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SiliconValley.com

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The mayor of Paradise, Calif., said there’s hope for Southern California wildfire survivors, but it’s going to take decades, and the costs of reconstruction will skyrocket, possibly outpacing insurance, during a virtual CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® forum about wildfire reconstruction in L.A. County.

CNBC

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Applications for a mortgage to purchase a home rose 1% for the week and were 7% higher than the same week one year ago. The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage dropped to 6.71% from 6.72%.

CNBC

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Consumer confidence dimmed further in March as the view of future conditions fell to the lowest level in more than a decade, the Conference Board reported Tuesday.

Housing Wire

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​Home sellers who did not list their properties on the MLS lost out on more than $1 billion in sale proceeds over the past two years, according to a study by Zillow. The study also found that these losses were deepest in communities of color.

Axios

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​The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged this week while noting increased economic uncertainty and slashing growth forecasts, at a time when trade and other policy areas are in extreme flux.

Newsweek

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​Fueled by declining mortgage rates at the start of the year and an uptick in available inventory, the California housing market is showing signs of a dramatic rebound, recording its highest number of home sales in more than two years in February.

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®

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​California’s housing market rebounded in February as statewide home sales reached the highest level in more than two years amid declining mortgage rates at the start of the year, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® said.

San Francisco Chronicle

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​The typical Bay Area homeowner keeps their home for nearly two decades — one of the longest periods of any major U.S. metropolitan area, tying for the fourth-highest median among the 47 largest metro areas, according to Redfin.

CNBC

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Mortgage rates dropped to the lowest rate since October of last year, and that pushed demand even higher last week, after a substantial jump the previous week. Total mortgage application volume rose 11.2 percent for the week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index.

Mortgage Professional Magazine

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Consumer sentiment toward the housing market has declined on a year-over-year basis for the first time since 2023, according to the latest Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI). The index fell by 1.8 points in February to 71.6, reflecting growing pessimism about mortgage rates and personal financial situations.

MarketWatch

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The 30-year mortgage rate fell in early March to the lowest level in three months, Freddie Mac says. Falling rates are prompting some homeowners to refinance their mortgage, including those looking to lower their monthly mortgage payments.

CA State Office of the Governor

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Governor Gavin Newsom today issued an executive order to maintain protections for renters and homeowners affected by Los Angeles area firestorms. The order extends to July 1, 2025 state price gouging restrictions for rental housing, hotels, and short-term housing, extends support for survivors sheltering in hotels and short-term housing, and prioritizes fire-survivors experiencing homelessness for state-funded housing..

CNN

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Massive federal cuts and swelling feelings of economic uncertainty helped fuel a recession-level spike in layoff plans last month, new data showed Thursday. U.S.-based employers last month announced plans to slash 172,017 jobs, a 103 percent increase from a year ago and the highest February total since 2009. It's the twelfth-highest monthly total in 32 years, and the 11 others all occurred during recessions. The largest share of job cut announcements came in the government sector, where the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency has axed jobs, slashed federal spending and scrapped contracts.

Yahoo! News

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The city of Los Angeles is launching a new initiative to encourage the construction of starter homes on small, city-owned vacant lots, an effort to provide relatively lower-cost for-sale housing and show how Los Angeles can densify without turning into Manhattan. The initiative, called Small Lots, Big Impacts, kicked off with a design competition for architects and others to craft innovative plans for multiple small homes on one lot. Winning designs will serve as pre-approved city templates that developers could use. 

Realtor.com

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After tariffs on the U.S.'s two largest trading partners, Canada and Mexico, took effect early on Tuesday (and then were delayed for one month), the National Association of Homebuilders warned that tariffs on lumber and other building materials increase the cost of construction and discourage new development, which consumers end up paying for in the form of higher home prices.  

MPAMag

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In January, U.S. homebuyers canceled purchase agreements at an unprecedented rate. Approximately 14.3 percent of sales contracts were terminated during the month, an increase from 13.4 percent in January of the previous year, marking the highest cancelation rate for January since data collection began in 2017, according to a report by Redfin.  

CNBC

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Inflation eased slightly in January as worries accelerated over President Trump's tariff plans, according to a Commerce Department report today. The personal consumption expenditures price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation measure, increased 0.3 percent for the month and showed a 2.5 percent annual rate. Excluding food and energy, the core PCE also rose 0.3 percent for the month and was at 2.6 percent annually. 

