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CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®

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C.A.R. applauds Gov. Gavin Newsom for recognizing that housing costs are a major driver of California’s affordability crisis and cautions that certain kinds of policies risk making it harder for the state’s families to find a place to live.

Newsweek

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Among the top ten U.S. metropolitan areas where home prices are expected to fall the fastest in 2026, three are in California, according to an analysis by Realtor.com.

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®

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C.A.R. has announced the launch of Homeownership Matters, a statewide public education and advocacy campaign to make homeownership a critical priority of California’s 2026 housing agenda.

AARP

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The ongoing struggle of Californians to secure a slice of the American Dream is motivating AARP California to focus on housing as a top priority in the state legislature this year.

CNBC

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Eighty-three percent of commercial real estate leaders said they expect their revenues to improve by the end of 2026 compared with 88% last year, according to a Deloitte survey of 850 global chief executives.

CNBC

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Mortgage rates are lower, home prices are easing and there is more supply on the market for sale, which all adds up to improved affordability for today’s homebuyers. However, saving for a down payment is still the biggest hurdle for first-time buyers.

Realtor.com

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​After decades of young professionals flocking to large metros in search of well-paying jobs and lifestyle amenities, the American heartland is seeing a resurgence, with rural counties posting massive home price increases far outpacing those in urban centers.

CBS News

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Both 30-year and 15-year mortgage loan rates are hovering in territory that seemed out of reach just months ago. Here's what you should know about today's mortgage interest rates.

Realtor.com

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A new bill aimed at tackling the housing affordability crisis has advanced out of committee in the U.S. House, renewing hopes that the federal government will take action to address soaring costs.

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®

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California home sales rose in November from both the previous month and year for the third consecutive month to reach the highest level since September 2022.

Mansion Global

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From coastal sunshine to mountain snowfall, these days, a region’s climate often drives decisions about where to live and house hunt.

Realtor.com

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Homebuilder sentiment remained muted in December as the industry faces challenging conditions, but builders are hopeful that things will turn around in 2026 as interest rates ease.

National Association of REALTORS®

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Mortgage rates have been moderating in recent weeks, and the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage could dip to 6% in the new year, if real estate predictions hold.

Spectrum News

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Experts warn the national program covering 180,000 Californians is at risk as the Trump administration pushes to overhaul it and for states to shoulder more FEMA costs.

The Hill

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The Federal Reserve cut interest rates in an unusually narrow vote, dropping its baseline interest rate down by 0.25 percentage points. 

Realtor.com

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The year ahead is likely to be more for many homebuyers, even though home prices continue to climb for sellers. Affordability will improve as mortgage rates are expected to be lower on average in 2026.

MSN Money

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The U.S. housing market is finally shifting out of its emergency phase and into something closer to normal, but that "normal" will look very different from the pre-pandemic boom.

CNBC

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Consumer confidence declined in November, with growing concerns about job prospects, according to the Conference Board. The Consumer Confidence Index fell 6.8 points to 88.7, its lowest level in seven months.

KTLA TV

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A report from Redfin shows that only 11.5 out of every 1,000 homes in Los Angeles changed hands this year. That 1.15% rate of new owners is the second-lowest in the U.S. behind only New York City (1.03%), and is down 8.6% from the previous year.

Realtor.com

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Now that winter is fast approaching, first-time homeowners should take steps to prep their home for the colder temps. While some winterizing tasks, like testing your furnace and checking your thermostat, are obvious, others are far too easy to overlook.

Zillow

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A new analysis from Zillow® and Thumbtack® finds that the hidden costs of homeownership now add up to $15,979 per year nationwide, climbing faster than incomes and straining affordability across the country.

Mortgage Professional America

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Homebuilders in the United States struggled to lift buyer confidence in November, even as a record share of firms slashed prices to move inventory. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) inched up just one point to 38.

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS® 

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California home sales rose in October from both the prior month and a year ago to reach the highest level since February, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® said this week.

