Improving Your Outdoor Lighting Solution for Your Long Beach Rental

Dustin Edwards • June 14, 2022

Outdoor Lighting Is An Attractive Offer For Potential Renters

Outdoor lighting is necessary to promote a safe and enjoyable ambiance for your tenants. It’s not uncommon for landlords to disregard ample lighting on their Long Beach rental. The best lighting for rental properties can be a safety feature to deter unwanted intruders and trespassers while preventing accidents like falling or tripping. Likewise, lighting can be implemented in ways that can be enjoyable for tenants too.

 

Listed below are some solutions to improve your Long Beach rental lighting.


Landscaping Lights for Your Rental

There are many options to consider with landscaping lights. For the most part, landscaping lights are lights used to accent features in the yard of your Long Beach rental property. There are many ways to go about highlighting key elements of landscaping such as:


  • Spotlights aimed up to highlight a tree 
  • Spotlights pointing down from an elevated position down to display a beautiful garden.
  • Accent lights on river rocks where a fountain outpours


And beyond these ideas If you want to keep the natural look of your yard, hidden spot lights are also available. Incorporating lighting can even include spotlights whose housing has the appearance of rocks.


String Lights

Hanging string lights from the main house to the garage or gazebo can bring a warm atmosphere to any yard. Hanging lights around the perimeter of a backyard on a fence is a great way to illuminate the whole yard while being out of the way. If there is a tree in the yard, a string light can also be wrapped around the trunk or strung on the branches over a table to give a candle-lit feel to any meal. The soft illumination can contribute to great outdoor experiences like relaxing after work or evening gatherings. 


String lights can be purchased at most home improvement stores. Some come with their solar panel making installation DIY(do it yourself) friendly. However, others may require the assistance of a handyman or an electrician. 


Security Lighting

Keeping tenants and your Long Beach rental property safe should be a high priority for most landlords. Security lighting should be the brightest in backyards and should illuminate enough areas to scare off destructive animals or potential intruders. Many modern security lights have multiple forms of turning on built into the fixture. 


We recommend hiring a quality electrician who can program the lights to your needs for installing security lights. As previously stated, many security light fixtures come with many options such as:


  • Dusk to Dawn - Which turns off during the day and on during the evening.
  • Motion Detector -  This turns on when movement is detected within the sensor’s range.
  • Timer -  This can turn on or off based on your personal preferences.


Security lights should be installed in front of garages or exterior siding where the lights can illuminate the most amount of your Long Beach rental.


Pathway Lights

Lighting pathways to and from your rental adds curb appeal and can help protect your tenants from slipping and injuring themselves. Path lights come in many options to suit nearly any home. However, they all serve the same purpose of illuminating where one is walking. This can be done in several ways with options for hardwired, which may require a handyman or electrician, or fixtures with mounted or remote solar panels if you don't want to add load to your electrical system.

 

If you want to add to the aesthetic of your rental fixtures that are visible next to the pathway, a good example is Shepherd Hook Path lights by Hampton Bay. If you prefer the lights to be more discrete, perhaps their Silver Integrated LED Path Lights are a better option.

 

There are many more ways to expand your Long Beach rental’s outdoor lighting. If you need more information about outdoor lighting or need help installing outdoor lights, we invite you to call us at (562) 888-0247 or feel free to fill out our free rental analysis to see what your rental could yield today.

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ADUs and Junior ADUs, which one is the right one for your property?

By Dustin Edwards • June 6, 2025
With the real estate market as competitive as it is, many landlords are looking into building an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) or Jr. ADU to improve their bottom line with additional monthly income. While this is a great way to earn more, you need to be sure you’re investing in the right upgrade to your property. Below are some of the key differences between ADUs and Jr. ADUs; this way, you can make the right decision for your property. Differences between Junior ADUs and ADUs On the surface, the primary difference between an ADU and a Jr. ADU is the square footage. However, there are many considerations for each type of ADU , significant differences include costs and build limitations. ADUs are generally seen as a larger and more versatile build when compared to a Jr. ADU. They can be built detached from the main home, converting an existing structure, most commonly the garage. In Long Beach, an ADU can be up to 800 square feet or 50% of the gross floor area of the primary dwelling, whichever is smaller. For reference, an 800 sqft living space can be arranged as a 2-bedroom 1-bath home, though with creative use of the space, many investors have been able to fit 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms comfortably. If listing the ADU for rent is the goal, this can produce a higher yield, though at the cost of a higher initial investment. Jr. ADU, on the other hand, can only be a maximum of 500 sqft and must be built attached to the existing single-family home. While you can build an entire new addition to accommodate the Jr. ADU, it's not uncommon for homeowners whose homes are bigger than they need to convert a bedroom into a Jr. ADU in order to have additional income . A Jr. ADU does still require an efficient kitchen. Bathrooms can be shared with the main house, though this can deter some prospective tenants. Additionally, the utilities are oftentimes shared with the main house, which can simplify installation, though it can complicate utility costs with your tenant. When an ADU is Right Being able to build a full ADU provides an entirely separate and private living space, which is more desirable to prospecting tenants. This is the preferred choice for most investors, especially those who have unused space in their property. By being built apart from the main house, an ADU may cause less disturbance to those living in the main house, whether that be yourself or another tenant. In Long Beach, CA. ADUs can’t be listed as short-term rentals on apps like Airbnb; that being said, an ADU can command more in rent because of the aforementioned features. If you’re looking for a long-term investment, ADUs increase your property’s value while generating a consistent cash flow. Finally, if you ever plan on selling your rental property, the additional ADU can improve the appeal of your property to future buyers. When a Jr. ADU is Right While a Jr. ADU doesn’t have the same potential as a full-sized ADU, Jr. ADUs are far more budget-friendly. These are a great option for investors who have limited funds. Since Jr. ADUs generally require less work to be done in less time, allowing you to begin making a return sooner. Finally, if your property doesn’t qualify for a full-sized ADU permit due to the size of the property lot, a Jr. ADU can be built primarily through interior work, which may only require reconfiguring existing interior space. Whether you choose a full-sized ADU or a Jr. ADU, the decision depends on more than just the size of the structure, you’ll have to manage filling the vacancy and managing the new tenant. If you need help choosing which ADU is right for you or you need help managing your Beach City rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or complete our Owner Application online .
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