FRIDAY - may the 4th be with you
- Why the Bay Area is the epicenter of California’s housing crisis
- Here are the top 10 most expensive rental markets in the U.S
- Freddie Expands 3% Down Loans for New Buyers
- Study: May Is Luckiest Month for Sellers
- Buyers Beware: Some Home Sellers May Be Recording You
- Trending Now: 10 Outdoor Rooms to Inspire Summer Lounging
- How to Use Texture to Zone Your Open-Plan Home
Enjoy!
Why the Bay Area is the epicenter of California’s housing crisis - The same story is playing out, over and over: People are flocking to the Bay Area for high-skilled, highly paid jobs, while cashiers, teachers and construction workers are, increasingly, saying goodbye to a place they no longer can afford. The new research by Beacon Economics weaves together housing, economic and migration data, highlighting the underproduction of homes and cost pressures facing low- and middle-income workers amid the housing crisis. It examines the dilemma of the nation’s biggest economic engine, which is providing so much opportunity for some, while shutting so many out.
Here are the top 10 most expensive rental markets in the U.S. - According to Zumper, a rental listing site, three of the top five most expensive rental markets in the nation are in California. San Francisco holds the top spot as the nation’s priciest multifamily market exhibiting rent growth of 1.2% in its one-bedroom price to $3,440. San Jose came in third at 2,500 for a one-bedroom, and Los Angeles tied with Boston for fourth place at $2,300 for a one-bedroom apartment.
Freddie Expands 3% Down Loans for New Buyers - Freddie Mac is debuting a new 3 percent down payment option for qualified first-time buyers that could put it in direct competition with the Federal Housing Administration’s low down payment mortgage. The mortgage financing giant announced Thursday that it is rolling out a new conventional 3 percent down payment option called HomeOne, which will not have any geographic or income restrictions.
Study: May Is Luckiest Month for Sellers - May is the best month to sell a home nationwide, according to a new analysis by ATTOM Data Solutions, a real estate data firm. Researchers evaluated the sales of 14.7 million homes from 2011 to 2017 to pinpoint the month or date that offered the highest sales prices.
Buyers Beware: Some Home Sellers May Be Recording You - Some home sellers are using security cameras to record what potential buyers are saying when they shop. It is a privacy concern that is becoming more common. Recording what people say while they tour a home is now raising both moral and legal questions.
Trending Now: 10 Outdoor Rooms to Inspire Summer Lounging - Fire pits, extra-wide seating and stylish shade structures are some of the features you’ll find in these popular photos
How to Use Texture to Zone Your Open-Plan Home - Check out these ways to use different materials on the walls to create distinct areas in an open floor plan
