FRIDAY - the 13th

- Debt-to-Income Ratios Rising Among Buyers

- Why buying a house today is so much harder than in 1950

- Number of multigenerational households hit all-time high

- A Fire-Ravaged Home in Silicon Valley for $800,000
- Who caused the Bay Area’s housing shortage?
- 10 Inspiring Setups for Outdoor Dining

- Get More Kitchen Storage With Counter-Depth Upper Cabinets

Enjoy!

Debt-to-Income Ratios Rising Among Buyers - About one in five conventional mortgage loans issued this winter went to borrowers who spent more than 45 percent of their monthly incomes on their mortgage payment and other debts. This is the highest proportion since the housing crisis, according to CoreLogic, a real estate data firm. Further, that is nearly triple the proportion of such loans issued in 2016 and the first half of 2017.


Why buying a house today is so much harder than in 1950 - It’s not news that the homebuying market, and the economy, were very different 60 years ago. But it’s important to emphasize how the factors that created the homeownership boom in the ’50s—widespread government intervention that tipped the scales for single-family homes, more open land for development and starter-home construction, and racist housing laws and discriminatory practices that damaged neighborhoods and perpetuated poverty—have led to many of our current housing issues.


Number of multigenerational households hit all-time high - In 2016, the number of multigenerational households increased to 20% of the U.S. population, or 64 million people, an all-time high. While some demographics are more likely than others to live in multigen households, the trend is growing in nearly all racial groups, most age groups and both men and women, according to the Pew Research Center.


A Fire-Ravaged Home in Silicon Valley for $800,000 - As you might have guessed, it’s all about location. While this particular “home” isn’t near Apple’s recently opened spaceship campus (where a two-bedroom, one-bath home recently set a Bay Area record for price per square foot), it’s close to the proposed Google Village, an area where the company plans to build new offices, stores, and research facilities.


Who caused the Bay Area’s housing shortage? - Experts say finding someone to blame is not that simple. The real answer, they say, lies entangled in a complicated web that implicates everyone involved, from businesses to local elected officials to your next door neighbor. And the stakes are high for policy makers trying to untangle that web as the housing crisis intensifies. To solve the problem, it’s crucial to understand the factors that turned the Bay Area’s real estate market into one of the country’s most dysfunctional.


10 Inspiring Setups for Outdoor Dining - These alfresco dining arrangements will have you eager to dust off the patio set and get outside this season


Get More Kitchen Storage With Counter-Depth Upper Cabinets - Get the lowdown on expanding your upper storage capacity