Redfin

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The typical U.S. homebuyer's down payment was equal to 16.3% of the purchase price in December, up from 15% a year earlier, based on a report from Redfin analyzing county records across 40 of the most populous U.S. metropolitan areas. December 2024 is the most recent month for what data is available.

CNBC

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Consumers grew more pessimistic about the economic outlook in February as worries brewed about a slowing economy and rising inflation, the Conference Board reported Tuesday. The board's Consumer Confidence Index slipped to 98.3 for the month, down 7 points and below the Dow Jones forecast for 102.3. This was the lowest reading since June 2024 and the largest monthly drop since August 2021.

Los Angeles Times

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CalFire released new fire hazard severity maps for coastal Northern California on Monday as part of a two-month rollout process  that ends with Southern California on March 24. Fourteen of the 109 cities mapped in coastal Northern California region saw a decrease in acreage for the highest-risk fire zones, including Oakland. That compares with one of 35 cities seeing such a decrease for CalFire's inland Northern California map two weeks ago.

MSN

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Ginnie Mae, a $2.7 trillion stalwart of the U.S. home mortgage market, is the latest Washington agency targetd by Elon Musk. Over the past week, as much as a quarter of the agency's 270-or-so employees have either resigned or been dismissed. The departures have raised concern that the agency (that turns a profit) might have trouble doing its job.

NPR

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Housing Secretary Scott Turner said he plans to review every dollar the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development spends. According to an agency worker with direct knowledge of the plans who has spoken with other HUD employees, the Trump administration aims to lay off half of HUD’s staff.

Zillow

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While recent first-time home buyer rates have declined nationally, Black buyers have experienced the strongest rebound. A Zillow survey found that 62% of Black home buyers purchased their first home in 2024, holding steady from the previous year. In comparison, overall, first-time buyers made up just 44% of the market, down from 50% in 2023.

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®

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California home sales retreated in January as the effects of elevated interest rates depressed housing demand to the lowest level in more than a year, according to C.A.R.

OC Register

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A majority of Americans — 75% — decidedly think that homeownership is part of the American Dream, and more than half view it as a goal within reach, according to a new survey from Realtor.com. 

OC Register

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Scraping together a down payment for a home is a challenge, especially in today’s housing market. But the myth that a 20% down payment is required to buy a home could be making it harder than it needs to be.ions.

Realtor.com

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As the property risks associated with extreme weather and climate disasters continue to rise, certain areas are projected to suffer steep losses in home values, while others benefit from their resilient locations.

My News LA

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The California Association of REALTORS® announced Monday it will distribute $1 million worth of disaster relief grants to provide housing-related assistance to residents impacted by the January wildfires.

NBC Bay Area

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Last year proved challenging for homebuyers, with only 28% of those planning to purchase a home successfully doing so, according to a new survey by NerdWallet.

C.A.R. 

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An upturn in mortgage rates and elevated home prices constrained California housing affordability in the fourth quarter, as borrowing costs remained near all-time highs.

C.A.R. 

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In the wake of the devasting Southern California wildfires, C.A.R. has placed an open letter in 45+ California newspapers to support and help displaced homeowners understand what to expect and common pitfalls to watch out for in the critical weeks ahead as they try to recover from losses.  The letter is published in both English and Spanish.

CNBC​

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Total mortgage application volume decreased 2% from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index.   

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®​

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Navigating the many challenges following a wildfire involves understanding both the insurance payment process and potential legal protections to avoid falling victim to scams or other predatory actions.emain a constraint.

Reuters​

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Sales of new U.S. single-family homes increased more than expected in December, further evidence that housing market activity regained some momentum at the end of 2024, though rising mortgage rates remain a constraint.

CNBC​

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In so-called rental listing scams, scammers will make up listings that aren’t available for rent or simply do not exist in order to fraudulently take your money, often asking for payments like an application fee, a security deposit, the first month’s rent or a mix of such charges.

Mortgage Reports​

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Builder sentiment edged higher to begin the year on hopes for an improved economic growth and regulatory environment, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI).

SD Union-Tribune​

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Non-renewals and cancellation of home insurance have generally trended upward statewide in the past decade, according to the state Department of Insurance — and that includes non-renewals initiated by both insurers and consumers.

