
Should you buy or rent?
Higher mortgage rates have made the often-asked question much easier, as monthly house payments demand a lot more money than rent in many cities in California. Find out how much by region.



A holiday gift for buyers in December: Lower rates and price cuts
The months-long standoff between buyers and sellers continued in December, but a dip in mortgage rates encouraged more buyers to test the cool waters.



More high-end homes available as sales plummet in California
Guess what? The rich are just like us, at least when it comes to higher mortgage rates and watching Wall Street — and how those affect homebuying decisions. Also, Uncle Sam raises the conforming loan limit to more than $1 million in some California regions and seven cities in the state get props for housing efforts.



More buyers are asking for — and getting — concessions from sellers
Like the house but not the bad carpet or the decades-old heating and cooling system? Homeowners are more willing to make a deal to sell their home. Also, Wells Fargo Bank pulls back on the mortgage business. And six of the 10 happiest cities in the country are in California.



California home sales plunge to a 14-year low in October
California home sales plummet to the lowest level since 2008 and prices decline for the second consecutive month.



Two reports, one result: A lot more money is needed to buy a home in California
Higher mortgage rates are affecting home prices, but fewer buyers are able to afford a home as the monthly mortgage payment has increased by at least 33% in California.



Fall brings a big chill to the housing market in September, with sales falling 30%
Higher mortgage rates slam the door on many wanna-be buyers California’s once red-hot housing market entered a deep freeze in September, as the change in the season brought a lot more concern from home shoppers about fast-rising mortgage rates and economic uncertainty. As mortgage rates climbed to the highest level in 20 years, home sales…



Housing outlook for 2023: Fewest sales in 16 years, prices will suffer third-largest price drop
Higher mortgage rates are acting like a bucket of ice on the once red-hot housing market, with sales and prices falling significantly next year.

California has the most at-risk markets in the U.S.
Inland communities, from Chico to Riverside-San Bernardino counties, are the most at-risk housing markets in California.



A brief dip in rates boosts August home prices and sales
A short-lived drop in mortgage rates bumped prices and sales, but both will continue to slow in the coming months.

Mortgage activity has the largest percentage decline since 2008, but down payments soar
Higher rates are causing many home shoppers to pull back on their plans, with mortgage activity plummeting during the second quarter. But those who are buying, are putting down record-setting down payments.

Real estate investors are pulling back on buying homes
Institutional investors have been crunching data and finding out that buying and leasing out homes does not generate the same head-turning returns.



Bank of America to help families buy their first homes in some Black and Latino areas
Bad credit, no down payment? No problem. Bank of America announces plan to help first-time buyers in some Black and Latino neighborhoods in Los Angeles.



Foreign buyers are spending more, buying less in California
More foreigners are discovering America, again. Well, the nation’s real estate to be more specific. Foreign investors bought a combined $59 billion of homes in the United States from April 2021 through March 2022, an 8.5% increase from the previous year and ending a three-year skid of slumping sales. Record-high prices – from Portland, Maine,…

Home sales plunge 31% in July with higher mortgage rates
California home sales slowed for the fourth consecutive month in July, as higher interest rates and near-record-high prices are affecting affordability and causing more home shoppers to hold off. Sales tumbled to an adjusted annualized rate of 295,460 homes in July, a 14.4% decline compared to June and off a staggering 31.1% from a year…



Affordability tumbles to a 15-year low and the majority of homes for sale are ‘stale’
Higher mortgage rates are affecting the number of households that can buy a home, with the Bay Area now more affordable than other regions in the state.



More homeowners are equity rich in the Golden State
From the Bay Area to San Diego, many homeowners are equity rich than mortgage poor, thanks to record-high prices.



Record second-quarter prices lead to big profits for sellers
Higher mortgage rates will cause price gains to slow — and possibly dip — as sales slow.

7 California cities are among the most at-risk housing markets
Higher mortgage rates are cooling off the red-hot housing market, and several California cities are among the most at risk for fewer sales and sliding prices. Three of the 10 cities most likely to experience a decline in home prices are in California – and seven of the top 20, according to Redfin. The Inland…

California dreaming: 20% of ‘emerging’ housing markets in U.S. are in the state
Affordability and appreciation are possible in California. At least in some of the cities listed by the Wall Street Journal/Realtor.com Emerging Markets report.