The recent election results for the 2020 PSAR board of directors is destined to provide the Association with forward-thinking leadership and a strong future of growth and benefits for members.

In the recent election, Ditas Yamane was elected to serve as the 2020 President-Elect. Sam Calvano will continue his role as Secretary-Treasurer in 2020.

Also recently elected to serve as Directors in 2020 on the PSAR board: Jason Lopez, Laurie MacDonald, Yvonne Cromer, Peter Mendiola and Mike White.

Continuing to serve in 2020 on the PSAR Board include Robert Cromer as president, Robert Calloway as immediate past president and directors Mike Anderson, Carey Guthrie, Sean Hillier, Robert Kilbourne and Norma Scantlin, and with Tony Santiago as affiliate director.

We’re grateful for the following board members whose terms will end Dec. 31, 2019: Shonee Henry and Dennis Ryan, along with Jan Farley as immediate past president.

Ditas has been involved with PSAR since 2002. She joined the Government Affairs Committee and became chairperson three years ago. Born and raised in the Philippines and immigrated into the U.S. in 1988. She worked for a leading commercial airline as an International Flight Attendant flying international routes for 22 years. In 2002, she earned her real estate sales license. Two years later, she became a broker. Her family has operated a business in the South Bay since 1991.

Ditas has been involved in the community serving as President of the National City Chamber of Commerce and President of the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of San Diego County. She currently serves as a Planning Commissioner for the City of National City, overseeing land use, permitting and zoning changes. She is also President and CEO of the Mabuhay Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes a better quality of life. 

“I would like to thank the PSAR Membership for their trust and confidence in voting me in as their 2020 President-Elect,” said Ditas. “As the PSAR President- Elect, I will work side by side with our incoming President Robert Cromer in continuing to grow PSAR and continue to serve our members to thrive in our industry. I will again encourage our members to participate and support our mission to empower all of us. We are PSAR!”

Sam has served as a PSAR Board Director for the three years and as secretary-treasurer for the past six years. Sam began his real estate career as a sales agent in 1976 and then switched to real estate lending in 1983. As Treasurer Sam has been led the Board’s efforts to shore up the association's reserve fund while keeping dues low.  PSAR’s annual dues are fifty dollars less than they were ten years ago. Sam led efforts to build solar, renovate our buildings and parking lots and ensure the long term sustainability of PSAR. Sam represented PSAR as a CAR Director in 2019.

Jason has worked in real estate for the past 25 years. He became involved with PSAR leadership while serving on a District Council. He loves to ride skateboards and has an extensive collection of vinyl records of “British Invasion” music bands from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Jason is currently a facilitator of the City Pitch Marketing session in Clairmont.  He will also be serving as a CAR Director in 2020.

Laurie became involved with PSAR leadership as a member of the East County Government Affairs Committee. She served as PSAR YPN chair in 2017 and 2018. She also currently serves as chair of the PSAR 2019 Charity Committee. She has traveled to Sacramento in the past for C.A.R.’s “Legislative Day” events. She also traveled to 28 countries before turning 30 years of age. She is a fourth generation San Diegan. Her great-great-grandparents arrived in San Diego from Halifax, Nova Scotia sometime in the 1890s and her great-grandmother was born here in 1909.

Yvonne has previously served on the PSAR Charity Committee, organizers of the PSAR REALTOR® Games. She joined the PSAR board of directors in 2018. The Chula Vista native was a synchronized swimmer and a member of the Chula Vista's Dolphinettes, a competitive swim club that no longer operates. After graduating from Hilltop High School in Chula Vista (class of 1991), Yvonne attended the University of Utah. During Christmas break, she met her future husband Robert at a Christmas party.

Peter, a past PSAR president (2012), and Served as a CAR Director in 2011 and 2012. Peter was a driving force behind the efforts to merge the East San Diego County Association of REALTORS and the PSAR.  Peter grew up in National City, attending Las Palmas Elementary School, Granger Middle School and Sweetwater High School (class of 1996). He started his company in February 2007 as a Realty World office. It became a Coldwell Banker operation on Dec. 11, 2011.

Mike became involved in PSAR leadership in 2011 as the founding member of the PSAR Tech Committee. He has been selling real estate since 1980 and is currently serving as an assistant manager at his brokerage. He also has served on the Sandicor Technical Users Group and the C.A.R. ZipForm Committee. He got his first computer at age 18, a Commodore 16 with only 16 kilobytes of RAM. He graduated from Patrick Henry High School (class of 1979), and then attended the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) where he played trumpet in the marching band. At UCLA, Mike was among the final group of students required to learn the Fortran computer language using punch cards. And, he was also one among the first students at UCLA at the time to type homework assignments and term papers on a computer.

The PSAR Board wishes to thank everyone who ran for a Board position. All the candidates were committed and involved members of the Association. They volunteer their time to the industry to improve it and to the community to build home ownership opportunities, defend private property rights and support those in need.  

PSAR’s success at helping San Diegans with the American dream of home ownership is becoming known statewide.

The California Board of Equalization (BOE), a state agency, has recognized PSAR for its leadership role in a housing affordability program that is continuing to assist disabled military veterans in San Diego achieve homeownership, stay in their homes and save money on their property taxes.

The BOE recently presented a resolution to PSAR President Robert Calloway in recognition of the association's success with the Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption Program. The resolution recognized PSAR and the program’s leaders, including the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP), for exemplary leadership and their innovative approach to reaching and serving California’s disabled veteran population.

Presenting the official state resolution to PSAR was Mike Schaefer, BOE board member for District 4, which encompasses all of San Diego, Imperial, Riverside and Orange counties and a small portion of San Bernardino County. BOE is a state agency that oversees county property tax assessors. Schaefer also presented resolutions to Ernie Dronenburg, San Diego County Assessor, and Ricardo Pacheco, state director, VAREP. The San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk’s (ARCC) Office manages the Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption Program.

The program, promoted by both PSAR and VAREP, connects disabled veterans and their spouses with the Assessor’s Office so they can qualify for a reduction of their property taxes. In 2018, the program, initiated by Jordan Marks, Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate with the Assessor’s Office, resulted in assisting more than 8,000 local disabled veterans with the little-used property tax exemption provided for in the California Constitution. The number of local disabled veterans helped was more than 1,400 vets served the previous year, a 28 percent increase for 2018. As a result of the program, enacted without any additional government funding, 100 percent veteran homeowners benefitted from a collective $1.9 million in property tax savings.

