Talking Points
- The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® released its 2nd quarter housing affordability report, which showed that the percentage of home buyers who could afford to purchase a median-priced, existing single-family home in California declined to 29 percent. This is down from 32 percent in the first quarter of 2017 and down from 31 percent in the second quarter a year ago.
- A minimum annual income of $110,890 was needed to qualify for the purchase of a $553,260 statewide median-priced, existing single-family home in the second quarter of 2017. The monthly payment, including taxes and insurance on a 30-year, fixed-rate loan, would be $2,770, assuming a 20 percent down payment and an effective composite interest rate of 4.09 percent. The effective composite interest rate in first-quarter 2017 was 4.36 percent and 3.85 percent in the second quarter of 2016.
- Compared to affordability in first-quarter 2017, only six of 43 counties tracked posted an improvement in housing affordability (Napa, Santa Barbara, San Benito, Mariposa/Tuolumne, Mendocino, and Sutter), 29 experienced a decline (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego, Ventura, Monterey, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Amador, Butte, El Dorado, Lake, Mendocino, Shasta, Yolo, Yuba), and eight were unchanged (Sonoma, Orange, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, Tulare, Humboldt, and Sutter).
- During the second quarter of 2017, the most affordable counties in California were Tehama (57 percent), Kern (54 percent), Sutter, (53 percent), Kings and Tulare (both at 52 percent).
- San Francisco (12 percent), San Mateo (14 percent), and Santa Barbara (16 percent), Santa Clara and Santa Cruz (both at 17 percent) counties were the least affordable areas in the state.