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What to "Gift" your REALTOR® for the Holidays
Sponsored by PSAR Tech Committee

Wednesday, December 12, 2013, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
PSAR East County, 1150 Broadway, El Cajon, CA 92021

Lunch provided by Lisa Vasey with 

This class will be one hour of demonstration followed by 1/2 hour of hands-on Q&A.

The Tech Lunch & Learn Workshops are open to all REALTORS® and Affiliate Members regardless of what Association
they are members of.

BE SURE TO BRING YOUR:

• Laptop or other mobile devices
• Paper & pen to take notes
• Questions for discussion

PSAR Offices will be closed on
Thursday & Friday,
November 22nd & 23rd in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Offices will reopen on Monday,
November 26th at 8:30 AM.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

 

ShowingTime is now available to all CRMLS Paragon users in San Diego through PSAR.

Why should a dream listing slip through the cracks just because you couldn’t get the other agent on the phone? It’s 2018 – your real estate transactions shouldn’t be limited by the size of your voicemail inbox.

ShowingTime allows interested potential buyers’ agents to book showings through the MLS any time. The system is online 24/7, and appointments are confirmed via text, automated call, or mobile app.

How do I get ShowingTIme?

There are four ShowingTime integrations in Paragon:

1. Via Preferences > ShowingTime Setup:

 

2. Under Listing Input and Maintenance:

 

3. Via the Action Icon on Spreadsheet and Report Views:

4. Via the Action Icon from the Actions Menu on Results:

Want to learn how to get started? Visit https://go.crmls.org/showingtime/ for more information.

 

PSAR’s Government Affairs Committee endorsed a number of local candidates who were winners in this week’s November 6th general election. Also, PSAR was victorious in positions regarding a local proposition and statewide propositions.

 PSAR endorsed Brian W. Jones who won the seat to represent the State Senate 38th District. With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, Jones drew 56 percent of the vote. Jones, a three-term Republican Assemblyman and current Santee city councilman, succeeded Joel Anderson (R-Alpine), who was termed-out. The massive 38th District, with nearly 1 million residents and covering about 30 percent of San Diego County, stretches from Lemon Grove to Fallbrook, from Borrego Springs to Alpine and includes most of eastern and northern San Diego County. It encompasses eight municipal cities, including Lemon Grove, Santee, La Mesa, El Cajon, Poway, Escondido, San Marcos and San Diego’s Scripps Ranch community, as well as the communities of Lakeside, Ramona and Julian. As an assemblyman, Jones has always been a reliable vote for policies that protect homeownership and private property rights.

PSAR also supported the successful reelection of three city mayors, including Mary Casillas Salas in Chula Vista, Bill Wells in El Cajon and Mark Arapostathis in La Mesa.

Salas won with 70.1 percent of the vote. She has been an elected official since 1996, beginning with the Chula Vista City Council followed by the State Assembly. She became mayor in 2014.

Wells, also an incumbent, won handily with 66 percent of the vote. Elected to the City Council in 2008, Wells has been the city’s mayor since 2013. 

Arapostathis ran unopposed for his mayor’s seat in La Mesa. He was elected as mayor in 2014.

Other PSAR candidates who were successful in their city council races included: John McCann, Chula Vista; Ron Morrison, National City; Gary Kendrick, El Cajon; Bill Baber, La Mesa; Ronn Hall, Laura Koval, Rob McNelis, Santee; Jerry Jones, Lemon Grove.

In a special district race that drew a PSAR endorsement, Dan McMillan was reelected to the Helix Water District board of directors.

PSAR organized a massive campaign to defeat of Measure “W,” a rent control initiative in National City that drew 54 percent of “no” votes. In the city of more than 60,000 residents, about 70 percent of residents are renters. 

National City voters said they did not favor the city government creating new costly bureaucracy  which would limit how property owners manage their rental units . Most econommists agree that the measure would have eliminated incentives for property owners to fix up their units and discourage new housing construction.

PSAR believes rent control reduces the quality and quantity of housing. Typically, rent control leads to reducing available rentals and landlords skimping on repairs. Rent control eliminates incentives for landlords and property owners to fix up, or invest in, their units, as well as discourages new housing construction and decreases the number of available rental units.