The little-known property tax exemption, found in the California Constitution and Revenue and Taxation Code Section 205.5, provides a property tax exemption on the home of some disabled veterans or an unmarried spouse of a deceased disabled veteran. The exemption is available to a 100 percent disabled veteran who, because of an injury incurred in military service, is blind in both eyes, or has lost the use of two or more limbs, or is totally disabled as determined by the VA or by the military service from which the veteran was discharged.

The Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption Program in San Diego County provides veterans with a reduction in property taxes in two ways:

-- A “Basic Exemption” is available for all veterans with a 100 percent disability rating or their unmarried surviving spouse. The Basic Exemption provides a savings of more than $1,000 per year.

-- A “Low-income Exemption” is available for veterans in households earning less than $60,000 annually. The amounts and income limits are adjusted annually for inflation.

Here’s how PSAR members can share with veterans the information on how to apply: Applicants should have their DD214 discharge with any rating other than dishonorable and their letter from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs detailing their disability rating. New homebuyers should file by the end of the year of purchase. The exemption will renew automatically after that.

Online applications are available at www.sdarcc.com. In-person assistance is available at the County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Coast Highway, Room #103, San Diego. For assistance or appointments, call (619) 531-5773, or send an e-mail at ARCCdvets@sdcounty.ca.gov. Jordan Marks also is available for questions at Jordan.Marks@sdcounty.ca.gov.

“At PSAR, we use all tools available to us to achieve homeownership for everyone,” said Calloway. “Through member education, veterans and homebuyers know when they have a PSAR agent they are getting the best customer service, along with education and experience. That is how we have helped over 1,400 veterans save $1.9 million and find a home in San Diego.”

At the resolution ceremony, BOE Board Member Schaefer remarked, “Our Assessor Ernie Dronenburg, the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors and the Veteran Association of Real Estate Professionals have gone above and beyond the call of duty by taking the initiative to reach out to disabled veterans. They exemplify the command, `lead, don’t follow.’ I applaud their outstanding efforts to bring the disabled veterans property tax exemption to an additional 1,400 disabled veterans in San Diego County. I have utmost respect for our veterans, especially those who are disabled as a consequence of their service to our country. I have a long-standing commitment to helping these courageous men and women who have sacrificed so much.”

Assessor Dronenburg added, “My San Diego County Assessor’s office is proud of our innovative partnership with the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors and the Veteran Realtors. Together we were able to show that without spending any additional taxpayer dollars, we could better serve our disabled veterans and their spouses. Our efforts helped 1,400 more disabled veterans save over $1.9 million in property taxes annually. We are honored to receive this recognition from Board of Equalization member Schafer and the State of California for being an exceptional model for serving our veterans, which can be implemented statewide.”

Dronenburg’s Assessor’s office affects nearly every San Diego county resident who owns property or rents. His office oversees assessing the value of real estate and personal property, as well as qualifying taxpayers for property tax savings which include disabled veterans, homeowners, affordable housing units, and organizations operating for the welfare of the community. The office has a $71 million budget with 415 employees and five offices throughout San Diego County.

The BOE, which is comprised of five constitutional officers, including California’s Comptroller, oversees county property tax assessors and sets other taxes, including the alcoholic beverage tax, railroad car tax and taxes for public utilities and insurers.

San Diego County’s housing prices in May were relatively flat in a year-over-year comparison, as were home sales and prices, according to the latest housing market report from the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R).

The median price of an existing single-family home in San Diego was $650,000 in May 2019, compared with $649,000 in April 2019, a difference of only 0.2 percent, and higher by 1.6 percent in a year-over-year comparison with the $640,000 figure from May 2018.

The San Diego County home sales total in May 2019 was 7.9 percent higher from April 2019, but only 0.2 percent higher than May 2018.

Statewide in May 2019, California’s median home price edged higher to another peak for the second straight month as lower interest rates helped bolster home sales. The statewide median home price reached another all-time high in May, hitting $611,190. It was a 1.4 percent increase from the $602,920 median price registered in April 2019, and a 1.7 percent rise from the $600,860 price in May 2018.

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 406,960 units in May 2019, according to information collected from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide. The statewide annualized sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2019 if sales maintained the May pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

May’s statewide sales figure of 406,960 represented a 2.6 percent increase from the 396,780 level in April 2019 and a 0.6 percent decrease from home sales in May 2018 of 409,270. Sales rose above the 400,000 benchmark for the first time since July 2018 and reached the highest level in 11 months, while the year-to-year sales dip was the smallest in 13 months.

“The lowest interest rates in nearly a year and a half, no doubt, have elevated housing demand as monthly mortgage payments have become more manageable to home buyers in general,” said C.A.R. President Jared Martin. “The state’s housing market remains soft, however, as home sales continue to lag behind last year’s level for more than a year now.” 

“While lower interest rates have spurred buyer demand in recent months, they also have played a role in ongoing price hikes,” said C.A.R. Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young. “Buyers could offer higher prices without hurting their bottom lines and maintain the same level of affordability, as rates remain on a downward trend. With mortgage rates expected to stay low in the upcoming months, home prices may inch up further for another month or two before cooling off.” 

Other key points from the May 2019 resale housing report included:

-- Home prices increased in all counties in Southern California, except for Ventura, which dipped 1.6 percent.

-- Active listings in May 2019, which have been decelerating since December 2018, continued to climb from the prior year, increasing 7.4 percent from a year ago. It was the 14th consecutive year-over-year increase but also the first single-digit gain since last June.

-- The Unsold Inventory Index (UII), which is a ratio of inventory over sales, was lower in May than April’s level, suggesting that the typical seasonal pattern of rising home sales are beginning to play out this year. The UII was 3.2 months in May 2019, down from 3.4 months in April 2019 but up from 3.0 months in May 2018. The index measures the number of months it would take to sell the supply of homes on the market at the current sales rate. The jump in the UII from a year ago can be attributed to the mild sales decline and the sharp increase in active listings.

-- The median number of days it took to sell a California single-family home is increasing. Time on market fell from 21 days in April 2019 to 18 days in May 2019 as the homebuying season got underway. It took a median number of 15 days to sell a home in May 2018. Meanwhile, in San Diego County, it took only two weeks to sell an existing single-family home in May 2019. The median number of days a home remaining unsold on the market stood at 14 days in May, compared with 17 days in April, 19 days in March, 22 days in February and 13 days in May 2018.

-- The statewide sales-price-to-list-price ratio was 99.3 percent in May 2019, compared to 100 percent in May 2018. Sales-to-list-price ratio is an indicator that reflects the negotiation power of home buyers and home sellers under current market conditions. The ratio is calculated by dividing the final sales price of a property by its last list price and is expressed as a percentage. A sales-to-list ratio with 100 percent or above suggests that the property sold for more than the list price, and a ratio below 100 percent indicates that the price sold below the asking price.

-- The statewide price-per-square-foot average for an existing, single-family home statewide reached $292 in May 2019, up from $286 in May 2018. The May 2019 figure was the highest level since late 2007.

-- The 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaged 4.07 percent in May, down from 4.59 percent in May 2018, according to Freddie Mac. The five-year, adjustable mortgage interest rate increased in May to an average of 3.65 percent from 3.79 in May 2018.

In other recent real estate and economic news, according to news reports:

-- According to real estate tracker CoreLogic, the San Diego County median home price stayed at $570,000 in May, the same as it was last May. Home prices reached a peak in August 2018 of $584,750, but prices have mostly leveled off as sales have started to decline.

-- According to the most recent S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices, home prices in San Diego County rose 0.5 percent in April, after a 1.1 percent increase in March and 1.0 percent rise in February. Prior to February, local home prices had declined for six straight months. It was the first time since 2012 for annual home price gains in San Diego to be below 1 percent. Because of the six-month downward trend, San Diego home prices are up only 0.8 percent over the past year, compared to the national average of 3.5 percent. The nationwide 20-city composite posted a 2.5 percent year-over-year gain in April.

-- According to Redfin, San Diego County had the third lowest homeownership rate for single mothers in the U.S. in 2017. In the latest figures available, only 22.4 percent of single mothers owned a home in San Diego County in 2017, according to the report. This is compared to an overall San Diego homeownership rate of 53 percent.

-- According to ClosingCorp., a San Diego-based provider of residential real estate closing cost data, the average closing costs on a home purchase in California last year was $6,765, nearly $1,000 more than the national average. The report assumed an average single-family home sales price between $600,000 and $700,000 and included taxes. The average closing cost without taxes was $5,284. The national average home closing cost in 2018 was $5,779 including taxes, and $3,344 excluding taxes. The average closing costs with taxes works out to slightly more than 1 percent of the sales price.

-- According to the 2019 Home Affordability Report, on a nationwide basis, it takes 14 years to save for a 20 percent down payment on a median price home for those earning the median income. In San Diego, it takes 31 years. The least affordable cities with rankings of 30 years or longer include Boston (30 years), San Jose and San Diego (31 years), Miami and Manhattan (36 years), Honolulu and San Francisco (40 years) and Los Angeles (43 years).

-- According to Zumper, an online rental company, San Diego was the 11th most expensive U.S. city for renters in June, with a typical one-bedroom apartment going for $1,710 per month. The monthly payment figure for June was actually 7.7 percent lower than the same month a year ago.

-- According to Qualify of Life Dashboard, a research company, the quality of life in San Diego is improving in six areas, but declining in four. The six areas of improvement include air quality, electricity use, electric vehicles, employment, entrepreneurship and renewable energy. The four areas of decline include housing, traffic congestion, waste and water use.

-- First American Financial Corp.’s national mortgage loan application defect index declined for the first time in eight months in April. The report still found the defect index was up by 11 percent year-over-year, however, indicating there is plenty of room for improvement. In contrast to the national statistics, San Diego saw its mortgage defects decline by 4.3 percent in a year-over-year comparison.

-- San Diego County’s unemployment rate fell to 2.8 percent in May, matching the county’s lowest unemployment rate for any month since at least June 2017, according to the California Employment Development Dept. The county’s unemployment rate fell two-tenths of a percent month-over-month, from a seasonally adjusted 3 percent in April to 2.8 percent last month. At this time last year, the county’s unemployment rate also fell to 2.8 percent before spiking above 3.5 percent in June.

Get ready, loosen up and make plans now to participate in this year’s PSAR 2019 REALTOR® Games. PSAR’s third annual PSAR REALTOR® Games will be held from 1 to 4 p.m., Friday, June 21, at Scobee Park, 2390 Boswell Road in Chula Vista’s EastLake community. Registration begins at noon, as well as the appreciation of sponsors. The games start at 1 p.m. sharp. Spectators are welcomed to attend and cheer for their favorite team. Food trucks will be on site.

The REALTOR® Games will feature teams competing in mental and physical challenges. The competitions will include agility activities, such as sack race, free-throw contest, balloon catch and cornhole, as well as mental challenges, including spelling bee, board puzzle and “REALTOR® Feud,” a game resembling TV’s “Family Feud.” Another competition will consist of “Jenga,” a game of skill featuring players taking turns removing one wooden block at a time from a tower constructed of several dozen blocks (the name Jenga is derived from a Swahili word meaning “build”).

This year’s proceeds will benefit three nonprofits, including South Bay Community Services and Unity 4 Orphan and Meals on Wheels San Diego County. In 2018, approximately 250 attendees helped generate $8,600 in donations to charities.

Once again, members of PSAR’s Charity Committee are organizing this year’s REALTOR® Games, including Robert Cromer, Laurie MacDonald, Angie West and Rhonda Bethard, to name a few.

“There is a lot of time, creativity and attention to detail that is given to this event,” said Cromer. “We encourage everyone to take the time and join us. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that we are going to raise a substantial amount of money for three extraordinary charities and touch the lives of their recipients through our donations.”

Sponsors of this year’s REALTOR® Games include The Village of Escaya, Homebridge Financial, Team Limon at Wallick & Volk, Guild Mortgage, Coldwell Banker West, Johnson Storage and Moving/United Van Lines, First American Home Warranty, Cardinal Financial Company, California Preferred Escrow, Liberty Mutual Insurance, New Venture Escrow, First American Title Co., Point Mortgage Corp., Ticor Title, Sketch Lab Co., Caliber Home Loans, In-Depth Real Estate Services Co., Staged Today-Sold Tomorrow, Corinthian Title & Escrow, Secure Funding Group, Lilly Molina of Coldwell Banker West and Marina Vista Escrow, along with Frida’s Cocina Food Truck, Buffao Wild Wings, Doggos Gus, La Cochinita.

Product, service and equipment sponsors include Preferred Home Inspections, Caffe Tazza, Fine Wood Finishing, Pacific Drain & Plumbing, Minuteman Press, Award Sign Company, William Fagan DJ and Elsa Flores Photography.

Entry fee is $250 per team for a team of five. Contestants will receive a 2019 REALTOR® Games event t-shirt featuring sponsor names and a free food truck lunch ticket. Spectator admission is free. For more information, visit https://blog.psar.org/realtorgames190621, or call PSAR at (619) 421-7811.

The PSAR Charity Committee consists of a wonderful group of caring PSAR members who are willing to share PSAR resources and talent within the community through outreach and service. Their goal is to provide the necessary support to make a positive charitable impact within the communities served by PSAR members. The volunteers serving on the PSAR Charity Committee evaluate and review requests from nonprofits in the community. Then, they select worthy charitable causes to support.

Scobee Park is named in honor of Francis R. “Dick” Scobee (1939-1986), who was a Challenger Spacecraft Commander aboard the ill-fated Space Shuttle Challenger, which suffered catastrophic booster failure at 73 seconds after the launch on Jan. 28, 1986.

Legislative advocacy remains a top priority at PSAR. Association leaders are active in empowering REALTORS® to make a difference by advocating with legislators and government officials in support of private property rights, economic prosperity, property investment and homeownership.

When REALTORS® and affiliates speak in solidarity with one voice and work together with elected officials, then powerful alliances and strong communities can be formed resulting in a vibrant business environment and success in a free enterprise system.

Recently, several PSAR members went to Washington, D.C. to join thousands of other real estate professionals for the National Association of REALTORS® Mid-Year Legislative Meetings and Trade Expo. In his opening address, NAR President John Smaby told attendees that thousands of REALTORS® showing up at the nation’s capital sends a powerful message to politicians. “We mean business,” Smaby said. “Our business is not Republican. It’s not Democrat. My friends, we are the REALTOR® Party,” referring to NAR’s lobbying arm. Attendees cheered and applauded.

NAR is the single largest real estate trade group in the U.S., with nearly 1.3 million members, and widely considered one of the most effective advocacy organizations in the country. It is the second largest organization in terms of lobbying spending, behind the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. During the recent 2018 midterm elections, NAR poured $14.4 million into supporting 10 candidates, including six Republicans and four Democrats.

Among PSAR members who made the trip: Robert Calloway, 2019 President; Robert Cromer, 2019 president-elect; Bob Olivieri past president and Federal Political Coordinator and Nikki Coppa, past president; and, Richard D’Ascoli, CEO. Nikki also serves as a NAR Director appointed by PSAR, as well as 2019 Vice Chair of the NAR Risk Management Issues Committee.

Activities on the trip included meeting with San Diego members of Congress, including Duncan D. Hunter (R-50th,) Juan Vargas (D-51st), Susan Davis (D-53rd), Scott Peters (D-52nd) and Mike Levin (D-49th), as well as listening to President Trump, who became the first sitting U.S. President to speak live at the NAR event since George W. Bush in 2005.

“The congressmen were very open and receptive to the issues we brought to them,” said Robert Calloway. “They were knowledgeable about the things we were talking about. It was good to have a dialogue with them.”

Robert and Nikki also heard Mr. Trump’s speech. “The President is a real estate guy who understands our business,” said Robert. “He knows about over-burdensome regulations that can hinder land development and the bureaucracy that prohibits us from moving forward with addressing the housing shortage.”

“It was incredible to see the change and preparation necessary to have a live event featuring the President of the United States,” said Nikki. “One thing that really stuck with me was his comment about how special REALTORS® are.” Nikki said she was impressed with the President’s comments about the trustworthiness of REALTORS®.

According to a White House transcript of the speech, Mr. Trump said, “In what business do you have where you’re selling your home, and you leave the key under the mat so the broker can take anybody they want, even though you’re going to be away for three weeks, right? How many people trust people? You would only trust a great realtor to do that, right?”

During the roughly one-hour speech, Mr. Trump announced the end of steel and aluminum tariffs imposed on Mexico and Canada and discussed a wide range of issues including tax reform, regulation cuts, opportunity zones and unemployment.

Mr. Trump also said, “I’m honored to be here with the hardworking men and women who help millions of families live the American dream. You have some tremendously talented people in this room. I know this business well. I love this business. It’s in your blood. And, you have people who can do a job that very few people can do.

“When a young family needs to grow, when a new job sparks a new adventure in a brand, new beautiful city, when parents want to find the right neighborhood and schools for their children, Americans put our trust in you, our great REALTORS®. And that’s true.

“Home is where our hearts are. And all of you, as Americans, you find a home for the ones that you love the most. So, today, I want to thank all of you. This is a time of extraordinary opportunity for our country, And, as I said, I think our country is doing better now than we’ve ever done before, as an economy. And I think it’s going to get even better.”

NAR's invitation to speak, did not mean the real estate trade group would be endorsing Trump’s re-election. NAR said it does not endorse presidential candidates or donate to presidential campaigns through its Realtors Political Action Committee (RPAC). NAR said it has had a longstanding practice of inviting sitting presidents to speak at its annual conferences and 10 have taken the trade group up on its offer.

Bob Olivieri said he was pleased that Congress extended the Federal Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) until Sept. 30 while he was there in Washington, D.C. While NFIP isn’t a household name, it’s often the only flood insurance available in a given market. That’s important, because if a property is in a 100-year floodplain, lenders will typically require flood insurance as part of the mortgage approval process. This isn’t just an issue for waterfront homes or homes in the direct path of hurricanes. Many homeowners in San Diego County who live near large storm drains or drainage channels are required to have flood insurance. More than 5 million homeowners in 22,000 communities nationwide rely on the NFIP to provide flood insurance.

“The one issue at the top of our list, the State and Local Tax Deduction (SALT), is supported by most of the U.S. representatives who we talked to,” said Bob. “The ideas being tossed around are doubling the present $10,000 deduction limit for married couples, raising it to $15,000, and doubling it for married couples or eliminating it all together, which is not probable. Also, we would like to see the SALT limit and deductible mortgage interest cap indexed to inflation. This has a lot of support and puts those limits in line with other limits in the tax code.”

Also, during the PSAR trip to Washington, D.C., the House passed by a vote of 236-173 the Equality Act, which would broaden the definition of protected classes to include sex, sexual orientation and gender identity to characteristics protected by the 1964 Civil Rights Act. NAR was a strong advocate for this bill which strengthens fair housing.

Sales of existing homes remained muted statewide in April with the start of the spring homebuying season, according to the latest housing market report for home sales and prices from the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R).

Existing home sales in California in April 2019 was 4.8 percent lower than in April 2018. By contrast, in San Diego County, our year-over-year existing home sales for April 2019 climbed by 2.4 percent since last year.

April’s statewide seasonally adjusted sales figure of 396,760 units was down 0.1 percent from the 397,210 level in March and down 4.8 percent from home sales in April 2018 of 416,750. Sales remained below the 400,000 level for the ninth consecutive month and have fallen on a year-over-year basis for a full year. The statewide annualized sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2109 if sales maintained the April pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

“Weak buyer demand, largely prompted by elevated home prices, is playing a role in the softening housing market,” said C.A.R. President Jared Martin. “However, with low interest rates, cooling competition and an increase in homes to choose from, buyers can take advantage of a more balanced housing market.”  

Even as demand weakened and home sales stumbled, the statewide median home price set another record high in April, hitting $602,920 and surpassing the previous high of $602,760 set last summer. April’s price was up 6.5 percent from $565,880 in March and up 3.2 percent from a revised $584,460 in April 2018. The year-over-year price growth rate was the strongest since October 2018.

In San Diego County in April 2019, the median single-family home sales price of $649,000 was 4 percent higher than the $623,800 sales price compared to March 2019 and 2.2 percent higher than the $635,000 figure in April 2018.

“While we started off the spring homebuying season on a down note, home sales in the upcoming months may fare better than the top-level numbers suggest,” said C.A.R. Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young. “The year-over-year sales decrease was the smallest in nine months, and pending home sales increased for the second straight month after declining for more than two years. While we don’t expect a sharp sales rebound, we also don’t expect an acceleration in declines.”

Other key points from the April 2019 resale housing report included:

-- The median number of days it took to sell a California single-family home is increasing. Time on market fell from 25 days in March to 21 days in April as the homebuying season got underway. However, it took a median number of 15 days to sell a home in April 2018. Meanwhile, in San Diego County, the median number of days a home remained unsold on the market stood at 17 days in April 2019, compared to 19 days in March 2019, 22 days in February 2019 and 11 days in April 2018.

-- The median home price increased from a year ago in all regions statewide except the San Francisco Bay Area. Of the entire, nine-county Northern California region, only Napa County posted an increase in April of 3.3 percent, while San Mateo, Santa Clara and Sonoma recorded the largest price declines of 9.5 percent, 7.7 percent and 5.8 percent, respectively.

-- Conversely, home prices rose on a year-to-year basis across Southern California, with the exception of Ventura County, which was down 2.3 percent. Price growth remains strongest in the Inland Empire, where homes are most affordable, with prices in both Riverside and San Bernardino counties increasing more than 5 percent.

-- Encouragingly, the growth in active listings from the year prior decelerated for the fourth straight month. The number of homes available for sale increased only 10.8 percent from last April, but still enough to provide a much-needed supply of homes for sale. The growth in active listings has fallen from more than 30 percent at the end of 2018 suggesting that the market is becoming more balanced, rather than experiencing a full-scale exodus of sellers in California.

-- The Unsold Inventory Index (UII), which is a ratio of inventory over sales, dipped on a month-to-month basis but edged up on a year-over-year basis. The Unsold Inventory Index was 3.4 months in April, down from 3.6 months in March but up from 3.2 months in April 2018. The index measures the number of months it would take to sell the supply of homes on the market at the current sales rate. The jump in the UII from a year ago can be attributed to the moderate sales decline and the sharp increase in active listings.

-- The 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaged 4.14 percent in April, down from 4.47 percent in April 2018, according to Freddie Mac. The five-year, adjustable mortgage interest rate increased in April to an average of 3.75 percent from 3.66 in April 2018.

In other recent real estate and economic news, according to news reports:

-- According to CoreLogic real estate information service, the median price of a San Diego County home held steady in April, compared to the same month a year ago. The median price of a San Diego County home was $570,000 in April, the same as April 2018. In the past 12 months, the median hit a peak of $584,750 in August and a low of $532,000 in January. A total of 3,593 homes were sold in the county, down 3.4 percent from 3,718 during the same month a year ago. Still, that’s up from the past 11 months, which have seen an average drop of 12 percent.

-- A total of 20,074 new and resale houses and condos changed hands in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, San Bernardino and Orange counties last month, said CoreLogic. That was up 11.6 percent from 17,985 in March, and down 3.3 percent from 20,766 in April 2018.

-- According to the latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller report, existing home price increases continue to slow both nationally and in San Diego County. The 20-city composite index checked in with a year-over-year gain of 2.7 percent in March, down from a year-over-year gain of 3 percent in February. San Diego County’s price increase only climbed 1.3 percent year-over-year in March. San Diego metro prices gains were the lowest in the nation for fourth month in a row on the 20-city index.

-- Nearly half of San Diego County’s largest working group are considering leaving in the next two years. Forty-four percent of the region’s working millennials said they are considering leaving, with the primary reason being housing costs, said a recent survey from the San Diego Regional Chamber Foundation. In partnership with the City of San Diego, Sempra Energy and others, the researchers interviewed 397 San Diego County working millennials for the report. The purpose of the study was to identify millennial working habits, and how employers could make their experience more satisfying. But, the chamber acknowledged the answers about leaving were among the most dramatic findings. Millennials, roughly ages 23 to 38, make up 39.7 percent of San Diego County’s workforce. It is followed by Generation X, 39 to 54 years old, at 31.6 percent, and baby boomers, 55 to 73 years old, at 22.1 percent.

-- San Diego posted the eighth largest population increase between July 1, 2017 and July 1, 2018, among cities with populations of 50,000 or more, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. During the 12-month period, the population of “America’s Finest City” grew by 11,549 people, a near 1 percent increase from the previous year. Phoenix saw the largest population increase in the country during the period, adding 25,288 people. San Diego was the only city in California to make the top 10 for largest population gains in the latest report, while Texas had four cities make the top 10. San Antonio and Fort Worth ranked second and third in population growth, rising by 20,824 and 19,552, respectively.

-- The personal income of residents in the San Diego metropolitan area grew by 2.3 percent, below the national average, from 2016 to 2017, said the Bureau of Economic Analysis. That was below the nationwide increase of 2.6 percent. Real personal income is a catch-all way of looking at how much money Americans earn in a year. Among the largest metro areas with a population of more than 2 million, New York-Newark residents had the biggest increase at 4.3 percent, and Los Angeles-Anaheim had the least at 1.6 percent.

-- San DiegoCounty's unadjusted unemployment rate dropped to an even three percent in April 2019, with both farm and nonfarm industries showing job gains, according to the California Employment Development Department (EDD). The April rate, down from a revised 3.6 percent in March and a tick below the April 2018 rate of 3.1 percent, is at its lowest point since May 2018. The educational and health services industry added 7,600 jobs from April 2018 to last month, the highest year-over-year gain of any industry. Government and manufacturing jobs each increased by more than 3,000 jobs. The trade, transportation and utilities industry showed the largest year-over-year job decrease, losing 2,800 jobs. The information and financial activities industries also lost 500 and 100 jobs, respectively.

Congratulations to PSAR. Your Association has been honored for its leadership role in a housing initiative that is continuing to assist disabled military veterans achieve the American dream of homeownership.

The San Diego County Taxpayers Association (SDCTA) Award, a watchdog organization that promotes accountable, cost-effective and efficient government, recently presented a Golden Watchdog Award jointly to PSAR, the San Diego chapter of the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP) and the San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk’s Office.

The SDCTA award, called “Better Serving 100% Disabled Veterans,” recognized the efforts by PSAR officials to assist more than 8,000 local disabled veterans in 2018, an increase of 28 percent from the previous year. The award, top honors in the “Public-Private Partnership” category, was presented May 16 at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel. SDCTA’s 24th annual Golden Watchdog and Fleece Awards recognized the best and worst in local government spending, decision-making and efficiency in San Diego County.

PSAR 2019 President Robert Calloway played a key role in assisting Ernie Dronenburg, San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk, on the program that is helping disabled military veterans achieve homeownership. Initiating the program was Jordan Marks, Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate with the Assessor’s Office. 

The SDCTA award said the Assessor’s Office partnered with representatives from the disabled veterans community and PSAR to educate the community about a little-used California property tax exemption for disabled veterans and their spouses. Under an initiative that promoted homeownership, housing affordability and property tax refunds, the County served more than 1,400 more disabled veterans than the previous year. As a result of the program, disabled veteran homeowners benefited from $1.9 million annually in annual property tax savings.

The little-known California property tax exemption, California Constitution and Revenue and Taxation Code Section 205.5, provides a property tax exemption on the home of some disabled veterans or an unmarried spouse of a deceased disabled veteran. The exemption is available to a disabled veteran who, because of an injury incurred in military service, is blind in both eyes, or has lost the use of two or more limbs, or is totally disabled as determined by the VA or by the military service from which the veteran was discharged.

The SDCTA entry for the Golden Watchdog award said: “To increase program participation, the Assessor’s Office partnered with Robert Calloway, a Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption (DVET) recipient, and his two organizations, including PSAR and VAREP, to educate REALTORS®, veterans organizations and the community about this benefit for qualified disabled veterans and their spouses. This program, started in March 2018, was conducted without using any additional taxpayer dollars. This program leveraged private partnerships, speakers from the Assessor’s Office, media outreach, cross-county department education and resources from already budgeted campaigns.

SDCTA said through Calloway’s leadership and partnership with the Assessor’s Taxpayers’ Rights Office, a campaign demonstrating collaboration among the public and private sector and promoting the DVET exemption resulted in a savings for qualified veterans or spouses of up to $2,002 annually off their property taxes. This program helps veterans achieve homeownership, allows them to stay in their homes and, in some cases, receive refunds of close to $10,000 for property taxes.

Calloway, who serves as an advisor to the Assessor’s Office on disabled veterans issues, said, “This award from the Taxpayers Association is a great honor for PSAR, VAREP and the overall real estate community. We are ready to help local government officials anytime with advice and assistance that will help all homeowners, including disabled military veterans who have given so much and risked so much in service of the nation.”

“It was an honor and a pleasure working with Robert and PSAR,” said Dronenburg, who has served as County Assessor since 2010. “It was especially gratifying to help disabled veterans, these modern-day heroes who have selflessly shared so much and have sacrificed some of the best years of their lives, putting themselves in harm’s way to fight for liberty and keep everyone safe.”

As the County Assessor, Dronenburg oversees assessing the value of real estate and personal property, which in San Diego includes planes and boats. Every county resident who owns property or rents is affected by what happens at Dronenburg’s office. He oversees assessing the value of real estate and personal property, which in San Diego includes planes and boats. Property taxes constitute the largest share of revenue for the county. His work also involves registering business names and issuing marriage licenses, birth and death certificates. The office has a $71 million budget with 405 employees and five offices in San Diego County. Dronenburg was re-elected in June 2014, when he received 59 percent of the vote, and in June 2018, when he received 63 percent of the vote, resulting in no runoff elections either year. 

For the past 73 years, the SDCTA has been providing information to help educate the public and safe the region’s taxpayers millions. Public opinion polls consistently rate the SDCTA as the most “influential” and “trusted” public policy institution in San Diego.

 

Photo captions:

-- PSAR 2019 President Robert Calloway poses with Ernie Dronenburg, San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk (wearing bow tie) and William Jimenez, Division Chief, County Assessor’s Office.

-- PSAR 2019 President Robert Calloway poses with San Diego County Assessor’s Office staff who worked with San Diego disabled military veterans on the Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption.

By Ditas Yamane

Being in the real estate industry, the business commands a lot of time that makes life busy. Because of our irregular schedules as real estate professionals, it’s hard to find the time to volunteer and it’s easy to make the excuse of not being able to volunteer.

However, I’m here to tell you that sharing a little bit of your time can go a long way. Robert Calloway, as PSAR President, declared this year’s PSAR theme as “Salute to Service.” And I believe that this theme involves all of us at PSAR.

Volunteering is part of my existence in life. For me, it provides a sense of purpose and a sense of fulfillment that makes me happy. Being kind and helping people in need, improves your health and gives you happiness. 

Growing up very poor in a small town in the Philippines, often times, there was no help available for us. So, I made a promise that when I grow up, I would help others in my own little way. I studied hard, worked hard then along the way, I started to volunteer in my community. I also have encouraged my siblings and now my children to volunteer by giving back and helping people in need. As a result, they have built relationships with other volunteers and are happy to be a part of improving the quality of life.

My volunteerism has helped me grow in so many ways as a person. I have more confidence and have built great relationships, both personal and business aspects of my life. So, however, busy my life becomes, I set-aside time to volunteer and help. As Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens can change the world.”

So, I encourage you to volunteer at PSAR. Start by choosing a committee that you have interest in and put a little time, effort and commitment. It’s a good way to use your extra time to share your skills and talents and I guarantee you that the return of your little investment will be priceless.

By volunteering at PSAR, you will learn new skills, meet new friends, develop friendships and build network.

Volunteer at PSAR and you’ll learn new things and you’ll get information and know about available resources to use in your business and share to others.

Volunteer at PSAR and your voice will be heard in helping to grow the PSAR community. It will give you the opportunity to advocate for issues and concerns that you believe is right and are in line with PSAR’s mission to change for the better.

Volunteering means you will have a seat at the table; otherwise you’re on the menu!

Believe me when I say that the rewards of volunteering at PSAR are endless. The best time to volunteer is now.

Come-on fellow Real Estate Professionals. Come and volunteer and help us grow.

Together we can do it.

We are PSAR!

 

Ditas Yamane has been in the real estate business since 2002.

Salute to Service: By Shonee Henry

Life is short and it is here to be lived. Which is a main reason why I believe that passion is so important. Passion is what energizes life. It turns the impossible into the possible. I’m passionate about volunteering and staying involved with PSAR. And, here’s why you should join me.

I don’t think twice about volunteering. It’s natural for me to do it. God made me to be a helper and volunteer. People might think I’m crazy, but I don’t feel wholesome if I don’t help.

I didn’t realize how effective I could be at volunteering until I actually started volunteering. Does that make sense?

Let me explain: I have been fortunate to volunteer at the national level with the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Starting in 2009, I began serving as NAR’s President’s Liaison to the Philippines. Four years later, I was appointed regional coordinator to Asia Pacific, and United Arab Emirates from 2013-2016 representing the NAR President.  In my collaborative role, I helped establish partnerships in other countries to promote NAR educational programs and professional designations, including the International Realtor Membership (IRM) and Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS).

Serving with NAR forced me to make public speeches. Before then, I had never been a public speaker. But, I was passionate about helping to lay a global foundation for our real estate industry. I believe success in business is possible only with passion, vibrancy, energy and enthusiasm. Passion is the instinct that drives all great souls. Passion is the fuel which generates pride, ambition and dreams. Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion of conviction. Your passion for success must be greater than any fear of failure.

So, as a result, my public speeches were filled with passion. Then, after the speech, people said to me, “You’re really good at this. Your speech was inspiring. You really made a difference.” All of that was news to me. Then, I realized my purpose and what I was created to do in life. Passion and purpose go together. The more purpose driven you are, the more you know your purpose for both living and leading as a volunteer. So, only after I started serving did I realize how effective that someone could be and the impact you could make as a volunteer.

Also, volunteering can make you a better REALTOR®. That’s because when people see the passion you have for volunteering, then they will choose to do business with you and your business will grow organically. I have never volunteered for the purpose of increasing my business. However, I have seen that volunteering and sharing the lessons you’ve learned in life has led to new friends and trustworthy contacts and, eventually, to new clients. By sharing your talent, you’re creating a better atmosphere for our industry. So, let me encourage you to share your experience and your talent. Help from the heart.

Because the more focused you are, the more effective you will be. And volunteering helps you to focus. There’s awesome power in a focused life. For example, diffused light doesn’t have much of an effect on what it touches. But, when you focus light, like the rays of the sun through a magnifying glass, you can ignite a piece of paper or grass. If you can focus it even more, it becomes a laser. And, lasers can cut through steel and destroy cancer. The same is true with your life. If you’re directionless, you’ll just drift through without much impact. But, if you focus on a few key goals, such as volunteering, then you can make more of a powerful impact in the world.

Time is your most precious gift you have because we have only a set amount of it. You can make more money, but you can’t make more time. When you give someone your time in volunteer service, then you are giving them a portion of your life that you’ll never get back. Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your volunteer time.

Let me encourage you to allocate part of your time to PSAR, increase your passion, expand your participation and volunteer with our Association. Yes, as a PSAR, you can make a difference and be a change-maker for the betterment of our Association.

Sometimes you might think you have the knack for something, but you’re not sure quite where to start. I would say to just face your fears, think outside the box and jump-in with both feet and try it anyway. There are so many opportunities to serve to help others and many ideas that need to be cultivated. Small can turn out to be a big deal. Little can turn out to be much. 

Start with the needs of others. If you want to connect with people, start with their needs, their hurts, what they want. Seek to understand before seeking to be understood. Life is all about relationships. Remember, the world does not revolve around you.

You’re braver than you know. You might not think of yourself as courageous, adventuresome, fearless and unafraid. But, I think you should give yourself credit for bravery when you volunteer. Don’t listen to the voices that say, “Who do you think you are?” or, “It can’t be done,” or “Forget about it.”

Maybe you’ve tried to volunteer in the past and it didn’t work-out well. Let me encourage you to try again. We must not permit the failures of the past to defeat victorious living today. Failures of the past do not nullify purposes in the future. Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you. Do not allow the fears of the future to rob us of passion today. Instead, explore and discover your hidden talents. When you volunteer, you will discover the better part of yourself.

