townhomes last year through the city’s Accessory Dwelling Unit incentive program. Average sale prices there reached $689,000 in May, according to Multiple Listing Service records. Residents note the area’s established medical corridor anchored by the Long Beach Memorial campus and the new senior fitness center opened by the YMCA at 3633 Atlantic Avenue.

Price trends and next steps

Citywide, the median price for attached homes under 1,200 square feet rose 4.8 percent year-over-year to $712,000 as of June 30. Detached homes over 2,000 square feet in the same period posted a 1.2 percent decline, the first dip recorded since 2022. Real-estate agents at local brokerage firm Keller Williams Long Beach report that 68 percent of their downsizer clients cite the desire to lock in lower monthly housing costs before potential property-tax increases tied to the November ballot measure.

Prospective buyers should review the city’s Housing Element update scheduled for public comment in August and contact the Long Beach Development Services counter at 411 W Ocean Boulevard for current ADU conversion rules before making offers.

This article is general information only and is not personal financial or investment advice. Consider your own circumstances and seek licensed professional advice before making financial decisions.