LA Times​

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Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Bank, and Wells Fargo have committed to offering their impacted customers a 90-day forbearance on mortgage payments, without reporting these to credit agencies.

Office of the Governor​

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Gov. Newsom issued an executive order barring opportunist and predatory investors from making unsolicited undervalued offers to families impacted by the firestorms to buy their land, taking advantage by offering fast cash for destroyed property.

LAist​

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People impacted by the Palisades and Eaton fires can now search damage assessment maps for their home or other address.

Realtor.com​

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The California Dept. of Insurance issued a mandatory moratorium that prohibits insurance companies from cancelling insurance coverage in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood and the area outside Pasadena affected by the Eaton fire through Jan. 7, 2026.

Clever Real Estate​

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More than three-quarters of recent American home sellers who used an agent (76%) feel the services they received were worth what they paid for them.

CNBC ​

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Mortgage rates last week moved higher for the fourth week in a row, causing total mortgage application volume to fall 3.7% compared with the previous week.

NBC Bay Area News​

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More than half of homes for sale in November had sat on the market for at least 60 days without going under a contract of sale.

NBC Bay Area News​

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California will start requiring property insurers to increase coverage in wildfire-prone areas after homeowners across the state increasingly struggle to find policies. 

California Assn. of REALTORS®​

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California had its largest yearly increase in existing home sales since June 2021 in November, but overall, the housing market remained a work-in-progress. 

Realtor.com​

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Mortgage rates rose again from 6.72% last week to 6.85% for the average 30-year fixed home loan for the week ending Dec. 26, according to Freddie Mac.

Reuters​

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New home sales jumped 5.9% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 664,000 units last month, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau said.

Realtor.com​

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Younger Americans who bought homes during the COVID-19 pandemic could account for a surprisingly large share of home sellers in the coming year, as boomers who have owned their homes for decades mostly refuse to sell, a new survey finds.

Realtor.com​

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The housing market might be squeezed by high mortgage rates—but in 2025, expect to see explosive sales growth in some cities, particularly in the Sun Belt.

Realtor.com​

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Annual inflation in the U.S. ticked up again last month, but the Federal Reserve is still widely expected to push forward with rate cuts as it meets again next week.

Fannie Mae​

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The Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index® (HPSI) increased 0.4 points in November to 75.0, continuing its sharp upward trend over the past year as consumers appear to be acclimating to the higher mortgage rate and home price environment.

KTLA​

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For many, the dream of owning a home is simply too far out of reach, so renting is the only option. As of October, the average single-family home costs around $888,000, according to C.A.R., and a typical condominium will cost you around $670,000.

Realtor.com​

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Mortgage rates fell from 6.81% last week to 6.69% for a 30-year fixed home loan for the week ending Dec. 5, according to Freddie Mac. Rates decreased to their lowest level in over a month and purchase demand has noticeably improved.

Newsweek​

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While reports have circulated that Americans are fleeing California to lower cost of living areas, the National Association of Realtors has revealed that the state saw a surge in migration to the state in recent years.

Fox Business News​

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The Federal Housing Finance Agency has raised maximum limits for a traditional mortgage on the heels of rising home prices. The conforming loan limit is $806,500 on one-unit properties and a cap of $1,209,750 in high-cost areas. 

National Association of Realtors®​

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​Realtors® reported that their recent clients chose to move to a specific area primarily to be closer to family and friends (30%) and to get more home for the money (21%), according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors®.

National Association of Realtors®​

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​Realtors® reported that their recent clients chose to move to a specific area primarily to be closer to family and friends (30%) and to get more home for the money (21%), according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors®.

Reuters​

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U.S. homebuilder sentiment rose to a seven-month high in November and expectations for sales in the next six months surged to the highest in about 2 ½ years, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index.

Realtor.com​

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Mortgage rates spiked from 6.78% last week to 6.84% for a 30-year fixed home loan for the week ending Nov. 21, according to Freddie Mac.

Yahoo Finance​

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Barring a cataclysmic event or major economic turmoil, the median home price in Los Angeles County will likely cross the $1,000,000 mark in 2025.

Yahoo Finance​

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When Congress moves ahead quickly to continue expiring Trump-era tax cuts next year, it’s likely to take a step to further make it harder to buy a home in California.

