Bay Area Leads the U.S. for Middle-Class Income Growth

San Francisco posted America’s largest five-year income gain for middle-class households, with earnings up by more than 30 percent.Of the 20 U.S. cities with the fastest-rising incomes, Fremont workers earn the largest annual salaries: more than $122,000.Over the past two decades, the number of Oakland households who take home between $75,000 and $100,000 has nearly doubled. The first couple of months of 2019 have brought...

Real Estate Roundup: California Cities See Nation’s Largest Home Value Gains Since 2009

Here’s a look at recent news of interest to homebuyers, home sellers, and the home-curious. BAY AREA, LOS ANGELES HOME VALUES RISE BY SIX FIGURES OVER THE PAST DECADE Thanks in part to plentiful, high-paying tech jobs, home values in major California cities have skyrocketed over the past 10 years, with Silicon Valley putting up the largest such gain in America. A new LendingTree analysis...

Advice for First-Time California Homebuyers: Save a Hefty Down Payment

First-time homebuyers in the San Jose and San Francisco metropolitan areas make average down payments of more than $125,000.In San Jose, 95 percent of new homebuyers have credit scores of 680 or better.While Federal Housing Administration-insured loans can save Bay Area buyers a substantial amount on a down payment, they have a ceiling of about $725,000. New buyers who are shopping for a home in...

California Posts Another Big Housing Inventory Gain in January

Active home listings in California rose for the 10th straight month in January, up by almost 30 percent year over year.California home sales dropped by nearly 13 percent from January 2018 to the lowest level in more than a decade.Annual single-family home price appreciation registered less than 5 percent in California, the nine-county Bay Area, and the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Golden State housing market...

Announcing the 12 Charity Beneficiaries of the Compass Community Giving Fund

We are pleased to announce the 12 remarkable charity beneficiaries of the Community Giving Fund for 2019. These organizations are devoted to helping those in our Southern California community, and we are proud to be a part of their vital efforts. Starting this year, every dollar donated to the Community Giving Fund via agent transactions will be matched by Compass Cares. “With the exciting news...

Home of the Week: Vast New Entertainer’s Estate in Palisades Riviera

Surveying the ocean from the ultraprime Pacific Palisades Riviera, this 10,000-square-foot residence at 1506 Sorrento Drive is designed for expansive entertaining. Every inch of this grand yet welcoming seven-bedroom, 11-full-bath estate is exquisitely realized. Paneled and coffered ceilings, wainscoting, walls of multipaned windows, wide plank floors, and richly tiled and marbled surfaces are just some of the highlights. Four fireplaces add warmth throughout the magnificent...

Silicon Valley Town Is Named America’s Wealthiest

Atherton ranks as the highest-earning community in the U.S., with an average 2017 household income of more than $450,000.Los Altos Hills and Hillsborough also rank among the country’s five richest enclaves.California claims nearly one-quarter of America’s 100 wealthiest communities. A San Mateo County community tops the latest list of America’s 50 most affluent communities, and many Bay Area locals won’t be surprised to find out...

San Francisco Ranks as the Healthiest U.S. City for the Third Straight Year

San Francisco remains the most health-conscious city in the U.S. in 2019.The City by the Bay has the country’s most walking and running trails per capita and ranks in the top five for the highest concentration of healthy restaurants.Two other California cities count among the top 10 for the healthiest residents: No 3. San Diego and No. 10 Irvine. San Francisco once again claims the...

Real Estate Roundup: 2019 Mortgage Rates Are the Lowest in California

Here’s a look at recent news of interest to homebuyers, home sellers, and the home-curious. CALIFORNIA HOMEBUYERS ENJOY THE LOWEST MORTGAGE RATES IN AMERICA Although California claimed four of the nation’s five most expensive real estate markets in the fourth quarter, homebuyers here at least have a shot at scoring the lowest average mortgage rates in the country. That’s according to an analysis by LendingTree...