You were created for more than just selling real estate. I started in real estate to help me achieve my dream of sharing wealth and wisdom with those less fortunate. Life is not about things. You’ve got to maintain the right perspective about possession, or you’ll be possessed by your possessions. The greatest things in life aren’t things. But, passion as a volunteer helps you get out of bed in the morning. It’s because you know there’s something bigger than you are and you can hardly wait to get at it again. So, get involved and take action today about volunteering with PSAR.

Shonee Henry began her real estate career in 2002. 

The lowest mortgage interest rates in more than a year boosted California’s housing market and kept home sales level in March 2019, after a stronger performance the previous month, according to the latest housing market report for home sales and prices from the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R).

After hitting the lowest level in 12 months in February 2019, the statewide median home price bounced back and reached the highest point since October 2018. The statewide median home price rose 5.9 percent to $565,880 in March 2019 from $534,140 in February 2019 and was up 0.2 percent from a revised $564,820 in March 2018.

The statewide median home price in March 2019 was $565,880, down 5.9 percent from February’s $534,140 figure and up 0.2 percent from March 2018’s figure of $564,820.

In San Diego County in March 2019, the median single-family home price of $623,800 was 0.2 percent lower than the $6250,000 figure for February 2019 and 0.3 percent lower than the $62,400 figure for March 2018.

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 397,210 units in March, according to information from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide. The statewide annualized sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2019 if sales maintained the March pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

“The lowest interest rates in more than a year gave would-be buyers the confidence to enter the housing market and provided a much-needed push to jump-start the spring homebuying season,” said C.A.R. President Jared Martin. “Pending sales also showed healthy improvement in March, which suggests a brighter market outlook could be in place in the second quarter.”  

“The median price has been softening since it reached a peak last summer, and March’s year-over-year price increase was the smallest in seven years,” said C.A.R. Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young. “The flattening home prices, coupled with low mortgage rates, bode well for housing affordability and may bring more buyers who may have given up back to the market.”

Other key points from the March 2019 resale housing report included:

-- The median number of days it took to sell a California single-family home rose from 16 days in March 2018 to 25 days in March 2019. This compares to 33 days in February 2019 and 37 days in January 2019. Meanwhile, in San Diego County, the median number of days a home remained unsold on the market stood at 19 days in March 2019, compared to 22 days in February 2019 and 12 days in March 2018.

-- Home sales in the Inland Empire declined 10.4 percent from a year ago as Riverside and San Bernardino counties posted annual sales declines of 9.3 percent and 12.2 percent, respectively. In the Southern California region, home prices increased in San Bernardino, Riverside and Ventura while they declined in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.

-- Active listings continued to climb from the prior year, increasing 13.4 percent from last March. It was the 12th consecutive month active listings rose year-over-year and the ninth month in a row they grew double digits from the prior year. The pace of increase, however, was the slowest since July 2018, and the growth rate has been decelerating since December 2018.

-- The Unsold Inventory Index (UII), which is a ratio of inventory over sales, improved on a year-over-year basis but decreased on a month-to-month basis. The Unsold Inventory Index was 3.6 months in March, down from 4.6 months in February but up from 3.0 months in March 2018. The index measures the number of months it would take to sell the supply of homes on the market at the current sales rate. The jump in the UII from a year ago can be attributed to the moderate sales decline and the sharp increase in active listings.

-- The 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaged 4.27 percent in March, down from 4.44 percent in March 2018, according to Freddie Mac. The five-year, adjustable mortgage interest rate also declined in March to an average of 3.83 percent from 3.65 in March 2018.

In other recent real estate and economic news, according to news reports:

-- The number of San Diego County homebuyers who had their first offer accepted skyrocketed in the first quarter of this year, according to real estate firm Redfin. In the first quarter last year, only 38 percent of local homebuyers got their first offer accepted. That figure climbed to 53.4 percent in the first three months of 2019. Nationally, 56 percent of homebuyers got their first offer accepted in the first quarter, according to Redfin, the highest first offer acceptance rate in the past three years.

-- San Diego County's home inventory rose 20.4 percent year-over-year in March, significantly outpacing the national inventory growth of 1.2 percent, according to a recent Zillow report. Zillow said the increase is not because there are many new listings, but rather homes are staying on the market longer. Despite an increase in the total pool of for-sale inventory, the number of new listings on the housing market has fallen year-over-year in each of the past four months, Zillow said.

-- Median home prices were unaffordable to 71 percent of average wage earners in the U.S. in the first quarter. According to Attom Data Solutions latest report, median home prices in the first quarter of 2019 were not affordable for average wage earners in 335 of 473 U.S. counties analyzed in the report. Attom said San Diego County's annualized weekly average wage figure of $61,269 means an individual or family would have to spend 65.4 percent of their income to afford a median home price of $540,250. It's recommended that no more than a third of income should be spent on housing in any given month.

-- The number of San Diego County homes in foreclosure remains at a low level. Attom Data Solutions found local foreclosure filings amounted to 1,040 in the first quarter. While it marked a 280-unit quarter-over-quarter decline, it was up by nearly 150 foreclosures from a year ago. Foreclosures both in San Diego and nationally are still at or near 11-year lows.

-- Millennials are struggling to come up with a down payment to pay for a home, according to Clever Real Estate, a referral service. Nearly half of Californian millennials pay less than the traditional 20 percent down on a home. This leads to high monthly payments and, sometimes, buyer’s remorse. Also, a lack of funds to start with means many use credit cards, or loans, for home renovations.

-- San Diego County is the seventh most favored rental market in the nation. According to HotPads, monthly rent in San Diego County, combining both single-family units and apartments, has reached $2,740. Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta are currently the most popular rental markets in the United States, said HotPads.

-- The unemployment rate in San Diego County was 3.7 percent in March, edging up from a revised 3.5 percent in February, according to a monthly jobs report from the California Employment Development Department. During the same period, the unadjusted unemployment rate was 4.6 percent for California and 3.9 percent for the nation.

-- California’s population growth in 2018 was the slowest in state history, as births declined, student enrollment fell and the death rate continued to climb as baby boomers aged. According to the state Department of Finance, the state added 186,807 residents last year, bringing California’s estimated total population to 39,927,315 people as of Jan. 1. The overall growth rate slipped to .47 percent last year from .78 pecent in 2017, the slowest since data collection started in 1900. Births in the state in 2018 were down by more than 18,000, compared with the previous year.