Higher home prices lower California housing affordability, C.A.R. reports
LOS ANGELES, CA – May 13, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Higher home prices put a dent in California’s housing affordability during the first quarter of 2013, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported.
The percentage of home buyers who could afford to purchase a median-priced, existing single-family home in California dropped to 44 percent in the first quarter of 2013, down from 56 percent in first-quarter 2012 and from 48 percent in fourth-quarter 2012, according to C.A.R.’s Traditional Housing Affordability Index (HAI).
C.A.R.’s HAI measures the percentage of all households that can afford to purchase a median-priced, single-family home in California. C.A.R. also reports affordability indices for regions and select counties within the state. The Index is considered the most fundamental measure of housing well-being for home buyers in the state.
Home buyers needed to earn a minimum annual income of $66,800 to qualify for the purchase of a $350,490 statewide median-priced, existing single-family home in the first quarter of 2013. The monthly payment, including taxes and insurance on a 30-year fixed-rate loan, would be $1,670, assuming a 20 percent down payment and an effective composite interest rate of 3.55 percent. The effective composite interest rate in first-quarter 2012 was 4.16 percent and 3.49 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012.
The median home price was $279,190 in first-quarter 2012, and an annual income of $56,320 was needed to purchase a home at that price.
All regions of the state experienced significant year-over-year declines in housing affordability, with Bay Area and Southern California counties recording the largest decreases in the index due to higher home prices.
At an index of 77 percent, Madera County was the most affordable county of the state, while San Francisco and San Mateo counties tied for the least affordable at 23 percent.
See C.A.R.’s historical housing affordability data.
See first-time buyer housing affordability data.
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 155,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles.
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CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Traditional Housing Affordability Index
| STATE/REGION/COUNTY | Q1 2013 | Q4 2012 | Q1 2012 |
| CA Single-family home | 44 | 48 | 56 | ||
| CA Condo/Townhomes | 53 | 59 | 65 | r | |
| Los Angeles Metropolitan Area | 46 | 50 | 56 | ||
| Inland Empire | 61 | 67 | 71 | ||
| San Francisco Bay Area | 32 | 34 | 45 | ||
| U.S. | 65 | 69 | 71 | ||
| San Francisco Bay Area | |||||
| Alameda | 32 | 36 | 45 | ||
| Contra-Costa (Central County) | 28 | 31 | 36 | ||
| Marin | 24 | 28 | 32 | ||
| Napa | 39 | 48 | 50 | ||
| San Francisco | 23 | 22 | 29 | ||
| San Mateo | 23 | 24 | 33 | ||
| Santa Clara | 30 | 32 | 42 | ||
| Solano | 67 | 73 | 77 | ||
| Sonoma | 36 | 46 | 51 | ||
| Southern California | |||||
| Los Angeles | 42 | 44 | 51 | ||
| Orange County | 28 | 34 | 39 | ||
| Riverside County | 54 | 62 | 66 | ||
| San Bernardino | 72 | 76 | 78 | ||
| San Diego | 38 | 43 | 46 | ||
| Ventura | 42 | 48 | 50 | ||
| Central Coast | |||||
| Monterey | 44 | 50 | 54 | ||
| San Luis Obispo | 34 | 40 | 41 | ||
| Santa Barbara | 26 | 27 | 42 | r | |
| Santa Cruz | 29 | 34 | 35 | ||
| Central Valley | |||||
| Fresno | 64 | 70 | 72 | ||
| Kings County | 70 | 76 | 75 | r | |
| Madera | 77 | 74 | 77 | ||
| Merced | 68 | 74 | 77 | ||
| Placer County | 57 | 64 | 67 | ||
| Sacramento | 62 | 71 | 74 | ||
| Tulare | 70 | 71 | 75 |
r = revised
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Traditional Housing Affordability Index
| C.A.R. Region | Housing Affordability Index |
Median Home Price |
Monthly Payment Including Taxes & Insurance | Minimum Qualifying Income |
| CA Single-family home | 44 | $ 350,490 | $ 1,670 | $ 66,800 |
| CA Condo/Townhomes | 53 | $ 283,300 | $ 1,350 | $ 53,990 |
| Los Angeles Metropolitan Area | 46 | $ 333,380 | $ 1,590 | $ 63,540 |
| Inland Empire | 61 | $ 216,720 | $ 1,030 | $ 41,300 |
| San Francisco Bay Area | 32 | $ 593,890 | $ 2,830 | $ 113,190 |
| U.S. | 65 | $ 176,600 | $ 840 | $ 33,660 |
| San Francisco Bay Area | ||||
| Alameda | 32 | $ 541,980 | $ 2,580 | $ 103,300 |
| Contra-Costa (Central County) | 28 | $ 648,060 | $ 3,090 | $ 123,510 |
| Marin | 24 | $ 858,550 | $ 4,090 | $ 163,630 |
| Napa | 39 | $ 432,000 | $ 2,060 | $ 82,330 |
| San Francisco | 23 | $ 744,820 | $ 3,550 | $ 141,950 |
| San Mateo | 23 | $ 814,000 | $ 3,880 | $ 155,140 |
| Santa Clara | 30 | $ 705,000 | $ 3,360 | $ 134,370 |
| Solano | 67 | $ 242,600 | $ 1,160 | $ 46,240 |
| Sonoma | 36 | $ 385,490 | $ 1,840 | $ 73,470 |
| Southern California | ||||
| Los Angeles | 42 | $ 345,540 | $ 1,650 | $ 65,860 |
| Orange County | 28 | $ 600,150 | $ 2,860 | $ 114,380 |
| Riverside County | 54 | $ 251,960 | $ 1,200 | $ 48,020 |
| San Bernardino | 72 | $ 157,420 | $ 750 | $ 30,000 |
| San Diego | 38 | $ 412,320 | $ 1,960 | $ 78,580 |
| Ventura | 42 | $ 461,940 | $ 2,200 | $ 88,040 |
| Central Coast | ||||
| Monterey | 44 | $ 336,500 | $ 1,600 | $ 64,130 |
| San Luis Obispo | 34 | $ 409,600 | $ 1,950 | $ 78,070 |
| Santa Barbara | 26 | $ 543,690 | $ 2,590 | $ 103,620 |
| Santa Cruz | 29 | $ 515,000 | $ 2,450 | $ 98,150 |
| Central Valley | ||||
| Fresno | 64 | $ 157,470 | $ 750 | $ 30,010 |
| Kings County | 70 | $ 151,820 | $ 720 | $ 28,940 |
| Madera | 77 | $ 127,140 | $ 610 | $ 24,230 |
| Merced | 68 | $ 134,280 | $ 640 | $ 25,590 |
| Placer County | 57 | $ 309,970 | $ 1,480 | $ 59,080 |
| Sacramento | 62 | $ 209,260 | $ 1,000 | $ 39,880 |
| Tulare | 70 | $ 136,340 | $ 650 | $ 25,980 |
