Why Two Identical Long Beach Condos Can Sell for $500,000 Apart

A buyer shopping the Long Beach waterfront this year can run into a number that looks almost impossible.

At International Tower, the iconic round high-rise at 700 E. Ocean Boulevard, multiple two-bedroom condos share essentially the same 1,080-square-foot floor plan. Yet recent sales have ranged from $483,000 to $995,000.

Same building. Same square footage. Same address.

One sold for more than twice as much as another.

That is not a typo, and it is a good example of why valuing a Long Beach waterfront condo based on price per square foot alone can be misleading.

In a single-family neighborhood, buyers can usually make reasonable adjustments for lot size, condition, bedrooms, and location. In a high-rise condo building, there is another layer entirely: the building, the HOA, the floor, the view, the unit's orientation, upcoming repairs, insurance, financing eligibility, and sometimes even which side of the hallway the front door sits on.

Same Building. Very Different Numbers.

Consider several 2026 sales at 700 E. Ocean Boulevard:

Recent public sale records show that spread occurring inside the same building during 2026.

The difference between the lowest and highest sale is more than $500,000.

That is what makes Long Beach waterfront condos so interesting—and why an automated valuation or neighborhood-wide price-per-square-foot calculation can miss badly.

The View Can Be Worth Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars

The first major variable is something that does not show up in the square footage: what you see when you look out the window.

Long Beach's waterfront high-rises can have dramatically different exposures within the same building.

One unit might look toward the ocean, Queen Mary, marina and Catalina. Another might face Downtown. A higher-floor unit may clear surrounding buildings that partially obstruct the same orientation ten floors below.

International Tower makes the point particularly well because its circular design creates very different exposures depending on where a unit sits.

That means two condos with identical square footage and nearly identical floor plans are not necessarily comparable.

The view itself is part of the real estate.

And unlike a kitchen or flooring, you cannot renovate your way into a better orientation.

Floor Level Matters More Than Most Buyers Expect

There is also a vertical version of "location, location, location."

Moving ten or fifteen floors higher can change the view, privacy, natural light and overall experience of the property without changing the recorded square footage by a single foot.

This is particularly important along Ocean Boulevard.

A lower-floor unit may experience more street activity or have portions of its view interrupted. Higher floors can open up panoramic views extending across the coastline, harbor, Downtown skyline and Catalina on clear days.

The result is something buyers coming from single-family homes sometimes underestimate:

In a high-rise, elevation is part of the location.

Then There Is the Unit Itself

Condition still matters.

An extensively renovated waterfront condo with a redesigned kitchen, updated bathrooms, flooring, lighting and higher-end finishes can command a substantial premium over an original unit.

But buyers should separate improvements that can be changed from characteristics that cannot.

You can replace cabinets.

You can remodel a bathroom.

You can install new flooring.

You cannot move the condo from the sixth floor to the twenty-sixth floor or rotate it toward the ocean.

When evaluating two units, I generally want to determine how much of the price difference is attributable to improvements and how much is attributable to permanent characteristics.

That distinction becomes especially important when deciding whether an outdated unit is actually a good value.

The HOA Is Part of the Property You Are Buying

There is another factor that has become increasingly important in Long Beach: the financial and physical condition of the HOA itself.

When you purchase a condo, you are not only buying the interior of the unit. You are buying into a shared building with elevators, roofs, balconies, plumbing, electrical systems, waterproofing, common areas, insurance policies and long-term maintenance obligations.

Two condos priced at $600,000 can therefore represent very different financial commitments.

One HOA might have substantial reserves and a history of staying ahead of maintenance.

Another may have deferred projects, increasing insurance expenses or a large repair project approaching.

That difference does not always appear in the listing price.

SB 326 Changed the Conversation

This has become particularly relevant because of California's balcony inspection requirements.

Under SB 326, condominium associations responsible for qualifying exterior elevated elements—including certain balconies, decks, walkways and stairs—were required to have those elements inspected by a licensed architect or structural engineer, with inspections recurring every nine years. Long Beach specifically maintains a Balcony Hazard Reporting program covering these requirements.

The inspection itself is only the beginning.

If deterioration or structural issues are discovered, the association may need to complete repairs. The next question becomes:

Where does the money come from?

If reserves are sufficient, the HOA may already have the funds.

If they are not, owners could face increased dues, financing by the association, or a special assessment depending on the circumstances and governing documents.

That can materially affect what a buyer is willing—or able—to pay for a unit.

The $600,000 Condo Might Not Really Be the Cheaper Condo

Imagine two similar Long Beach condos.

