Answer
Should I renovate my apartment building before selling?
Usually no. Most buyers of LA multifamily are value-add operators who will renovate themselves and don't pay full retail for your work. Exceptions: cheap curb-appeal fixes (paint, landscaping, lighting) and life-safety items (soft-story, SB 721) that would otherwise scare buyers or fund control. Ask before spending anything past $10K.
What actually adds sale price
Exterior paint, landscaping, cleanup, and updated common-area lighting almost always return more than they cost. Unit interior renovations rarely do — buyers underwrite their own reno budget.
What to fix before listing
Any open code violations, deferred roof/plumbing issues that would kill an inspection, and soft-story or SB 721 compliance items that a lender will condition on. These aren't upgrades — they're removing negatives from the buyer's underwrite.
Local context
This answer reflects how deals actually trade in Cameron Samimi's core coverage area: the South Bay (Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hawthorne, Lawndale, Gardena, El Segundo), Long Beach (Alamitos Beach, Belmont Heights, Wrigley, Bixby Knolls, Downtown), and Westside LA. Pricing, rent regulation, and buyer depth differ materially between these submarkets — verify the specifics for your property before acting.
Related