NEWSROOM

Fannie Mae

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Fannie Mae’s 2025 National Housing Survey® (NHS), which includes the Home Purchase Sentiment Index® (HPSI), a measure of consumer sentiment toward housing, rose in May. Month over month, the HPSI increased 4.3 points to 73.5. Year over year, the HPSI is up 4.1 points. 

Realtor.com

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The number of homes for sale in the U.S. topped 1 million for the first time since Winter 2019, but only metros in the South or West have fully returned to pre-pandemic inventory levels as the Northeast and Midwest remain stuck in a supply squeeze.

KTLA TV

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Several California bills could lead to significant reforms of the state’s environmental review law, with the goal of addressing the state’s ongoing housing crisis. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), enacted in 1970, requires public agencies in California to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of proposed projects and avoid those impacts, if possible.

Governor's Office

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California is launching the CalAssist Mortgage Fund on June 12, 2025 to provide grants up to $20,000 to homeownwers whose homes were destroyed or left uninhabitable by recent fire, floods and other disasters. This includes those whose homes were destroyed by the LA-area firestorms earlier this year.

Washington Post

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California’s growing wildfire risk is affecting the state’s mortgage market, a new study has found, with brick-and-mortar banks approving fewer home loans in risky areas — while their online counterparts are continuing to lend there.

Fast Company

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According to a recent Redfin analysis, there were nearly 490,041 more U.S. home sellers than buyers in April 2025. That’s the most that home sellers have outmatched homebuyers in over a decade.

Realtor.com

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Mortgage applications have decreased for the third consecutive week, dropping 3.9% from a week earlier, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

SF Chronicle

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San Benito County built homes at the fastest rate in California, with about 9% growth from 2020 to 2025, more than double the rate of increase seen in San Francisco, whose housing stock grew by less than 4%, just below the state figure.

MP Magazine

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A large majority of Americans continue to view homeownership as a key life milestone, but rising anxieties around affordability and mortgage misconceptions reveal an urgent need for better homebuying education, according to new survey findings from KB Home.

Realtor.com

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Mortgage applications declined for the second consecutive week, as higher mortgage rates following a credit downgrade of U.S. debt weighed on buyer demand.

CNBC

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Mortgage rates rose for the third straight week last week to the highest level since January, but some homebuyers were undeterred.

CNBC

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If you just bought a house, it may be a good time to check the accuracy of your property tax assessment, experts say. 

Redfin

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Roughly 56,000 U.S. home-purchase agreements were canceled in April, equal to 14.3% of homes that went under contract that month. That’s up from 13.5% a year earlier and is the highest April share in records dating back to 2017, with the exception of April 2020, when the coronavirus brought the housing market to a halt.

North Bay Business Journal

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California's housing crisis persists despite the construction of 556,000 new homes in the past five years, coinciding with a slight population decrease. Yet, median home prices rose 40% in that time.

CNBC

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Volatile lumber prices are once again rattling the U.S. housing market, squeezing builders and threatening to exacerbate an already dire affordability crisis.

Newsweek

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Californians who own properties in Montana stand to shoulder a heavier tax burden as a result of a new bill which will increase property taxes on second homes in the state, while offering relief to primary residence owners and long-term rentals.

CNBC

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The average rate on the popular 30-year fixed loan hit 7.04% on Monday, according to Mortgage News Daily. That is the highest level since April 11.

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®

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Amid an environment of economic uncertainty during April, California’s housing market retreated for the second straight month, while the median home price reached an all-time high, surpassing $900,000 for the first time in 10 months, the CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS® said.

BMO

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Interest in home ownership remains strong as 66% of Americans view owning a home as a major aspiration in life, consistent with a year ago. However, 61% of Americans say they feel less confident they will own a home in their lifetime than they were five years ago.  

Realtor.com

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Homebuyers who purchase newly built homes are typically saving about half a percentage point on their mortgage rate, likely due to incentives from homebuilders, new research has found.

Realtor.com

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Home builders are sending discount offers to prospective house hunters, meant to offset President Trump’s tariffs, which are expected to push up prices for new homes soon. 