Condo A is listed for $600,000 with an HOA of $700 per month.

Condo B is listed for $650,000 with an HOA of $800 per month.

At first glance, Condo A looks like the better value.

But suppose Condo A's building has significant deferred maintenance and the buyer discovers a $40,000 assessment under discussion.

Meanwhile, Condo B's association recently completed major building improvements and has stronger reserves.

Suddenly the $50,000 price difference means something very different.

This is why the cheapest price per square foot is not automatically the best value.

You have to understand what you are buying into.

Financing Can Change the Value Too

The condition of the HOA can also affect financing.

Condominium lenders do not evaluate only the borrower and the individual unit. Depending on the loan program, they may also review the condominium project itself.

Insurance coverage, litigation, deferred maintenance, structural issues, owner occupancy and other project-level characteristics can become part of the underwriting process.

That creates an important distinction between market value and financeability.

A buyer may love a condo and be perfectly qualified for the loan, but the building itself can still create financing complications.

And when fewer buyers can obtain conventional financing in a particular building, the potential buyer pool can shrink.

That eventually finds its way into pricing.

Why Long Beach Condo Comps Require More Work

This is where automated home valuations struggle.

A computer sees:

2 bedrooms.

2 bathrooms.

1,080 square feet.

Same building.

Recent sale.

Looks like a perfect comparable.

A local buyer or agent needs to see considerably more.

Which floor?

Which orientation?

What view?

What condition?

How many parking spaces?

Where are those spaces located?

What are the HOA dues?

What do the HOA dues include?

Has the SB 326 inspection been completed?

Were repairs identified?

Are there current or proposed special assessments?

How well funded are the reserves?

Has the building's insurance changed?

Are there financing restrictions?

Those questions can explain price differences that look irrational on a spreadsheet.

Before You Write the Offer

If you are considering a condo in Downtown Long Beach, Alamitos Beach, Belmont Heights or along the waterfront, the HOA documents deserve nearly as much attention as the condo itself.

A few things I would want to review before removing contingencies:

1. HOA financial statements and reserve study. How much money does the association have compared with its anticipated long-term expenses?
2. Recent board meeting minutes. This is often where upcoming repairs, insurance problems and potential assessments first appear.
3. SB 326 inspection documentation. Confirm whether the inspection was completed, what was found and whether repairs remain.
4. Current and proposed special assessments. Do not stop at assessments that have already been approved. Look for major projects being discussed.
5. Master insurance policy. Confirm coverage and whether premiums or deductibles have materially changed.
6. Loan eligibility. Have your lender review the project early rather than discovering a building-level financing issue late in escrow.
7. Actual comparable units. Compare similar floors, orientations, views, parking and condition—not simply bedrooms and square footage.

A Few Questions That Come Up Often

Why can condos in the same Long Beach building sell for dramatically different prices?

Floor level, view orientation, renovations, parking, HOA financial condition and the timing of individual sales can all create significant differences. International Tower is an extreme example: public records show 1,080-square-foot units selling from roughly $483,000 to $995,000 during 2026.

Does a higher HOA fee automatically make a building worse?

No. The amount of the HOA payment by itself tells you very little. A higher fee may include more services or adequately fund reserves and maintenance. A lower fee can look attractive until a large repair has to be funded through an assessment. The association's financial statements, reserve study and maintenance history provide much more context than the monthly dues alone.

What is SB 326?

SB 326 created recurring inspection requirements for qualifying exterior elevated elements in California condominium projects. For covered condominium associations, the first inspection deadline was January 1, 2025, with subsequent inspections generally required every nine years.

Should I avoid an older Long Beach condo building?

Age alone does not tell you enough. An older building with proactive maintenance, completed capital projects and properly funded reserves can be financially healthier than a newer building that has deferred maintenance or underfunded reserves.

The important question is not simply how old is the building?

It is how has the building been managed?

The Number on Zillow Is Only the Beginning

Long Beach has some of the most interesting condo inventory in Southern California. Buyers can find ocean views, walkability and waterfront living at prices substantially below many neighboring coastal markets.

But that opportunity comes with additional homework.

When two condos in the same building can differ in value by hundreds of thousands of dollars, price per square foot only tells part of the story.

The unit matters.

The view matters.

The floor matters.

And increasingly, the financial health of the building matters just as much.

If you are comparing condos in Downtown Long Beach, along Ocean Boulevard, Belmont Heights or elsewhere in the city, The Rogina Group can help you look beyond the listing price and evaluate the actual property, HOA documents, recent comparable sales and building-level issues before you write an offer.

Call or text us to set up a time to walk through your options.