Save on Long Beach Real Estate with your own paintbrush!

The old real estate marketing saying was "bring your paint brush and save!". This usually referred to the ultimate goal of many people to buy the worst home on the best block.

The strange reality is that if you are looking for Long Beach home or Long Beach condo right now, you can actually achieve this goal.

The reason I say it is strange is that we are seeing many buyers avoid the traditional opportunities to fix and save on the purchase price. I know we are all busy, but there are some true opportunities that exist to get that right location, but in a condition that may not be optimal.

In the vein of shedding some light on home improvement tasks that may seem monumental, here are some ideas to fix up and some estimated costs :). So don't be afraid to make that offer on the Long Beach real estate that you really want, just know you have a few chores ahead.

• The Yard is a WRECK! - Ok, so we would all like to put new sod down, but that can be expsensive. Mow the law and put down some new seed and manure to bring it back to life. You can do this for under $100 and some sweat equity.


• This COLOR is awful - I am not the best painter so I always hire this out. You can get 2 colors of paint (1 for the walls and 1 for the ceiling for the interior) for a ~1,100 sq ft to be painted for about $1,800.


• The kitchen is awful - Sometimes the kitchen needs to be torn out, but sometimes you can spruce it up. If the cabinets are good, think about sanding and restaining them instead of ripping them out. Then just put a new counter top on. You can get this done for $2,500-$4,000 instead of about $15,000 for a new kitchen.


• Gross Flooring! - Wood is popular these days and in many Long Beach homes it is hiding under the carpet. If the floors are in good shape you can get them refinished for $4-$5 a foot (trust me we have contractors who will do it for this). This can give you a fresh new look for $2,000 or so.

So, maybe it isn't all that bad to get the home or condo that needs work. Finding a great condo complex or that perfect street an be a challenge, so don't let a little work get in the way of that right spot. A little bit of sweat equity will save on those monthly payments and you can create the vision you want for your Long Beach home or condo.

Happy hunting! As always, don't forget you can use our FREE Long Beach MLS to find those fixers you want today.