California Projected to Post the Largest Home Price Gains in the U.S. by Next Summer

California home prices are expected to increase by 9.1 percent by July 2019. Golden State homeowners gained an average of $49,000 in home equity between the second quarter of 2017 and the second quarter of 2018. The San Francisco metropolitan area has the lowest number of underwater homes in the U.S., accounting for only 0.5 percent of properties. Golden State homeowners once again enjoyed the...

Real Estate Roundup: East Bay ZIP Code Named Among the Nation’s 5 Hottest Real Estate Markets

Here’s a look at recent news of interest to homebuyers, home sellers, and the home-curious. Lake Chabot as seen from Castro Valley CASTRO VALLEY NAMED ONE OF 2018’S MOST IN-DEMAND U.S. HOUSING MARKETS Relative affordability is helping to draw homebuyers to the quiet Alameda County city of Castro Valley, making it one of the hottest ZIP codes in the country this year. That’s according to...

Proposition 10: Possibly the Worst Approach to California’s Current Housing Crisis

What is Proposition 10? Proposition 10 is a statewide ballot initiative in the November 2018 election that aims to repeal the Costa-Hawkins Housing Act. While Proposition 10 has become a polarizing issue, it is critically important to understand what it does and does not do. What is the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act? The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act was passed by the California legislature in 1995...

The Number of Americans Who Think Now Is a Good Time to Sell a Home Climbs to Record High

More than three-quarters of respondents to a new National Association of Realtors’ poll believe that now is a good time to sell a home. Sixty percent of Americans think that the economy is improving, also an all-time high. Seventy percent of Americans say that top-performing schools are either somewhat or very important when purchasing a home. Both the number of Americans who believe that the...

San Francisco Has the Nation’s Tightest Housing Supply Conditions

The San Francisco metropolitan area had a 2.0-month supply of homes for sale in July, the lowest of any major U.S. housing market. Home prices in San Francisco rose by 11 percent year over year in July, nearly double the national rate of appreciation. More than 80 percent of homes in San Francisco sold for list price or higher, the most in the country. Although...

The Home Amenity That Americans Cannot Live Without

About 80 percent of Americans who live in houses and apartments say that a central air-conditioning and heating system is a nonnegotiable feature. Millennials are willing to spend the most extra money for a dwelling with a climate-control system. A private outdoor space and an in-unit washer and dryer are also high on Americans’ list of top property amenities. While most homebuyers are willing to...

Real Estate Roundup: California Claims One-Third of the 20 Fastest-Growing U.S. Luxury Housing Markets

Here’s a look at recent news of interest to homebuyers, home sellers, and the home-curious. FOUR BAY AREA COUNTIES SEE LUXURY HOME PRICES RISE BY MORE THAN 10 PERCENT Demand for luxury homes remained strong nationwide this summer, with California counties accounting for a substantial portion of the markets where prices are growing the most. That’s according to research from realtor.com, which ranks the top...

Video: California August Jobs Report

Check out this short animation offers highlights from California’s August jobs report. To read the full analysis by Pacific Union Chief Economist Selma Hepp, click here.   

California’s August Job Gains Are Another Win

August was another solid month for job additions in California, with employers creating 44,800 positions. In addition, California’s unemployment rate remained at 4.2 percent, maintaining a historic low for the fifth consecutive month, according to the latest numbers from the state Employment Development Department. The August increase was more than two-and-a-half times the gain seen over the last two years, confirming 2018’s strong labor market....