Real Estate

California’s housing situation has never been more uncertain. Since the start of the 2020 pandemic, more and more Californians are struggling to make ends meet, which can be seen especially in the housing market. It’s been estimated that as many as 239,619 households in California will be unable to pay for their rent, leading to a whopping $1.67 billion in debt. In response to these grim numbers,...

Do people still care about winter real estate prices? Well, the data shows that people do, as evidenced by the fact that you are also reading this post. Let's dive into the numbers. Various markets' prices are holding up from October, while most markets saw a drop in sales quantity. This is a sign of seller retreat rather than a surge in buyer demand. Given most markets saw anywhere between 28% to 50%...

Looking at the home prices of October, it's as if bay area home buyers weren't deterred by the uncertainty of presidential election. Median home prices generally see a substantial increase from 5% to 17% year-to-year, consistent with the previous month's. In terms of the winter inventory, California Association of Realtors reported the demand outpaced the supply across all regions of California. In...

This year’s pandemic has caused many people to consider moving out of cities and into suburbs or even more rural areas. In just San Francisco alone, residents have hastily gathered their belongings and rushed out of the city in the hopes of the grass being much greener on the other side of the hustle and bustle that comes with an urban lifestyle.  While it’s alarming to live in a city during a...

We are set to expect a warmer than normal winter for the real estate market. Traditionally, real estate activities in the November, December and January months are about 1/4 of the normal months. This year is different. Based on the September and the other forward looking indicator, we expecting the winter months to have 50%-60% more listings than previous year. If you are in the market this winter, you...

Choosing to sell your home is always a big decision, but doing so during a pandemic might be even more difficult. In such a scenario, multiple health and safety concerns—and possible economic distress—may be layered on top of the typical market conditions you’ll consider before making the final decision to sell. Demand for housing is still incredibly strong, despite the hit to the economy, and...

As we roll into September, the bay area August sales data continue last month's trend - single families are selling higher and seller while condos are selling lower and lower. There is nothing too interesting going on. In the same period, a single family listing may get 30 showings in 3 days of hitting market while a condo only gets 1 showing for the first two weeks. Condo owners are struggling between...

Thousands of dry lightning sparked new fires across California in the recent weeks, causing hundreds of homes and properties burning around the San Francisco Bay Area. The devastating fires from North, South, and East of San Francisco scorched a total of 780 square miles that destroyed more than 500 structures and killed more than 5 people. Burning conditions aggravated by bone-dry winter in Northern...

Many people have asked me how COVID-19 is going to impact the residential real estate market. Two months have passed and I have gathered enough evidence to form a reasonable opinion on this question. Let's start with some facts I'll try to be brief here since you can find plenty of details on the Internet. From April 2020 sales data above, April sold home prices are high than a year ago, by...

With the purchase and ownership of real estate comes an inherent risk. These involve weather-related incidents, crime statistics, fluctuations in the local and national economy and in some cases, the passing of new laws. Such is the case concerning Accessory Dwelling Units or ADU’s in California, and it could be a very good thing for California investors and those with large lots. The main reason...