WCNC​

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The Federal Reserve keeps dropping key interest rates, but mortgage rates are actually going up, leaving many prospective homeowners facing a harsh reality. 

Go Banking Rates​

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While California’s high-priced real estate market has faced challenges recently, 2025 is shaping up as a promising year for buyers, especially in high-demand areas.

National Association of REALTORS®​

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"The last two years have been tough for many people who work in home sales or who were in the market to buy or sell, but the worst may be over," said Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of REALTORS®.

CNBC​

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While building more homes is the simpler answer to address the housing issue in the country, other promises Trump has made could deter affordability efforts, experts say.

Redfin​

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The number of renter households rose 2.7%, in the third quarter year over year, to a record 45.6 million, three times faster than the 0.9% increase in homeowner households, which now total a record 86.9 million.

Inman​

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Investors sent shares in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac higher last week on expectations that the  Trump administration will revive efforts to privatize the companies.

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®​

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Slower home price growth and more favorable interest rates in third-quarter 2024 buoyed California’s housing affordability from both the previous quarter and a year ago.

CNBC​

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The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage surged 9 basis points Wednesday to 7.13%, the highest rate since July 1 of this year, according to Mortgage News Daily.

National Association of REALTORS®

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The first-time homebuyer market share decreased to a historic low of 24% (down from 32% last year), while home buyers’ ages hit all-time highs of 56 years overall (49 last year), 38 years for first-time buyers (35 last year) and 61 years for repeat buyers (58 last year).

MarketWatch

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The typical age of home sellers in the U.S. is 63 — up from 60 a year ago and the oldest ever recorded, according to a report published Monday by the National Association of Realtors.

Fox9 News

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Despite average mortgage rates being much higher, nearly half of homebuyers in the past year report having a rate below 5%, according to a new survey by Zillow. 

Newsbreak

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The Center for California Real Estate (CCRE) has released its annual list of key issues in housing, spotlighting the significant challenges faced by California's housing market in 2024.

OC Register

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Voters in 2020 approved Prop. 19, which allows property owners and those who inherit a primary residence to transfer their base tax rates.

Motley Fool

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Election cycles raise questions about the impact on home sales for both home buyers and sellers.

Newsweek

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About one in seven REALTORS® saw home insurance issues derail a sale as property insurance becomes increasingly unaffordable, a new report from C.A.R. found.

Realtor.com

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Sales of previously owned homes dropped to a 14-year low last month despite lower mortgage rates, as uncertainty over the presidential election casts a shadow on the market.

Marketplace

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Gen Z is barely able to pay rent, much less keep up with rising housing market trends. What does that mean for its future?

Associated Press

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Americans’ outlook on the economy soured a bit this month after two months of small gains, according to the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index, released Friday.

Realtor.com

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Nationally, single-family housing starts hit a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,027,000 last month, up 2.7% from August’s revised figure, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released on Friday. Single-family starts were up 5.5% from one year ago nationwide.

CNBC

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Mortgage interest rates rose last week for the third straight week, hitting the highest level since August.

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®

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California home sales stalled in September and hit the lowest level in nine months despite the lowest interest rates since spring.

SF Chronicle

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Fewer than 20 in 1,000 homes in the San Francisco metropolitan area have changed owners this year, a sign housing market activity remains below pre-pandemic levels — though there has been some recent improvement.

CNBC

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The share of middle-class Americans who are buying wallet-squeezing homes has more than doubled in the previous 10 years.

Mortgage Orb

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Consumer confidence in the housing market rose to the highest in two years, per Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI).

CNBC

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An abrupt turn higher for mortgage interest rates caused weekly demand from both potential homebuyers and current homeowners to drop.

CNN

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Inflation continued to slow in September, reaching a fresh 3½-year low and coming in at a pace that’s similar to what was seen in 2017 and 2018.

Yahoo Finance

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The Home Builder Confidence Index rose to 41 in September, up from August's reading of 39, as mortgage rates continue to cool to 19-month lows.

Realtor.com

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Tiny houses are exploding in popularity, and California ranks number two in a list of states where people were searching for tiny homes the most at 32,360 per 100,000 searches.

ABC 10

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California real estate transactions now come with a specific contingency allowing buyers to cancel their contract if they're not satisfied with the insurance options and costs.