World Property Journal

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Americans’ appetite for vacation homes has continued its steady decline, reaching the lowest point in at least six years.

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®

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Decelerating home price growth offset higher mortgage rates to allow more California homebuyers to purchase a home during the first quarter of 2025, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® said.

Center for California Real Estate

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Leading housing insurance experts gathered in Sacramento last week for a panel discussion around the state’s home insurance crisis hosted by the Center for California Real Estate (CCRE). Among key insights shared by panelists, Stanford University Climate & Energy Policy Director Michael Wara predicted California’s insurance prices will likely continue to rise for the next 10 to 20 years.

Fast Company

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One of the biggest year-over-year housing supply increases is happening in California — where active inventory for sale is up 50% year-over-year.

Pasadena Now

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Consumer confidence across California has plummeted to its lowest level since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, mirroring a broader nationwide downturn in sentiment driven by fears over inflation, job losses, and prolonged economic instability.

KTVU

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New state data shows that in all nine Bay Area counties, a household of four can have a six-figure income and still be categorized as “low income.”

CNBC

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Mortgage rates didn’t move much last week, but homebuyers continued to pull back amid concerns over the broader economy. Applications for a mortgage to purchase a home dropped 4% last week compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Newsweek

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New home sales surged in March, offering a rare glimmer of optimism for the U.S. housing market, but the boost may be short-lived as builders face mounting pressures from rising costs and economic uncertainty.

Zillow

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In hundreds of U.S. cities, buying a first home has become a seven-figure challenge. While the typical starter home nationwide is worth an attainable $192,514, there are 233 cities where a starter home comes with a price tag of $1 million or more.

NBC News Bay Area

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The youngest U.S. homebuyers aren’t so young anymore, as the median age of first-time homebuyers hit 38 last year, almost a decade older than in the 1980s, when the typical homebuyer was just 29.

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®

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Buying a home in California became less affordable for all ethnic groups last year, as interest rates remained elevated and the typical monthly mortgage payment for a median-priced detached home rose 6 percent compared to the previous year.

Realtor.com

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Sales of newly built homes made a surprising surge in March as signed contracts for new single-family homes jumped 7.4% last month from February, the U.S. Census Bureau reported this week.

Marketplace

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It may not feel quite like a buyer's market, but today there’s another sign that home sellers have less leverage than they once did. Forty-four percent of sellers are giving concessions to buyers, according to a new report from Redfin — that’s up from 39% a year ago. 

National Association of Realtors®

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Top remodeling projects for homeowner satisfaction and cost recovery continue to vary as individuals remodel their homes for diverse reasons, according to the National Association of Realtors® and National Association of the Remodeling Industry's 2025 Remodeling Impact Report.

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®

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California home sales dialed back slightly in March as consumers grow increasingly concerned about their financial outlook in the year ahead.

SF Gate
 

The Bay Area is proving itself to be an exception — for now, at least — as the housing market strengthened in the first quarter of 2025, with increased sales volume and homes spending minimal time on the market, largely driven by the AI tech boom.

Fannie Mae
 

Following national home price growth of 5.8% in 2024, a panel of more than 100 housing experts forecasts home price growth to average 3.4% in 2025 and 3.3% in 2026.

Newsweek
 

A recession this year could lead to a much-needed drop in home prices across the country, experts told Newsweek, but only because many aspiring buyers would be pushed to the sidelines by rising inflation and widespread uncertainty about their future.

CNBC
 

A swift rise in mortgage rates this week wiped out any advantages of last week’s decline for homebuyers. As a result, homebuyers are now more concerned with the state of the economy and employment than they are with rates.

Fast Company
 

While homebuyers and home sellers still see headlines about the housing market being a seller’s market and national home prices reaching all-time highs, a deeper look reveals that several regional housing markets have shifted, giving homebuyers some power. 

CNBC
 

The average rate on the popular 30-year fixed rate loan plunged 12 basis points to 6.63% following the Trump administration’s tariff announcement, according to Mortgage News Daily.

