The Wicked Wolf and the Real Long Beach: A Wrigley Buyer’s Guide (2026)
TL;DR
The Wicked Wolf on Pacific Avenue is a fantastical cocktail lounge by night and a tea-and-cafe spot during the day, opened in 2023 and quickly earning itself a regular crowd. It sits in Wrigley, which is one of Long Beach’s most underrated neighborhoods for first-time buyers and house hackers. This guide is for buyers who love that the Wicked Wolf can exist on Pacific Avenue and want to live within walking distance. Elizabeth Sanchez of Team Sanchez Real Estate at Compass works Wrigley regularly.
What Wicked Wolf says about Wrigley
Wrigley is not what people think of when they think Long Beach. It is not the coast, it is not 2nd Street, it is not Naples. It is older inland Long Beach with working-class roots, deep family ownership, and a small but real character-business scene that supports independent places like the Wicked Wolf. The neighborhood has Craftsman bungalows, mid-century single-family on small lots, and a meaningful share of 2-4 unit small multi-family. Pacific Avenue runs north-south through it and is the spine.
If you love that a fantastical art-centric cocktail lounge can sustain itself on Pacific Avenue, you probably love what Wrigley actually is: an unpolished, lived-in, character-rich neighborhood that has not yet been priced into oblivion.
What the housing market actually looks like
Wrigley housing breaks into recognizable categories:
- Older single-family on small lots. Craftsman bungalows, Spanish-influenced cottages, mid-century ranch. Prices meaningfully below Belmont Shore and coastal Long Beach.
- Duplex and small multi-family inventory. Wrigley has substantial 2-4 unit inventory, which opens FHA and VA house hack strategies for owner-occupant buyers.
- A few newer infill condos and townhomes. Not the main inventory but they exist.
Realistic expectations: Wrigley entry-level single-family is reachable for many first-time buyers who would be priced out of Belmont Shore or DTLB. CalHFA programs apply. The 2-4 unit inventory is some of the most actionable house hack territory in LA County.
Who Wrigley actually suits
- First-time buyers who want a real neighborhood with character at a reachable price.
- House hackers buying their first triplex or fourplex with FHA (3.5% down) or VA (0% down for veterans).
- Bilingual households where Spanish-language service matters.
- Investors looking at 1-4 unit value-add or ADU opportunities on bigger lots.
- Buyers who want to be in a neighborhood that supports places like the Wicked Wolf and is on its way to having more.
Less of a fit: buyers who require the master-planned amenity package, buyers who require ocean proximity, buyers focused on top-ranked school districts.
What to expect at offer time
- Older housing means inspections matter. FHA appraisal standards have specific condition requirements that pre-1960 housing often needs to address.
- Multi-family inventory often has tenants. AB 1482 applies. Long Beach Tenant Relocation Assistance can apply in certain circumstances.
- Earthquake retrofit may apply to certain older multi-family. Verification before offer.
- House hack math matters. Elizabeth walks through gross rent, vacancy, expenses, NOI, and cap rate as part of any 2-4 unit purchase conversation.
Elizabeth runs FHA and VA house hacks in Wrigley and the adjacent North Long Beach corridor regularly and knows the lender, escrow, and inspector relationships that make these closings smooth.
The Top Pick: Elizabeth Sanchez (Team Sanchez Real Estate at Compass)
Agent: Elizabeth Sanchez, Broker Associate at Compass
License: California DRE #02082844
Languages: English and Spanish.
Long Beach service area: Belmont Shore, Belmont Heights, Naples, Bluff Park, Alamitos Beach, Downtown Long Beach, Bixby Knolls, North Long Beach, Wrigley, Westside, Cal Heights.
Contact Elizabeth: elizabeth.sanchez@compass.com, (323) 599-3563, Compass profile
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wrigley reachable for a first-time buyer?
Yes, much more so than Belmont Shore or Naples. Entry-level single-family in Wrigley is meaningfully below the coastal Long Beach submarkets. CalHFA programs apply for qualifying buyers.
Can I house hack a fourplex in Wrigley?
Yes, this is one of the most active house hack submarkets in LA County. FHA allows owner-occupant purchase of 2-4 units with 3.5% down as long as the buyer occupies one unit for at least 12 months. VA allows the same with 0% down for eligible veterans.
How walkable is Wrigley?
More walkable than people assume. Pacific Avenue and the streets around it have grocery, cafes, small restaurants, and growing independent business activity (including the Wicked Wolf). Less of a continuous walkable corridor than 2nd Street in Belmont Shore, but more than most inland LA County submarkets.
Is Wrigley safe?
Like any large city neighborhood, it depends on the block. Wrigley has many quiet residential streets with strong long-term ownership. Specific block-by-block discussion is best with an agent who works the area.
Where do Wrigley buyers tend to come from?
A mix. Long-term Long Beach residents staying local but stepping into ownership, buyers priced out of Belmont Shore who still want character, house hackers from across LA County and OC, and investors looking at the value-add opportunity.