Blog Post

Does Your Long Beach Rental Embrace the New Work from Home Concept?

Dustin Edwards • Mar 08, 2022

A Home Office Is A Great Way To Make Your Property More Desirable

The world is finally opening up and many people are realizing that working from home is a better option than going to the office. New tenants may be looking for options to work from home and embracing this concept for your Long Beach rental can increase your chances of gaining long term tenants. Offering a rental with a dedicated office can add an additional $350 -$750 a month depending on the location.


Before you start repurposing or building a dedicated home office, contact your property management company. It will help to get advice from experts that know your property.


Repurposing a Room

The easiest way to achieve a work from home concept is by repurposing an existing room and converting it into a dedicated office. This can be a smaller bedroom with a good source of natural light whether it be windows or skylights on the ceiling. 


Lighting should be a top priority. Having ample light can reduce the tenant’s eye strain and headaches. Painting the wall a neutral color such as white or a light blue is recommended as well. Finally, making sure to add additional outlets to the room for computers and other devices is helpful to minimize the use of extension cords as there are risks to overloading a single outlet.


If your rental is furnished, consider having a good office chair and desk with adjustable heights. Some tenants may prefer to work standing. Plenty of shelves and office storage Repurposing a room for a dedicated office can reduce immediate storage space but there are
ways to increase small storage upgrades to your Long Beach rental and keep your tenants happy.


Building an ADU

If budget allows it, building an ADU (accessory dwelling unit) to be a dedicated office in your rental can add square footage to the property. It can also give you the liberty of designing a room to be more suitable as an office without any compromises. 


However, the trade off is an average build time of 3-4 months due to planning, permits and designing. Additionally the costs can be large depending on the size of the ADU. Costs range from approximately $150 to $300 per square foot. ADUs are a great option if your budget allows because they can
add value to your Long Beach rental property.



Prebuilt Office

A popular solution to adding office space to your Long Beach rental property is the use of Office Pods or Studio Sheds. These are quick solutions to adding office space in a short amount of time.


Work Pods ship everything necessary to build a stand alone home office for $23,000, these can be installed on common surfaces such as brick, concrete, gravel or simply grass as each pod comes with a hassle free foundation that is adjustable to accommodate most terrain while being designed to distribute up to 4 tons of weight evenly. Each work pod has a simple port to connect power, all you need is to connect the provided 66 ft cable. One side to the pod and the other to an outlet. Preferably this outlet should be a dedicated 20amp 110 VAC 50hz/60hz circuit. With dimensions designed to be under 100sqft, Work Pods are DIY friendly and usually don't require permits. It's best to check with the city to be sure of this.


Studio Sheds have a similar concept, though more models to choose from with square footage ranging from 64sqft to 256sqft and pricing ranging from as little as $13,910 to $19,265. Much like the Work Pods, a Studio shed may also require a building permit depending on the model you choose from. They also offer an option to have the Studio Shed professionally built and installed. For the electrical, it is your responsibility to make the connection and may require you to obtain an electrical only permit, which is usually simpler than a full building permit.


Adding a home office to your Long Beach rental can be an asset, if you have any questions about building an ADU or buying a prebuilt office call us at (562) 888-0247 or fill out our
free rental analysis to see what your rental could yield today.

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By Dustin Edwards 01 May, 2024
Everyone wants to feel safe in their homes. As an investment property owner, it's up to you to decide whether or not to include security measures in your property. Many of the costs associated with the security measures can be included in the rent, meaning not only can you keep your property safe, but you can earn more income in the long run. However, you would still want your tenants to have renters insurance to protect their assets. Today, we’ll discuss the top five security measures you can add to your property and why they're beneficial to you and your tenant. Security Cameras Cameras are probably one of the first security measures people think about when asked about security. Cameras provide more benefits than just surveillance. They provide an extra level of security for the safety of the tenants and their belongings. Additionally, security cameras can be useful when repairs are required. Cameras can aid in supervising repairs and maintenance to ensure you’re receiving the agreed-upon work. During vacancies when the property is empty, security cameras can help keep the property safe from potential intruders. Doorbell cameras are incredibly popular now. They provide the aforementioned safety of a camera that can be accessed remotely, as well as the ability to communicate with visitors. Although one must be careful never to say you're not home, just say you're unavailable to strangers. Security Lights Security lights with motion detectors are another effective tool when adding security measures to your property. These lights brightly if a potential intruder attempts to get near your home. They can provide enough illumination to see the intruder or, at the very least, scare them off. Nowadays, you can find a combination of security cameras and motion-activated security lights, such as the floodlight cam wired plus from Ring . Additionally, because these lights only turn on when motion is detected, they’re more cost-effective than traditional lights with a switch. Illuminate the Property Light generally deters intruders as it's more difficult to hide. Adding lighting to the landscaping can increase the security of the property while creating a relaxing atmosphere. Lights can also be used in other areas of the property to accent features such as trees, benches, or artwork. This can help your property stand out while giving your tenants an additional feeling of safety. Keyless Entry Keyless entry is seen as both a convenience feature and a security feature. They usually use an electronic passcode, biometric data, or grant access through a smartphone app. Physical keys can be lost, stolen, or duplicated. You reduce the risk of unauthorized entry by eliminating the need for a physical key to enter the property. Many keyless entry systems include several features, such as remote locking and monitoring. Although keyless entry is a great new technology for keeping your tenants and properties safe, they’re best used with other security systems. Security Company Nothing beats having an extra pair of eyes on your property for security. This is where security companies like ADT and SimpliSafe come in. While companies may deal with security in varying ways, they aim to protect your investment. While safety is the primary role of a security company, remember that many tenants may be willing to pay more for a premium amenity like a home security company. Keeping your property and tenants safe is incredibly important to the longevity of an investment property. If you’re looking to improve the security of your Long Beach rental property or need help managing your beach city rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or fill out our Owner Application online .
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