California home sales and prices eased in December as the state’s housing market posted its best performance in more than a decade, according to the latest home sales and price report from the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.).

The number of closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes statewide on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate was down 5.4 percent in December 2021 to 429,860, compared to 454,450 in November 2021. The December 2021 sales pace was down 15.7 percent from a year ago in December 2020, when 509,750 homes were sold on an annualized basis.

The statewide annualized sales figure, collected from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide, represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2021 if sales maintained the November pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

Despite the sixth straight month for a year-over-year sales decrease for the year as a whole, sales of existing statewide homes maintained a 7.9 percent increase from 2020’s pace on a year-over-year basis.

In San Diego, home sales in December 2021 were lower in month-over-month and year-over-year comparisons. San Diego home sales in December 2021 declined 0.8 percent, compared to November 2021, and were 11.2 percent lower than December 2020.

December 2021 County Sales and Price Activity
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

Meanwhile, the California median home price dipped below the $800,000 benchmark for the third straight month as the seasonal slowdown continued. Despite a deceleration in growth at the end of the year, the statewide median price rose to $796,570 in December, up 1.8 percent from November’s $782,480 and up 11.0 percent from the $717,930 recorded in December 2020.

The double-digit annual price gain was the 17th consecutive month with more than a 10 percent increase since the summer of 2020. The annual increase was also the smallest since July 2020 as the share of high-end homes continued to moderate since July 2021. For the year as a whole, California set a new annual record median price of $786,750, improving 19.3 percent from the prior year.

In San Diego, the median sales price for an existing, single-family detached home in San Diego County was $836,700 in December 2021, a drop of 1.3 percent compared to the $847,750 price in November 2021. The December median price was 14.6 percent higher than a year ago at $730,000 in December 2020, roughly a $100,000 increase in one year.

“Despite signs of moderating in the second half of the year, California’s housing market continued to outperform last year’s level and remained competitive even as home prices rose at a double-digit pace — a testament to the imbalance of high demand and not enough homes on the market for sale,” said 2022 C.A.R. President Otto Catrina, a Bay Area real estate broker and REALTOR®. “For the year as a whole, the market turned in its best performance in more than a decade, as buyers took advantage of historically low-interest rates and continued to value the benefits of homeownership amid another year of the pandemic.”

“The state’s housing market is expected to perform solidly this year as the economy recovers further and consumers’ desire to buy remains elevated,” said C.A.R. Vice President and Chief Economist Jordan Levine. “However, with COVID cases surging and inventory constraints remaining an issue, the housing market will see headwinds of ongoing high inflation, which will put pressure on the Fed to raise rates sooner than previously expected. These factors will increase the cost of borrowing and put more affordability burden on potential homebuyers who want to purchase in 2022.”

Other key points from C.A.R.’s December 2021 resale housing report include:

-- At the regional level, all major regions in California recorded a sale decline on a year-over-year basis by more than 10 percent in December 2021. The sales decline for Southern California at the end of 2021 was 10.7 percent on an annual basis.

-- All major regions posted solid home price gains from a year ago, with four of them recording double-digit, year-over-year median price increases. The Far North outpaced the rest of the state with a 16.6 percent year-over-year gain at the end of the year, followed by Southern California (15.4 percent), the Central Valley (13.9 percent), the San Francisco Bay Area (13.4 percent), and the Central Coast (9.1 percent).

-- Market competitiveness was less heated than a few months ago but remained elevated in December. Nearly three-fifths of homes (58 percent) sold above the asking price, but that was the lowest level in 10 months. December was the 15th consecutive month since September 2020 that more than half of the homes sold above the asking price.

-- While the statewide median sales-price-to-list-price ratio remained above 100 percent, the December number was the lowest level since February 2021. The sales-to-list-price ratio is an indicator that reflects the negotiation power of home buyers and sellers under current market conditions. The ratio, expressed as a percentage, is calculated by dividing the final sales price of a property by its last list price. A sales-to-list ratio with 100 percent or above suggests that the property sold for more than the list price, while a ratio below 100 percent indicates that the price sold below the asking price.

-- The inventory of available homes for sale in San Diego County in December 2021 was 1 month, compared to 1.3 months in November 2021 and 1.2 months a year ago in December 2020. Numbers from previous months in 2021 included: October, 1.5; September, 1.6; August, 1.7; July, 1.7.

-- Statewide, the unsold inventory of homes was 1.2 months in December 2021, compared to 1.6 months in November 2021 and 1.4 months in December 2020. The December 2021 figure of 1.2 months was the lowest level on record since CAR began tracking this figure in July 1988. Active listings statewide were down 24.1 percent from last year. Inventory levels indicate the number of months it would take for the available supply of homes on the market to sell out given the current rate of sales.

December 2021 County Unsold Inventory and Days on Market
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

-- The median number of days it took to sell an existing, single-family home in San Diego County in December 2021 was eight days, compared to nine days in November, October, and September 2021. The eight-day timeframe compares to eight days in August, seven days in July, six days in June 2021, seven days in May 2021, and six days in April 2021. A year ago in December 2020, the number was eight days. The median represents a time when half the homes sell above it and half below it.

-- Statewide, the median number of days it took to sell a California single-family home in December 2021 was at 12 days, compared to 11 days in November and October and 10 days in September 2021. A year ago, in December 2020, the number was 11 days.

-- The 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaged 3.10 percent in December, up from 2.68 percent in December 2020, according to Freddie Mac. The five-year, adjustable mortgage interest rate averaged 2.43 percent, compared to 2.79 percent in December 2020.

