Major housing bill blocked in Sacramento; fierce competition on housing bids, median price highest in 10 years; what is FOMO? What has caused Bay Area's price explosion? What besides tech? Read more at link . . .

Why buying a house today is so much harder than in 1950; SB 827 tries to address the state’s longstanding shortage of homes and a push by climate regulators to build near mass transit through dramatically changing development rules, particularly in the state’s largest metropolitan area; How is affordability defined--certain percentage of your paycheck; multigeneral households, do you live in one? rising debt-to-income ratios affecting more buyers;

Buying a home isn't for everyone, segments of the generations want to rent; Good news (I think), Big investment firms have stopped gobbling up California homes; see all articles at the link . . .

Rent: it's costing...By the time millennials turn 30, they will have paid $92,600 in rent; IMPORTANT--a proposed ballot initiative in California could encourage older homeowners with larger homes to downsize and move to other counties; Calif. transit and housing bills get the thumbs down; more at the link . . .

The year-over-year California price gain has been growing at or above 7 percent for eight of the past nine months; Federal Reserve raises interest rates for 2018; what are the factors behind the decline in household formation in young adults? How will rolling back the Dodd Frank banking reform of 2010 affect everyone?

Millennials are leading the homebuyer generations; all cash buyers have increased to 25% of California market; What is Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act, S. 2155? if passed, it may boost lending to new homeowners; do half of Bay Area residents plan to leave California? find out here . . . and read more about taking on California's housing crisis . . .

San Francisco still gaining new residents, but a lower rate than past years (PS, did you know Redfin is a broker?), California homeowners have more financial benefit than do the renters; where are the most and least affordable places to buy homes?; find out where interest rates are now . . . click at the link

Should you gamble with buying a house sight unseen? ; Shortage of construction workers impacting new housing; is a 5-year fixed to adjustable mortgage right for you? Many are turning to this option; pending home sales down, low inventory to blame; read more at link . . .

San Francisco has low unemployment and an inventory shortage, driving prices even higher; Buyers, don't wait for a 20% payment, read about this and 5 other buyer mistakes; 4-year high in mortgage rates; Airbnb income used for refinancing; California rents are among highest in nation, LA County increased 34% from 5 years ago.

Most buyers not afraid of mortgages rates over 5%; $303k annual income needed to buy a home in San Francisco area; Some SoCal cities have more renters than homeowners; Two-thirds of U.S. housing markets have hit all-time high;

Most non-homeowners want to own a home someday; State says LA isn’t building enough housing—along with 525 other California cities; Will bitcoin have an effect on the buying/selling of real estate?; Housing and SoCal inflation hit big highs;

Southern California median housing prices highest ever; what would an Amazon headquarters do to the SoCal housing economy? Millennials are saving money and want to buy a house; the new tax bill will have both winners and losers in the housing market; Ireland may be the world's hottest housing market.

State bill proposal to expand rent control in California fails; Homes in Los Angeles selling over asking price, find out by how much; are the new tax laws affecting homebuyer plans? read more at link; how are the wildfires affecting residents, will they stay or go?

Where is new hottest housing market in nation? San Jose for 2018 is the prediction; What can homebuyers expect in 2018, read more here; modify Prop 13 to make the tax base portable, read more here!!; home equity hits record high, and Treasury yield is highest point since last March. Read more at link.

Median Price in November: $530,920, see full report at link.

Median Price in November, 2017: $785,000; full report at download link

Southern California home prices expected to rise in 2018, but sales have plateaued; Did you know you now have a $10,000 deduction cap, but read here about the new Calif bill to help those with higher property taxes; Calif has a new "portability tax" proposal, will it make it to the ballot to help 55+ to transfer property tax base anywhere in state? ; Starting in 2018, homeowners can deduct interest on mortgages only up to $750,000. The previous cap was $1 million, with an additional $100,000 allowed for home equity loans. Interest on home equity loans and lines of credit will no longer be deductible.; read more at the link

October, 2017, California Association of Realtors' economic report and market prediction for 2018, download full presentation here.

Difference between 7% vs. 3.3%?

See a chart for both.

What are the costs of buying, and which areas have the most monthly savings?