Why 2021 Is a Good Time to Sell a Home in the Bay Area
We've written a lot of blog posts in the past about whether or not it's a good time to buy a home in the Bay Area. But what about the selling side of things? Will 2021 be a good time…
How Low Rates & Telecommuting Saved California’s Housing Market in 2020
The California real estate market, and those who depend on it for their livelihood, owe thanks to record-low mortgage rates and remote work opportunities. Those two factors turned 2020 into a banner year for the California housing market, at a…
Minimum & Average Down Payment for a House in California, in 2021
Home prices in California rose steadily throughout 2020, despite the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic restrictions. As a result, the minimum down payment for a house in California also rose over the past year. Below, we will take an updated…
A Proposed Tax Credit for California First-Time Home Buyers in 2021
Key highlights from this report: President Joe Biden is proposing a tax credit for first-time home buyers in 2021. It would be an "advanceable" credit, meaning buyers wouldn't have to wait for it. His proposal would offer a tax break…
Will Bay Area Home Prices Go Down in 2021, or Keep Rising?
It's a new year, and it brings a whole new set of questions from Bay Area home buyers. One of the most common questions is: Will Bay Area home prices go down in 2021, or continue rising as they did…
East Bay Housing Market Trends for 2020: End of Year Summary
The red-hot East Bay real estate market, including Contra Costa and Alameda counties, continues to sizzle at the start of 2021. Home sales and prices have both risen significantly over the past year, and some forecasts predict more of the…
Alameda County Conforming Loan Limits and Jumbo Range for 2021
Another year, another increase in the conforming loan limits for Alameda County (and most of California). Toward the end of 2020, federal housing officials announced they would be raising these limits in response to rising home values across the U.S…
California Mortgage Rate Trends: Another Record Low to Start 2021
Another year, another record low for California mortgage rates. This has been something of a pattern for the past few months. Just when we think mortgage rates couldn't drop any lower, they prove us wrong by falling yet again. Last…
Will Supply Gains Slow Home-Price Growth in the Bay Area, in 2021?
For the past year or so, we've been writing about tight inventory conditions within the Bay Area housing market, and how it has increased competition among home buyers. And those conditions persist, for the most part. But a new real…
Jumbo Loan Threshold Increased for Bay Area Counties in 2021
The threshold that separates conforming and jumbo mortgage loans has gone up for 2021, in all nine counties that make up the San Francisco Bay Area. Federal housing officials made this change in response to rising home values nationwide. In…
