This article looks at home sales volume through and beyond the current recovery.

In September 2011, 1,035 new real estate agents and 505 brokers received licenses from the California Department of Real Estate (DRE). Today, a total of 144,588 brokers and 295,060 agents hold licenses issued by the California DRE.  Since January of 2008, 1,000 to 1,300 new real estate sales agents have been licensed each month. [For [...]

Charts with up-to-date information and predictions about the course of the California real estate market.

A look at the legislation affecting real estate enacted during the 2009-2010 Legislative Session. For an archive of Legislative Watch years, click here.

This article explores the failure of Congress to grant bankruptcy courts the authority to save homeowners from foreclosure.

California’s supply of previously-owned single family residences (SFRs) sank to a five-year low of 3.8 months in January 2010, down from 5.8 months a year ago. When compared to the January 2008 supply of 16.6 months, this particular statistic points to a California real estate recovery. Or does it? The “months of supply” is merely [...]

Statewide, 41,837 homes were sold in December, up 16.7% from November, and up 10.6% from one year ago. 22,328 of these homes were sold in Southern California (So Cal), up 16.4% from November, and up 12.1% from one year ago. The statewide median price paid for the phantom median-priced home was $264,000, up 1.1% from [...]

Effective January 1, 2010, any Mortgage Loan Broker (MLB) who makes, arranges or services residential or commercial mortgage loan secured by real estate in California must report to the Department of Real Estate (DRE) prior to January 31, 2010. This report must be done online at the DRE’s website (www.dre.ca.gov) using Form RE 866, Mortgage [...]

An updated version of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) Good Faith Estimate (GFE) and Settlement Statement (HUD-1) was released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for use in 2010. RESPA requires any lender making an FHA-insured loan (or any other consumer purpose loan secured by a one to four unit [...]

Lenders often advertise excellent rates on 30-year fixed rate mortgage loans, but unwary buyers who think themselves eligible for these rates are frequently in for an unpleasant surprise. This is because the advertised rates typically apply only to buyers with top credit scores and a 20% downpayment—those who have scores lower than 740 or less [...]