Most Americans Believe They Are Adept at Home Repairs — Particularly Millennials

Millennials are more likely than other generations to consider themselves handy around the house. Millennials are also more likely to undertake repairs themselves than baby boomers or Gen Xers. Nearly one in five millennials cannot discern a flat-head screwdriver from a Philips-head screwdriver. Millennials are more likely than other generations to describe themselves as handy around the house, although they actually have the least experience...

The Bay Area’s 10 Fastest-Appreciating Housing Markets: Q1 2018

A home in Atherton, California, the Bay Area’s most expensive and fastest-appreciating housing market in the first quarter. A slim supply of homes for sale and vigorous buyer demand continued to drive home price growth in the Bay Area in the first quarter of this year. Of the nearly 70 Bay Area communities in which Pacific Union operates, only 13 saw home prices decrease from...

Real Estate Roundup: California Housing Markets Posted the Nation’s Biggest Equity Gains in 2017

Here’s a look at recent news of interest to homebuyers, home sellers, and the home-curious. TAPPABLE HOME EQUITY CLIMBS TO ALL-TIME HIGH The U.S. housing market saw tappable equity increase by the largest dollar amount on record last year, with San Francisco and Los Angeles leading the country for gains. That’s according to Black Knight’s latest Mortgage Monitor, which says that the U.S. housing market...

Video: March U.S. Jobs Report

Although March’s U.S. jobs report is somewhat of a disappointment, overall employment growth was strong in the first quarter. To read the full analysis by Pacific Union Chief Economist Selma Hepp, click here.  

U.S. Employment Growth Slows in March, as Weather Plays a Big Factor

Today’s national employment report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics did not live up to expectations, with the country adding 103,000 jobs in March and the report including a downward revision of 50,000 jobs for January and February. Over the last year, U.S. employers added 2.261 million jobs in total. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.1 percent, comparable to numbers recorded in 2000....

Bay Area In-Migrants Are Younger and Earn More Than Out-Migrants

Between 2005 and 2016, people moving to the Bay Area earned almost $13,000 more per year than those leaving. Bay Area in-migrants are about two years younger than out-migrants, as many Americans find the region a difficult place in which to start a family. Roughly 10 percent more people migrating to the Bay Area had four-year college degrees or higher than those moving away. Over...

Most Homeowners Are Planning a Remodeling Project in 2018

Fifty-eight percent of homeowners will funnel money into a home-improvement project this year, according to a recent poll. For the fifth straight year, outdoor renovations are the most popular with homeowners in 2018. Twice as many homeowners are improving their properties so that they can age in place than those who are renovating in advance of a sale. Nearly six in 10 U.S. homeowners are...

How Much Do You Need to Earn to Live in Each Bay Area County?

While mortgage or rent payments will constitute the biggest expense for most Bay Area residents, there are of course many other cost-of-living factors to consider. Using the Economic Policy Institute’s Family Budget Calculator, which determines how much money a household must make each year to maintain an adequate standard of living, we determined the cost of living in all nine Bay Area counties for single...

Real Estate Roundup: San Francisco Is Still the Hottest U.S. Housing Market This Spring

Here’s a look at recent news of interest to homebuyers, home sellers, and the home-curious. AS USUAL, CALIFORNIA DOMINATES MARCH’S LIST OF THE NATION’S MOST IN-DEMAND REAL ESTATE MARKETS More buyers than ever are eyeing an increasingly smaller pool of homes on the market, with San Francisco retaining its title as the most sought-after market in the country in March. That’s according to realtor.com’s latest...