In a long overdue confrontation of California real estate’s racist history, the California Association of Realtors has apologized for pushing redlining. If you just let out a big sigh of consternation, you wouldn’t be the only one. CAR was, of course, just one of many California real estate organizations that not only lobbied for legislation throughout the 20th century that resulted in more segregated cities in America.
Read MoreLike many of you, we’re closely monitoring the real estate market. As of last Thursday, mortgage rates for a 30-year-fixed are averaging 7.37% according to Mortgage News Daily. Per Redfin, that means the typical homebuyer is dealing with steeply increased monthly mortgage payments—about 50% higher than when the mortgage rates were around 3%.
Read MoreOn October 20, NOAA (The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) released its winter outlook report for the United States from December 2022 through February 2023. The verdict? It will be another La Niña year. The third in a row, to be exact.
Let’s get to the important part first: what does another La Niña year mean for the Bay Area?
Read MoreToday, October 24, 2022, is the LAST day to register to vote online in California! After today, you will still be able to register in person during early voting periods (dates may vary for your location), or on Election Day itself (November 8), but it could make casting your ballot a longer process! We’ve gathered info for registering online, as well as accessibility info about who can vote, and how to get help for friends and relatives with linguistic barriers.
Read MoreLast Tuesday, The New York Times published a podcast episode of their news podcast, The Daily, entitled The Rise of the Single Family Home—a critical look at the California real estate market, and what lessons we have to teach the rest of the country about housing. At the crux of the story is, you guessed it: the role of the single family home in American society.
Read MoreLooking for a way to celebrate spooky season in the East Bay? We’re compiling a list of local Halloween events for a range of ages! If you’d like your event to be added, or details updated, please let us know in the comments!
Read MoreLast week, WalletHub released its 2022 report on America’s Safest Cities.
For years, no Bay Area city even made it to the top 25! Why is that? Well, this hinges on the balance of the 42 metrics used to assess safety—not just property and personal safety, but also things like financial safety and natural disaster risk.
Read MoreThis Sunday, August 28th, 2022, the beloved Niles Antique Faire & Flea Market returns to Fremont’s historic Niles District. It will be the 12th year I’ve attended, and the 58th year the Niles Main Street Association has put it on, so say hi if you spot me!
Read MoreThe Fremont City Council on Tuesday will consider approving an exclusive one-year pilot program with Lime — a San Francisco-based electric scooter and bike sharing company — to place scooters, e-bikes and pedal bikes in public areas of the city beginning early next year.
Read MoreSummer started on Tuesday, and yesterday was the "Longest Friday" of the year; in slightly over a week, it will be the 4th of July. Ungodly heat waves have (mostly) passed, leaving a forecast of certified perfect weather days in their wake. You know what this all means: the summer vacation high season is upon us.
Read MoreIn recognition of National Homeownership Month, NAR has released a new white paper entitled, "Hurdles to Homeownership: Understanding the Barriers," identifying five key hurdles keeping the U.S. homeownership rates stuck at 50-year-low despite low mortgage rates and recovering job markets.
Read MoreSan Jose could soon see 8 million square feet of its downtown reshaped into a "transit-oriented" complex of slickly designed office, housing and commercial space, a plan designed by Google and its development partner, Trammell Crow. The project, located near the Diridon Station and the SAP Center, could house up to 20,000 employees. $124 million has already been spent in property acquisition.
Read MoreMountain View's $33 million dollar affordable housing complex will be the first in the city to set aside units for low-income veterans, The Mercury News reports.
Read MoreAmong the skills the modern real estate professional needs to have are contract knowledge, tech skills, solid negotiating tactics, and now... self defense? According to Karen Trolan in a recent safety seminar for the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors, yes.
Read MoreSummer doesn't start until June 20th, but today kicks off National Home Ownership Month. It's a time to reflect on what has been a cornerstone of this country--and the American Dream--for generations: owning a home.
Read MoreThe California Association of Realtors has recently let its staunch opposition to AB-71--also known as the Bring California Home Act--be known.
Read MoreAlameda County, along with San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, has posted an all-time high for median home prices. According to The Mercury News's reporting on May 26, 2017, the typical previously owned home in Alameda County is selling for $805,000.
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