Redfin

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Nationally, now is a good time to buy, if you can afford it. Prices keep climbing, but with lower mortgage rates and more inventory, buyers have an upper hand in negotiations, according to Redfin’s chief economist.  ago.

CNBC

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Mortgage applications to purchase a home rose 6% last week to their strongest pace since September, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Volume was 31% higher than the same week one year ago.

CALIFORNIA ASSN. OF REALTORS®

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C.A.R. supports allowing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to permit the assumption of fixed-rate mortgages by qualified buyers. By permitting buyers to take over a seller’s existing low-rate mortgage, these loans can ease financial pressure and make homeownership more attainable.

Realtor.com

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House hunters hoping to purchase a home this month might be in luck, as a growing number of metros are shifting from seller's to buyer's markets, offering shoppers more options and bargaining power.

CNBC

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A longer-term mortgage would lower the monthly payment for homeowners. However, homeowners would not build equity as quickly because their principal payments would be smaller.

Redfin

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Nationwide, just over one in five (21.8%) home listings are affordable to the typical U.S. military veteran using a VA loan, while 26.5% are affordable to the typical veteran using a conventional loan. 

Orange County Register

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Starting Nov. 15, Fannie Mae is eliminating its 620 minimum middle credit score requirement for purchase and refinance home loan credit decisions. 

C.A.R.

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Seventeen percent of California households could afford to purchase the $887,830 median-priced home in the third quarter of 2025, up from 15 percent in the second quarter and up from 16 percent in Q3 2024. 

CNN

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Payroll processing company ADP on Wednesday estimated that private-sector businesses added 42,000 jobs in October, a swing into positive territory after back-to-back months of job losses. 

San Francisco Chronicle

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San Francisco homes are selling after just 21 days on the market. That's faster than homes in almost any other large U.S. city, which average 51 days. Experts credit the AI boom for an influx of cash to the region. 

CNBC

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As more corporations report third-quarter earnings this week, there are signs that wealthier Americans are spending more while lower-income Americans are significantly paring back their spending -- often called a K-shaped economy. Lower-income consumers have been hardest hit by rising inflation and prices on essentials. 

Independent Voter News

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In California, 19% of single-family homes, or 1.45 million, are owned by corporate investors. While 91% of these owners are smaller-scale landlords with five or fewer properties, 9% are hedge funds, private equity firms and real estate investment trusts.  

CNBC

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The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage dropped to 6.30% from 6.37%, which is the lowest level since September 2024. Refinance demand jumped 9% for the week and was 111% higher than the same week one year ago. 

Politico

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Homebuilders are using the President's calls for Fannie and Freddie to get housing construction going to urge the mortgage giants to back loans that homebuilders procure to start new housing project.

RentCafe

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Los Angeles ranks second after Manhattan for the most planned apartment conversions of commercial spaces, at 5,460, including 2,843 units from offices and 715 hotel units.

CNN

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The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped to 6.19% for the week ending October 23, down from 6.27% last week, according to Freddie Mac data.

CNBC

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Mortgage rates last week dropped to the lowest level in a month, pushing more borrowers to refinance. As a result, applications to refinance a home loan rose 4% for the week and were 81% higher than the same week one year ago.

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors

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The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to extend until Nov. 28 the price-gouging protections for rental housing that had been triggered by the January wildfires.

CNBC

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Homeowners and real estate agents are using artificial intelligence to virtually enhance photos in real estate listings. While virtual staging of homes for sale can move listings more quickly, some agents say transparency remains an issue.

Zillow

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A September dip in mortgage rates paired with a stock market bump gave a boost to what is traditionally the start of the slow season in real estate, showing activity is unseasonably resilient after a lackluster August.

Redfin

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Just 25.3% of U.S. homes that sold in September went for more than their final list price, down from 28.5% a year earlier and the lowest September level in six years.