Rancho Neighborhood Map
Like most of the post W.W.II tract homes there is not much difference between areas to the untrained eye. Most of Lakewood and East Long Beach in the tract areas feature the following, modest homes originally 2 bedroom 1 bath or 3 bedroom 1 bath homes, ranging in size from 880sf to 1250sf, on a minimum of a 5,000sf lot, built between 1948 and 1954.
Since the homes are quite modest by today’s standards many people have added a master suite and a family room. When looking at any home with more than 1250sf and 1 bath focus more on the floor plan and how well the addition was integrated into the original home than exterior street appeal. There is a large variation in quality with regards to the additions. Some people have done beautiful additions making the home contemporary and up to today’s standards. Other times you just think “what were these people thinking?”.
There are some larger variations within this tract. First off there are the Rancho’s. Either you love em or you hate em. Rancho homes are slab homes with lower pitched roofs. People like the more contemporary feel of the homes with lots of glass, blending the interior with the outdoor living space. They also like the vaulted ceiling. What people don’t like about the Ranchos is the slab foundation, lower pitched roof and the nontraditional feel of the homes. “Where it the front door”. If these homes are neglected they can be a turn off. If they have been upgraded and decorated to bring out the light, bright and contemporary feel, they can be quite appealing. The Rancho’s were built by Ross Cortese, the architect on the project was Chris Choate and the designer was Cliff May.
There is also a variation in neighborhoods within the Plaza, most distinctly noted by the presence of homes with 1 car garages. The architecture of the neighborhoods with one car garages may not be as appealing as the homes with two car garages. This maybe especially true of some of the one car garage homes on the north end of the plaza. The one car garage neighborhoods on the south end have generally been well maintained, and a location within walking distance to the park is a plus. There are also some slab homes in the southeast corner. These homes are some of the few homes in the East Long Beach area that originally came with two baths.
We invite your call, should you have any questions about the homes currently for sale or recently sold.