FRIDAY - from sea to shining sea
- How to Cool Down a Room
- In the Bay Area, even starter homes can cost $500,000
- Rent or Buy? 2017 Begins with Spike in Number of Renters Shopping for Homes
- Why Can’t They Build More Homes Where the Jobs Are?
- California and Bay Area housing set to get even pricier, says UCLA
- How to know when to refinance
- 10 Outdoor Updates for Summer That Won’t Break the Bank
Enjoy!
In the Bay Area, even starter homes can cost $500,000 - As competition drives home prices ever higher in the Bay Area, there is a whiff of good news for first-time homebuyers. The number of starter homes coming to market across the region rose in the second quarter: by 10.9 percent in Oakland, 24.1 percent in San Jose and 26.1 percent in San Francisco, compared to the same quarter last year.
Rent or Buy? 2017 Begins with Spike in Number of Renters Shopping for Homes - The rental market has seen sustained growth for the last several years, but occupancy rates have flattened from their peak in the second quarter of 2016. This new uptick in mortgage shopping could be a precursor to further declines in occupancy, which would impact rent growth – and ultimately, revenue – for multifamily property owners. In anticipation of this potential shift, owners and property managers should be offering the right amenities and programs designed to attract renters.
Why Can’t They Build More Homes Where the Jobs Are? - One reason may be a mismatch between the places people want to live and the places where buildable land is available. Plus, builders have had a hard time filling open positions, which boosts labor costs and slows the pace of construction. Zoning rules often prevent greater population density, pushing builders to erect single-family homes on the peripheries of big cities, instead of apartment buildings closer to job centers.
California and Bay Area housing set to get even pricier, says UCLA - Affordability in this case is a measure not just of how much it costs to buy or rent a home but of the gap between prices and median income. Building still isn’t that robust compared to how strong local industry is these days, which the forecast calls “puzzling.” Shulman points the finger at “tighter credit standards,” the “hollowing out of the middle class,” Millennials staving off home ownership, and the fact that income isn’t growing as fast as industry.
How to know when to refinance - It depends on your specific situation and goals. There are a few reasons to refinance your mortgage– maybe interest rates have dropped since you took our your initial loan and you want to take advantage of the lower rate, or you want to shorten your loan’s term.
10 Outdoor Updates for Summer That Won’t Break the Bank - These low-cost, big-impact ideas can boost your garden style and make your outdoor space even more enjoyable. Some of my faves:
