Monday, March 4, 2013

C.A.R. reports 4th quarter 2012 housing affordability

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 25) – Higher home prices offset lower interest rates to reduce housing affordability in California during the fourth quarter of 2012, 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 decreased to 48 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012, down from 49 percent in third-quarter 2012 and from 55 percent in fourth-quarter 2011, 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 $66,940 to qualify for the purchase of a $353,190 statewide median-priced, existing single-family home in the fourth quarter of 2012.  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 3.49 percent.  The effective composite interest rate in third-quarter 2012 was 3.72 percent and 4.30 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Housing affordability results were mixed at the regional level, with affordability improving from the third quarter of 2012 in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Los Angeles, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, Fresno, and Kings counties.  However, homes in San Francisco, Solano, Riverside, San Bernardino, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Madera, Sacramento, and Tulare counties were less affordable during fourth quarter 2012.

At an index of 76 percent, San Bernardino and Kings counties were the most affordable counties of the state.  Conversely, San Francisco County was the least affordable, with only 22 percent of the region’s households able to purchase the county’s median-priced home. 
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.

CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Traditional Housing Affordability Index
STATE/REGION/COUNTY
Q4 2012
Q3 2012

Q4 2011

Calif. Single-family home 
48
49

55

Calfi. Condo/Townhomes
59
60

63

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
50
51

56

Inland Empire
67
68

71

San Francisco Bay Area
34
35

42

U.S.
69
67

70







San Francisco Bay Area





Alameda
36
34

39

Contra-Costa (Central County)
31
28

37

Marin
28
27

29

Napa
48
45

50

San Francisco
22
25

26

San Mateo
24
24

29

Santa Clara
32
32

40

Solano
73
77

76

Sonoma
46
46

51

Southern California





Los Angeles
44
42

48

Orange County
34
34

38

Riverside County
62
63

66

San Bernardino
76
77

78

San Diego
43
43

46

Ventura
48
47

49

Central Coast





Monterey
50
52

56

San Luis Obispo
40
37

41

Santa Barbara
27
31

41

Santa Cruz
34
30

37

Central Valley





Fresno
70
69

71
r
Kings County
76
74
r
75

Madera
74
76

75

Merced
74
74

77

Placer County
64
64

67

Sacramento
71
73

74

Tulare
71
73

73

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
Calif. Single-family home 
48
 $         353,190
 $              1,670
 $           66,940
Calif. Condo/Townhomes
59
 $         272,760
 $              1,290
 $           51,690
Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
50
 $           326,470
 $               1,550
 $             61,870
Inland Empire
67
 $           209,260
 $                   990
 $             39,660
San Francisco Bay Area
34
 $           593,220
 $               2,810
 $           112,420
U.S.
69
 $           178,900
 $                   850
 $             33,900





San Francisco Bay Area




Alameda
36
 $           522,890
 $               2,480
 $             99,100
Contra-Costa (Central County)
31
 $           631,530
 $               2,990
 $           119,680
Marin
28
 $           812,490
 $               3,850
 $           153,980
Napa
48
 $           385,200
 $               1,830
 $             73,000
San Francisco
22
 $           777,090
 $               3,680
 $           147,270
San Mateo
24
 $           782,500
 $               3,710
 $           148,300
Santa Clara
32
 $           685,000
 $               3,250
 $           129,820
Solano
73
 $           225,540
 $               1,070
 $             42,740
Sonoma
46
 $           382,560
 $               1,810
 $             72,500
Southern California




Los Angeles
44
 $           350,080
 $               1,660
 $             66,350
Orange County
34
 $           568,600
 $               2,690
 $           107,760
Riverside County
62
 $           240,840
 $               1,140
 $             45,640
San Bernardino
76
 $           152,860
 $                   720
 $             28,970
San Diego
43
 $           405,360
 $               1,920
 $             76,820
Ventura
48
 $           440,250
 $               2,090
 $             83,430
Central Coast

0


Monterey
50
 $           329,000
 $               1,560
 $             62,350
San Luis Obispo
40
 $           399,310
 $               1,890
 $             75,680
Santa Barbara
27
 $           546,510
 $               2,590
 $           103,570
Santa Cruz
34
 $           520,000
 $               2,460
 $             98,550
Central Valley

0


Fresno
70
 $           152,360
 $                   720
 $             28,870
Kings County
76
 $           146,210
 $                   690
 $             27,710
Madera
74
 $           133,750
 $                   630
 $             25,350
Merced
74
 $           133,450
 $                   630
 $             25,290
Placer County
64
 $           302,630
 $               1,430
 $             57,350
Sacramento
71
 $           193,190
 $                   920
 $             36,610
Tulare
71
 $           141,810
 $                   670
 $             26,880

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