The month of December 2011 saw a rise in construction starts for both single-family residences (SFRs) and apartments and condos. However, only 21,420 SFR starts took place statewide in 2011, 6% below 2010. The overall trend for SFR construction remains flat, with little change from 2010 expected until 2015. 25,595 multi-family starts were initiated in [...]

California is about to discover it has an oversupply of classic subdivision housing, according to a report released by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) analyzing demographic and construction trends in California’s metropolitan regions. Generation Y (Gen Y) individuals are gearing up to form households this decade, and developers anticipate a diminished demand for large single [...]

For every two homes available for sale, there is another in lender shadow inventory, according to a report by CoreLogic. Nationally in October 2011, 1.6 million residential units were shadow inventory comprising property delinquent 90 days or more, in foreclosure or real estate owned (REO) and thus were not yet listed with a multiple listing [...]

A digest of recent court cases affecting real estate.

2010 2009 2008 Estimated Pop. Aged 25-34 5,317,877 5,204,067 5,290,256 SFR Construction 25,502 25,454 164 Apt/Condo Construction 19,423 10,967 161 Chart last updated 7/10/11 Data courtesy of the Construction Industry Research Board (CIRB) and the US Census Bureau All forecasts are made by first tuesday based on current data, influential factors and market trends. This [...]

Fire sprinkler systems are now required on all new California single family residences (SFRs) and duplexes built on or after January 1, 2011. Prior to the recent California building code amendment, 146 cities and counties in California had building codes requiring sprinklers in particular homes, however this is the first time a statewide building code [...]

Whether financing residences, second homes or investment properties, homeowners with million-dollar mortgages are defaulting on their loans at a rate greatly exceeding that of the rest of society. One in seven million-dollar mortgages (14%) are in serious delinquency; by comparison, only one in 12 for mortgages below the million dollar mark (8.3%) are seriously delinquent. [...]

The state legislature has updated the transfer disclosure statement (TDS) form mandated to accompany all one-to-four unit residential property sales negotiated by a real estate licensee acting on behalf of a seller. The changes require not only non-exempt sellers, but all listing agents, to disclose the presence and condition of any carbon monoxide detectors, smoke [...]

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.