In statewide propositions, PSAR agreed with the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) in its positions on Propositions 1, 5 and 10.

Prop. 1, the Housing Programs and Veterans’ Loans Bond that was supported by C.A.R., passed by a 54.2 percent margin. As a result, the state will borrow up to $4 billion in general obligation bonds for housing-related programs benefiting veterans. The vast majority of the bonds, about $3 billion, will be set aside for various types of housing programs. The biggest share, or $1.5 billion, will go toward the construction and rehabilitation of permanent and transitional rental housing and apartments for California households who earn of up to 60 percent of the area median income. The second biggest portion of the $3 billion, about $150 million, will be earmarked for cities, counties, transit agencies, and developers to build higher density housing near transit stations.

Prop. 5, the Property Tax Transfer Fairness Initiative that was supported by C.A.R., was defeated (42 percent voted “yes,” 58 percent voted “no”). Voters said no to expanding property tax savings for older homeowners. If approved, Prop. 5 would have allowed homeowners over ages 55 to transfer their lower property tax rates with them when moving to a newly bought home anywhere in the state. Prop. 5 was initiated by C.A.R. The measure qualified for the ballot after C.A.R. submitted nearly 1 million voter signatures to the Secretary of State’s office.

Prop. 10, the Local Rent Control Initiative that was opposed by C.A.R., was defeated resoundingly (62 percent voted “no,” 38 percent voted “yes”). C.A.R. opposed Prop. 10 because it would have allowed for the expansion of rent control across California. The initiative would have repealed a 1995 law, the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, that limits county and city governments’ ability to slow rent hikes. It would have overturned an existing state law blocking cities from imposing rent control on rental units built after 1995 and on all single-family homes and condominiums. Repealing the longstanding Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act would have exacerbated the housing crisis, eventually allowing local governments to impose draconian rent control measures. If approved, unelected bureaucrats would have overseen rent control ordinances and determine how much landlords could charge tenants for renting apartments and houses. The election result means those prohibitions remain in place.

The PSAR Government Affairs Committee recommended the endorsements to the PSAR board of directors, which then ratified the recommendation. The Government Affairs Committee is involved in political advocacy and public policy and its impact on homeownership and private property rights.

To Register for this 5-Day Course, please call 619-421-7811 or email george@psar.org.

The Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS® (PSAR) has announced its endorsement of candidates for the Nov. 6th general election. Endorsed candidates include:

Brian Jones for California State Senate 38th District

Mary Casillas Salas, Chula Vista Mayor

John McCann, Chula Vista City Council, District 1

Ditas Yamane, National City Mayor

Ron Morrison, National City City Council

Bill Wells, El Cajon Mayor

Gary Kendrick, El Cajon City Council

Mark Arapostathis, La Mesa Mayor

Guy McWhirter and Bill Baber, La Mesa City Council

Ronn Hall, Laura Rose Koval, Rob McNelis, Santee City Council

Jerry Jones, Lemon Grove City Council

Dan McMillan, Helix Water District, District 1

John Olsen, Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Board of Trustees, Area 1

 

PSAR’s Government Affairs Committee recommended the endorsements to the board of directors, which then ratified the recommendation. The Government Affairs Committee is involved in political advocacy and public policy and its impact on homeownership and private property rights.

In addition, PSAR is recommending the following:

• “No” on Measure “W,” Rent Control in National City. If approved, Measure W would put a 5 percent limit on annual rent increases and ban certain types of evictions, making it tougher to evict problematic renters.

PSAR believes rent control reduces the quality and quantity of housing. Typically, rent control leads to reducing available rentals and landlords skimping on repairs. Rent control eliminates incentives for landlords and property owners to fix up, or invest in, their units, as well as discourages new housing construction and decreases the number of available rental units. Vote “No” on “W.”

• “Yes” on California Proposition 5, Property Tax Transfer Fairness Initiative. If approved, Prop. 5 would allow homeowners over ages 55 to transfer their lower property tax rates to a newly bought home anywhere in the state. A couple, for example, could sell a home assessed at $250,000 for $750,000 then buy another property for $750,000 and continue to pay property taxes at the $250,000 valuation. If the new home cost more or less, property tax would be adjusted based on simple formulas that continued the property tax breaks that residents enjoyed with their previous homes.

PSAR believes this measure would create new homeownership opportunities by generating more sales of single-family homes in existing neighborhoods. This will benefit young families at a time when California faces a severe shortage of homes for sale. Prop. 5 is actually a smart idea that will both give older people more flexibility with their lives and introduce liquidity to a housing market that could badly use it. The revenue it would cost local government is relatively small. Also, Prop. 5 is a common sense way to expand the benefits of Proposition 13 protections while providing more affordable housing.

Prop. 5 was initiated by the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.). C.A.R. qualified the measure for the ballot after it submitted nearly 1 million voter signatures to the Secretary of State’s office, indicating strong voter support. Vote “Yes” on Prop. 5.

• “No” on California Proposition 10, Local Rent Control Initiative. If approved, Prop. 10 would overturn an existing state law blocking cities from imposing rent control on rental units built after 1995 and on all single-family homes and condominiums. Repealing the longstanding Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act would exacerbate the housing crisis, eventually allowing local governments to impose draconian rent control measures. If approved, unelected bureaucrats would oversee rent control ordinances and determine how much landlords could charge tenants for renting apartments and houses.

PSAR believes Prop. 10 is a flawed rent control initiative that would make housing more expensive, not less, and worsen the housing crisis. Vote “No” on Prop. 10.

In addition to positions on Prop. 5 and Prop. 10, C.A.R. is supporting Proposition 1, the Housing Programs and Veterans' Loans Bond. A “yes” vote on this measure would authorize the state to borrow up to $4 billion in general obligation bonds for housing-related programs benefiting veterans. If approved, additional affordable housing would be provided for veterans. The vast majority of the bonds, about $3 billion, would be set aside for various types of housing programs. The biggest share, or $1.5 billion, would go toward the construction and rehabilitation of permanent and transitional rental housing and apartments for California households who earn of up to 60 percent of the area median income. The second biggest portion of the $3 billion, about $150 million, would be earmarked for cities, counties, transit agencies, and developers to build higher density housing near transit stations. The remaining $1 billion would be earmarked for veterans participating in a home loan program. In addition to C.A.R., Prop. 1 has support from major California newspapers, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, and Sacramento Bee, as well as the League of Women Voters and Democratic state lawmakers.

The Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS® (PSAR), a 2,600-member trade group for San Diego-area REALTORS®, offers educational training, advocacy and other services and resources to its REALTOR® members. Founded in 1928, PSAR has played a significant role in shaping the history, growth and development of greater San Diego County. The Association maintains a leadership role in the industry, empowering REALTORS® by leveraging our collective strength so they may serve homebuyers and sellers and the greater community. For more information, visit www.PSAR.org.

PSAR’s Board Endorses candidates and initiatives that we believe will have a positive impact on home-ownership and private property rights.

California’s housing market “continued to deteriorate” in September, according to the latest housing market report from the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R). Mortgage rates remain affordable while demand for existing homes is slowing, home prices are rising at a slower rate and a tight supply of available homes, still low, is increasing.

In September, C.A.R. said the state’s housing market posted its largest year-over-year sales decline since March 2014. In addition, home sales remained below the 400,000-level sales benchmark for the second consecutive month, indicating that the market is slowing as many potential buyers put their homeownership plans on hold.

C.A.R. said September’s statewide median home price dropped to $578,850 in September. The September 2018 statewide median price was down 2.9 percent from $596,410 in August 2018 but up 4.2 percent from a revised $555,400 in September 2017.

In San Diego County, the median price of a single-family home in San Diego County was $640,000 in September 2018, up from $605,000 during the same month a year ago, according to CAR. The median price in September 2018 was down 3 percent from $660,000 in August 2018.