Realtor.com
 

Home sellers continued to cut prices at a historic pace, as they sought to lure spring homebuyers. The share of active listings with price reductions hit 17.5% in March, up from 15% a year ago, according to Realtor.com®.

National Assn. of REALTORS®
 

Americans between the ages of 60 and 78—the baby boomer generation—are the largest share of home buyers, accounting for 42% of buyers and 53% of sellers, the highest of any other age group, according to NAR’s “2025 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report.”

SiliconValley.com

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The mayor of Paradise, Calif., said there’s hope for Southern California wildfire survivors, but it’s going to take decades, and the costs of reconstruction will skyrocket, possibly outpacing insurance, during a virtual CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® forum about wildfire reconstruction in L.A. County.

CNBC

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Applications for a mortgage to purchase a home rose 1% for the week and were 7% higher than the same week one year ago. The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage dropped to 6.71% from 6.72%.

CNBC

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Consumer confidence dimmed further in March as the view of future conditions fell to the lowest level in more than a decade, the Conference Board reported Tuesday.

Housing Wire

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​Home sellers who did not list their properties on the MLS lost out on more than $1 billion in sale proceeds over the past two years, according to a study by Zillow. The study also found that these losses were deepest in communities of color.

Axios

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​The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged this week while noting increased economic uncertainty and slashing growth forecasts, at a time when trade and other policy areas are in extreme flux.

Newsweek

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​Fueled by declining mortgage rates at the start of the year and an uptick in available inventory, the California housing market is showing signs of a dramatic rebound, recording its highest number of home sales in more than two years in February.

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®

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​California’s housing market rebounded in February as statewide home sales reached the highest level in more than two years amid declining mortgage rates at the start of the year, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® said.

San Francisco Chronicle

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​The typical Bay Area homeowner keeps their home for nearly two decades — one of the longest periods of any major U.S. metropolitan area, tying for the fourth-highest median among the 47 largest metro areas, according to Redfin.

CNBC

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Mortgage rates dropped to the lowest rate since October of last year, and that pushed demand even higher last week, after a substantial jump the previous week. Total mortgage application volume rose 11.2 percent for the week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index.

Mortgage Professional Magazine

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Consumer sentiment toward the housing market has declined on a year-over-year basis for the first time since 2023, according to the latest Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI). The index fell by 1.8 points in February to 71.6, reflecting growing pessimism about mortgage rates and personal financial situations.

MarketWatch

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The 30-year mortgage rate fell in early March to the lowest level in three months, Freddie Mac says. Falling rates are prompting some homeowners to refinance their mortgage, including those looking to lower their monthly mortgage payments.

CA State Office of the Governor

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Governor Gavin Newsom today issued an executive order to maintain protections for renters and homeowners affected by Los Angeles area firestorms. The order extends to July 1, 2025 state price gouging restrictions for rental housing, hotels, and short-term housing, extends support for survivors sheltering in hotels and short-term housing, and prioritizes fire-survivors experiencing homelessness for state-funded housing..

CNN

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Massive federal cuts and swelling feelings of economic uncertainty helped fuel a recession-level spike in layoff plans last month, new data showed Thursday. U.S.-based employers last month announced plans to slash 172,017 jobs, a 103 percent increase from a year ago and the highest February total since 2009. It's the twelfth-highest monthly total in 32 years, and the 11 others all occurred during recessions. The largest share of job cut announcements came in the government sector, where the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency has axed jobs, slashed federal spending and scrapped contracts.

Yahoo! News

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The city of Los Angeles is launching a new initiative to encourage the construction of starter homes on small, city-owned vacant lots, an effort to provide relatively lower-cost for-sale housing and show how Los Angeles can densify without turning into Manhattan. The initiative, called Small Lots, Big Impacts, kicked off with a design competition for architects and others to craft innovative plans for multiple small homes on one lot. Winning designs will serve as pre-approved city templates that developers could use. 

