The old house, (being) painted white, looks much better.

[sitifan]

The old house, being painted white, looks much better. (My bold.)
Source: Wu Bingzhong et al., Practical English Grammar, Volume 5, page 10.
Is "being" optional or obligatory?

 

[Annabel Lee]

The old house, being painted white, looks much better. (My bold.)
Source: Wu Bingzhong et al., Practical English Grammar, Volume 5, page 10.
Is "being" optional or obligatory?

It's obligatory if the intended meaning is that the old house looks much better and happens to be being painted white.

If the intended meaning is that the house looks better now that it has been painted white, change "being" to "having been":

The old house, having been painted white, looks much better.​