San Diego’s Unemployment Rate Drops to a Low for the Year
According to the most recent state labor statistics, the San Diego unemployment rate has dropped to just 3.7%. That is one of the lowest points it has reached over the course of 2017. It also puts San Diego ahead of both the state of California and the US overall when it comes to jobs. The […]
Self-Driving Cars Could Drive Housing Costs Down
Housing costs in California are high right now, in large part due to the ongoing shortage. Will they stay that way? Maybe not—there have been some hopeful signs for the future. Recently, the county created a $25 million trust fund for affordable housing, and a report from the University of San Diego showed that residential […]
San Diego County Creates $25 Million Trust Fund for Affordable Housing
Several months ago, I posted about the California housing crisis. The demand for housing throughout the state has been increasing rapidly, but construction is not keeping up. As a result, prices are skyrocketing, and many people are unable to find affordable housing in metropolitan areas like San Diego. To add to the difficulties, there are […]
Picking Up the PACE
bill aimed at regulating loans created by the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program is making national industry headlines. The PACE Act of 2017 aims to amend the Truth in Lending Act, a chief regulation governing big banks and mortgage companies, to include PACE lenders. If the bill is passed, PACE lenders would be forced […]
2017: The Focus Ahead
Some shocking numbers have just come in. It has been reported that total housing inventory dropped 10.8% in December to 1.65 million existing homes available for sale, the lowest level since the National Association of Relators (NAR) began tracking housing supply in 1999. Inventory decreased 6.3% from last year and has fallen for 19 consecutive […]
The Great Divide
Urban areas have benefited in recent years from an influx of younger workers seeking high-paying jobs. At the same time, land-use regulations have constricted supply, helping drive up prices. While the wealthiest homeowners had a rocky ride during the past decade, their homes have recovered most or all of the value they lost during the […]
Shifting Demographics: A New Norm
The quickening pace of home sales over the past year included a small rebound from two key segments of buyers who have been missing in action in recent years: first-time buyers and single women. A new normal means interest rates will be staying low – well below 5% for the next several years – amid […]
Declining Housing Affordability & the California Economy
For the first time in nearly a year, declining housing affordability topped lack of inventory as realtors’ number one concern, with 26% stating they were concerned about low housing affordability. However, worries over a tight housing supply were not too far behind, with 19% indicating their concern. Looking toward 2017, the California realtor community is […]
Get It While It’s Hot
While recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that household incomes rose strongly last year, home prices are still outpacing incomes in many metro areas because of the persistent shortage of new and existing homes for sale. Without more supply, the U.S. homeownership rate will remain near 50-year lows. As outdoor temperatures slide into […]
Zombie Foreclosures Do Not Pose a Threat in California
Here’s a spooky bit of data: vacant homes in the foreclosure process are expected to drop 9 percent in the third quarter from a year ago, but vacant bank-owned properties are expected to jump 67 percent during the period, according to ATTOM Data Solutions. This Halloween season, zombies nationwide are creeping into the least desirable […]