Realtor.com

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After tariffs on the U.S.'s two largest trading partners, Canada and Mexico, took effect early on Tuesday (and then were delayed for one month), the National Association of Homebuilders warned that tariffs on lumber and other building materials increase the cost of construction and discourage new development, which consumers end up paying for in the form of higher home prices.  

MPAMag

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In January, U.S. homebuyers canceled purchase agreements at an unprecedented rate. Approximately 14.3 percent of sales contracts were terminated during the month, an increase from 13.4 percent in January of the previous year, marking the highest cancelation rate for January since data collection began in 2017, according to a report by Redfin.  

CNBC

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Inflation eased slightly in January as worries accelerated over President Trump's tariff plans, according to a Commerce Department report today. The personal consumption expenditures price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation measure, increased 0.3 percent for the month and showed a 2.5 percent annual rate. Excluding food and energy, the core PCE also rose 0.3 percent for the month and was at 2.6 percent annually. 

Redfin

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The typical U.S. homebuyer's down payment was equal to 16.3% of the purchase price in December, up from 15% a year earlier, based on a report from Redfin analyzing county records across 40 of the most populous U.S. metropolitan areas. December 2024 is the most recent month for what data is available.

CNBC

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Consumers grew more pessimistic about the economic outlook in February as worries brewed about a slowing economy and rising inflation, the Conference Board reported Tuesday. The board's Consumer Confidence Index slipped to 98.3 for the month, down 7 points and below the Dow Jones forecast for 102.3. This was the lowest reading since June 2024 and the largest monthly drop since August 2021.

Los Angeles Times

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CalFire released new fire hazard severity maps for coastal Northern California on Monday as part of a two-month rollout process  that ends with Southern California on March 24. Fourteen of the 109 cities mapped in coastal Northern California region saw a decrease in acreage for the highest-risk fire zones, including Oakland. That compares with one of 35 cities seeing such a decrease for CalFire's inland Northern California map two weeks ago.

MSN

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Ginnie Mae, a $2.7 trillion stalwart of the U.S. home mortgage market, is the latest Washington agency targetd by Elon Musk. Over the past week, as much as a quarter of the agency's 270-or-so employees have either resigned or been dismissed. The departures have raised concern that the agency (that turns a profit) might have trouble doing its job.

NPR

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Housing Secretary Scott Turner said he plans to review every dollar the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development spends. According to an agency worker with direct knowledge of the plans who has spoken with other HUD employees, the Trump administration aims to lay off half of HUD’s staff.

Zillow

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While recent first-time home buyer rates have declined nationally, Black buyers have experienced the strongest rebound. A Zillow survey found that 62% of Black home buyers purchased their first home in 2024, holding steady from the previous year. In comparison, overall, first-time buyers made up just 44% of the market, down from 50% in 2023.

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®

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California home sales retreated in January as the effects of elevated interest rates depressed housing demand to the lowest level in more than a year, according to C.A.R.

OC Register

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A majority of Americans — 75% — decidedly think that homeownership is part of the American Dream, and more than half view it as a goal within reach, according to a new survey from Realtor.com. 

OC Register

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Scraping together a down payment for a home is a challenge, especially in today’s housing market. But the myth that a 20% down payment is required to buy a home could be making it harder than it needs to be.ions.

Realtor.com

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As the property risks associated with extreme weather and climate disasters continue to rise, certain areas are projected to suffer steep losses in home values, while others benefit from their resilient locations.

My News LA

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The California Association of REALTORS® announced Monday it will distribute $1 million worth of disaster relief grants to provide housing-related assistance to residents impacted by the January wildfires.

NBC Bay Area

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Last year proved challenging for homebuyers, with only 28% of those planning to purchase a home successfully doing so, according to a new survey by NerdWallet.

C.A.R. 

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An upturn in mortgage rates and elevated home prices constrained California housing affordability in the fourth quarter, as borrowing costs remained near all-time highs.

C.A.R. 

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In the wake of the devasting Southern California wildfires, C.A.R. has placed an open letter in 45+ California newspapers to support and help displaced homeowners understand what to expect and common pitfalls to watch out for in the critical weeks ahead as they try to recover from losses.  The letter is published in both English and Spanish.