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 382,550 units in September, according to information collected by C.A.R. 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 2018 if sales maintained the September pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

“The housing market continued to deteriorate and the decline in sales worsened as interest rates remained on an upward trend,” said C.A.R. President Steve White. “More would-be buyers are self-sidelining as they believe home prices will start to come down soon, making housing more affordable despite rising interest rates. Tax reform, which increases the cost of homeownership, also is contributing to the decline, especially in high-cost areas such as the San Francisco Bay Area and Orange County.”
“Price appreciations have slowed in the last few months and inventory has risen considerably since June when the statewide median price hit a new peak,” said C.A.R. Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young. “Buyers are becoming increasingly concerned about market developments and are reluctant to purchase at the prevailing market price. As such, the deceleration in price growth will likely continue in coming months.”

Other key points from C.A.R.’s September 2018 resale housing report included:

• -- Homes are taking longer to sell than they did just a few months ago. The median number of days it took to sell a California single-family home ticked up from 20 days in September 2017 to 23 days in September 2018, a sign that market competitiveness is not as heated as it was in 2017. The statewide number of days for August 2018 was 21 days. Meanwhile, in San Diego County, the median number of days a home remained unsold on the market was 19 days in September 2018, compared to 18 days in August 2018 and 16 days in September 2017.
• -- Statewide active listings rose for the sixth consecutive month following 33 straight months of declines, increasing 20.4 percent from the previous year. September’s listings increase was the biggest in nearly four years.
• -- The Unsold Inventory Index, which is a ratio of inventory over sales, rose again to 4.2 months in September 2018 from 3.3 months in September 2017. It was the highest level in 31 months. 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 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rates averaged 4.63 percent in September, up from 3.81 percent in September 2017, according to Freddie Mac. The five-year, adjustable mortgage interest rate also increased in September to an average of 3.94 percent from 3.16 percent from September 2017.

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

• U.S. home sales fell for the sixth straight month in September 2018, a sign that housing is remaining a weak spot for the economy. The National Association of REALTORS® said that sales declined 3.4 percent in September, the biggest drop in 2 ½ years, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.15 million. That’s the lowest sales pace since November 2015.
• Rising mortgage rates, paired with already high home prices, are giving pause to homebuyers and are partly to blame for the slowdown in sales, according to CoreLogic. With some rates running at around 5 percent for 30-year fixed-rate loans, CoreLogic reported that mortgage rates this summer reached the highest level in seven years, making it harder for some buyers to enter the market.
• Mortgage payments are rising faster than home values. A new Zillow analysis report found that monthly mortgage payments are rising at significantly higher levels than home values. For example, in San Diego County, the median home value rose just 4.9 percent year-over-year while the monthly mortgage payments jumped by 13.6 percent from a year ago, according to Zillow.
• According to Redfin, San Diego County’s housing inventory level climbed 30.7 percent year-over-year in September, trailing only San Jose (82.7 percent) and Seattle (54.5 percent). Inventory levels may have climbed, but Redfin’s recent overall assessment for San Diego County still gives us an 84 out of 100 ranking on a competitive scale with 100 being the most competitive.
• Rents have stabilized recently, which means many would-be buyers may not feel as much pressure to buy a home right now. However, looking ahead, San Diego County's average rent is projected to soar to $2,187 by 2020, according to a forecast by the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate in partnership with Beacon Economics. The USC forecast estimates that in two years average monthly rents in San Diego County will increase by $209 over their current levels. It also predicts rents will rise by $91 in Los Angeles County, by $52 in Orange County, by $107 in Ventura County and by $78 in the Inland Empire. The forecast also said while San Diego County's vacancy rate was unchanged at 3.94 percent in 2018, it is projected to drop to 3.75 percent in 2020 despite several thousand units that are either under construction or will be in development soon.
• Analysts remain mostly optimistic about the broader economy. Most forecast growth will top 3 percent for an annual rate in the July-September quarter, after a robust expansion of 4.2 percent in the second quarter.
• San Diego County created 700 jobs in September 2018 and added 27,000 jobs in the past year, according to a recent jobs report from the California Economic Development Department. The largest month-over-month increases occurred in the government sector, which added 5,100 jobs. With the creation of 14,700 jobs, the professional and business services sector reported the largest year-over gains. San Diego County's unemployment rate fell from a revised 3.4 percent in August to 3.2 percent in September. By comparison, the unadjusted unemployment rate was 3.9 percent for California and 3.6 percent for the nation during the same time frame, according to the report.

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• "Your class in Vista was unbelievable." -- EA - Vista