Entry-level housing affordability reaches 64 percent

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C.A.R. reports entry-level housing affordability reached 64 percent in the third quarter of 2009

LOS ANGELES, CA – November 13, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — The percentage of households that could afford to buy an entry-level home in California stood at 64 percent in the third quarter of 2009, compared with 55 percent (revised) for the same period a year ago, according to a report released today by the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.).

C.A.R.’s First-time Buyer Housing Affordability Index (FTB-HAI) measures the percentage of households that can afford to purchase an entry-level home in California. C.A.R. also reports first-time buyer indexes for regions and select counties within the state. The Index is the most fundamental measure of housing well-being for first-time buyers in the state.

The minimum household income needed to purchase an entry-level home at $247,150 in California in the third quarter of 2009 was $43,500, based on an adjustable interest rate of 4.79 percent and assuming a 10 percent down payment. First-time buyers typically purchase a home equal to 85 percent of the prevailing median price. The monthly payment including taxes and insurance was $1,450 for the third quarter of 2009.

At $43,500, the minimum qualifying income was 19 percent lower than a year earlier when households needed $53,700 to qualify for a loan on an entry-level home. Recent decreases in home prices and mortgage rates have brought affordability into better alignment with income levels of the typical California households, where the median household income is $61,030.

The First-time Buyer Housing Affordability Index declined 3 percentage points in the third quarter of this year compared with the second quarter of 2009, due to a 10.2 percent increase in the price of an entry-level home.

At 85 percent, the High Desert region was the most affordable area in the state. The San Luis Obispo County region was the least affordable in the state at 47 percent, followed by the San Francisco Bay region at 49 percent.

Leading the way…® in California real estate for more than 100 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (www.car.org) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States with more than 167,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles.

C.A.R. First-time Buyer Housing Affordability Index

C.A.R. Region

Q3 2009

Q2 2009

 

Q3 2008

 

California

64

67

 

55

r

California – Condos

68

70

 

59

r

United States

76

76

 

70

r

High Desert

85

86

 

74

r

Los Angeles County

52

56

 

44

r

Monterey Region

66

71

 

54

r

Northern California

63

62

 

56

r

Northern Wine Country

58

59

 

52

r

Orange County

51

53

 

46

r

Palm Springs/Lower Desert

74

76

 

61

r

Riverside/San Bernardino

78

79

 

68

r

Sacramento County

78

79

 

72

r

San Diego County

56

59

 

51

 

San Francisco Bay

49

55

 

38

r

San Luis Obispo County

47

50

 

41

r

Santa Barbara Area

52

55

 

46

r

Santa Clara County

53

58

 

41

r

Southern California

64

67

 

54

r

Ventura County

56

59

 

53

r

County

         

Alameda

52

55

 

42

r

Contra Costa

42

43

 

33

r

Fresno

76

78

 

67

r

Marin

37

37

 

26

r

Merced

83

84

 

76

r

Riverside

78

79

 

68

r

San Bernardino

81

82

 

70

r

San Francisco

35

36

 

28

r

San Mateo

40

39

 

32

r

Santa Cruz

43

46

 

36

r

Sonoma

60

62

 

54

r

* — percentage of California households that can afford to purchase an entry-level home

r – revised

Source:  CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

C.A.R. Region

Housing
Affordability Index

Entry-Level Price

Monthly Payment Including Taxes & Insurance

Minimum
Qualifying Income

Source:  CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Quick Facts:
· C.A.R. First-time Buyer Housing Affordability Index stood at 64 percent in the third quarter of 2009 compared with 55 percent (revised) in the third quarter of 2008
· The median price of an entry-level home in California was $247,150 in the third quarter of 2009
· The estimated monthly payment including taxes and insurance was $1,450 in the third quarter of 2009
· The minimum household income needed to purchase an entry-level home in California in the third quarter of 2009 was $43,500

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Leading the way...® in California real estate for more than 100 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States, with nearly 155,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles.

Contact:

Los Angeles - Executive Office:
525 South Virgil Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90020-1403
Phone: (213) 739-8200
Fax: (213) 480-7724

Media:

Mark Giberson
Phone: (213) 739-8304.

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