CNBC​

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Total mortgage application volume decreased 2% from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index.   

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®​

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Navigating the many challenges following a wildfire involves understanding both the insurance payment process and potential legal protections to avoid falling victim to scams or other predatory actions.emain a constraint.

Reuters​

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Sales of new U.S. single-family homes increased more than expected in December, further evidence that housing market activity regained some momentum at the end of 2024, though rising mortgage rates remain a constraint.

CNBC​

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In so-called rental listing scams, scammers will make up listings that aren’t available for rent or simply do not exist in order to fraudulently take your money, often asking for payments like an application fee, a security deposit, the first month’s rent or a mix of such charges.

Mortgage Reports​

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Builder sentiment edged higher to begin the year on hopes for an improved economic growth and regulatory environment, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI).

SD Union-Tribune​

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Non-renewals and cancellation of home insurance have generally trended upward statewide in the past decade, according to the state Department of Insurance — and that includes non-renewals initiated by both insurers and consumers.

LA Times​

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Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Bank, and Wells Fargo have committed to offering their impacted customers a 90-day forbearance on mortgage payments, without reporting these to credit agencies.

Office of the Governor​

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Gov. Newsom issued an executive order barring opportunist and predatory investors from making unsolicited undervalued offers to families impacted by the firestorms to buy their land, taking advantage by offering fast cash for destroyed property.

LAist​

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People impacted by the Palisades and Eaton fires can now search damage assessment maps for their home or other address.

Realtor.com​

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The California Dept. of Insurance issued a mandatory moratorium that prohibits insurance companies from cancelling insurance coverage in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood and the area outside Pasadena affected by the Eaton fire through Jan. 7, 2026.

Clever Real Estate​

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More than three-quarters of recent American home sellers who used an agent (76%) feel the services they received were worth what they paid for them.

CNBC ​

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Mortgage rates last week moved higher for the fourth week in a row, causing total mortgage application volume to fall 3.7% compared with the previous week.

NBC Bay Area News​

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More than half of homes for sale in November had sat on the market for at least 60 days without going under a contract of sale.

NBC Bay Area News​

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California will start requiring property insurers to increase coverage in wildfire-prone areas after homeowners across the state increasingly struggle to find policies. 

California Assn. of REALTORS®​

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California had its largest yearly increase in existing home sales since June 2021 in November, but overall, the housing market remained a work-in-progress. 

Realtor.com​

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Mortgage rates rose again from 6.72% last week to 6.85% for the average 30-year fixed home loan for the week ending Dec. 26, according to Freddie Mac.

Reuters​

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New home sales jumped 5.9% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 664,000 units last month, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau said.

Realtor.com​

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Younger Americans who bought homes during the COVID-19 pandemic could account for a surprisingly large share of home sellers in the coming year, as boomers who have owned their homes for decades mostly refuse to sell, a new survey finds.

Realtor.com​

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The housing market might be squeezed by high mortgage rates—but in 2025, expect to see explosive sales growth in some cities, particularly in the Sun Belt.

Realtor.com​

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Annual inflation in the U.S. ticked up again last month, but the Federal Reserve is still widely expected to push forward with rate cuts as it meets again next week.

Fannie Mae​

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The Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index® (HPSI) increased 0.4 points in November to 75.0, continuing its sharp upward trend over the past year as consumers appear to be acclimating to the higher mortgage rate and home price environment.

KTLA​

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For many, the dream of owning a home is simply too far out of reach, so renting is the only option. As of October, the average single-family home costs around $888,000, according to C.A.R., and a typical condominium will cost you around $670,000.

Realtor.com​

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Mortgage rates fell from 6.81% last week to 6.69% for a 30-year fixed home loan for the week ending Dec. 5, according to Freddie Mac. Rates decreased to their lowest level in over a month and purchase demand has noticeably improved.

Newsweek​

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While reports have circulated that Americans are fleeing California to lower cost of living areas, the National Association of Realtors has revealed that the state saw a surge in migration to the state in recent years.