Even with low housing inventory and slightly higher interest rates, California’s housing market continued a strong sales pace in November 2021, while remaining above pre-pandemic levels, according to the latest home sales and price report from the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.).

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes statewide on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate rose 4.7 percent on a monthly basis in November 2021 to 454,450 units, compared to 434,170 in October 2021. The November 2021 sales pace was down 10.7 percent from a year ago in November 2020, when 508,820 homes were sold on an annualized basis.

The statewide annualized sales figure, collected from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide, represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2021 if sales maintained the November pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

Despite the fifth straight month for a year-over-year sales decrease, statewide home sales maintained a 10.6 percent increase on a year-over-year basis.

In San Diego, home sales were lower in November 2021 in month-over-month and year-over-year comparisons. San Diego home sales in November 2021 declined 6.1 percent compared to October 2021, and 6.6 percent lower than November 2020.

November 2021 County Sales and Price Activity
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

Meanwhile, the California median home price dipped below the $800,000 benchmark for the second straight month in November 2021 to $782,480, a 2 percent drop from $798,440 in October 2021. The statewide November 2021 median price was 11.9 percent higher than the $698,980 recorded in November 2020. The 2 percent price decline was higher than the 0.1 percent average recorded between October and November in the past 42 years, and it’s consistent with the five-year average logged between 2016 and 2020.

In San Diego, the median sales price for an existing, single-family detached home was $847,750 in November 2021, a 0.3 percent decrease compared to $850,000 in October 2021. The November 2021 median price was 14.6 percent higher than a year ago at $740,000 in November 2020, nearly a $100,000 increase in one year.

“As we move further into the off-peak homebuying season, slowly rising interest rates will motivate savvy buyers to enter the market," said 2022 C.A.R. President Otto Catrina, a Bay Area real estate broker and REALTOR®. “With fewer active buyers in the market during the holidays, prospective buyers who may have taken a breather during the heated peak homebuying months can take advantage of this window of opportunity when there’s less competition and more homes to choose from.”

 “California’s winter housing market remains unseasonably resilient, despite market challenges of a lack of inventory, modest interest rate increases, and ongoing affordability issues,” C.A.R. Vice President and Chief Economist Jordan Levine said. “While we believe the market will continue to do well in 2022 as the economy further recovers, a widening imbalance between supply and demand will put upward pressure on prices and create headwinds for housing affordability that could slow sales in the upcoming year.”

Other key points from C.A.R.’s November 2021 resale housing report include:

-- At the regional level, four of the five major regions recorded a sales decline in a year-over-year comparison in November 2021.

-- Nearly two-thirds of all counties (32 of 51) had a year-over-year decrease in closed sales in November, with 16 counties declining by more than 10 percent from a year ago.

-- All major regions posted solid home price gains from a year ago, with four of them recording double-digit, year-over-year median price increases. The San Francisco Bay Area (18.2 percent) had the largest increase of all regions, followed by Southern California (14.0 percent).

-- Market competitiveness was less heated than a few months ago but remained elevated in November. Nearly two-thirds of homes (59.2 percent) sold above the asking price, but that was the lowest level in nine months. November was the 14th consecutive month since September 2020 that more than half of the homes sold above the asking price.

-- While the statewide median sales-price-to-list-price ratio remained above 100 percent, November’s number was the lowest level since March 2021. The sales-to-list-price ratio is an indicator that reflects the negotiation power of home buyers and sellers under current market conditions. The ratio, expressed as a percentage, is calculated by dividing the final sales price of a property by its last list price. A sales-to-list ratio with 100 percent or above suggests that the property sold for more than the list price, while a ratio below 100 percent indicates that the price sold below the asking price.

November 2021 County Unsold Inventory and Days on Market
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

-- The inventory of available homes for sale in San Diego County in November 2021 was 1.3 months, compared to 1.5 months in October 2121 and 1.6 months a year ago in November 2020. Numbers from previous months in 2021 included: September, 1.6; August, 1.7; July, 1.7. Statewide, the unsold inventory of homes was 1.6 months in November, compared to 1.8 months in October 2021 and 1.9 months in November 2020. It was the second straight month for a month-to-month drop statewide. Overall for the 2021 year, active listings fell 22.4 percent from 2020. Inventory levels indicate the number of months it would take for the available supply of homes on the market to sell-out given the current rate of sales.

--The median number of days it took to sell an existing, single-family home in San Diego County in November 2021 was nine days, which was the same number in October and September 2021. A year ago, in November and October 2020, the number was seven days. The nine-day figure compares to seven days in July 2021, six days in June 2021, and seven days in May 2021. The median represents a time when half the homes sell above it and half below it.

-- Statewide, the median number of days it took to sell a California single-family home remained at 11 days in November 2021, unchanged from October 2021. The 11-day figure compares to 10 days in September 2021 and nine days in November 2020.

-- The 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaged 3.07 percent in November, up from 2.77 percent in November 2020, according to Freddie Mac. The five-year, adjustable mortgage interest rate averaged 2.51 percent, compared to 3.0 percent in November 2020.

California’s housing market continued to maintain a healthy sales pace in October 2021, above pre-pandemic levels and even as sales dipped from 2020. While prices leveled off, low mortgage rates are continuing to provide support, according to the latest home sales and price report from the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.).

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes statewide on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate dipped 0.9 percent on a monthly basis in October 2021 to 434,170, compared to 438,190 in September 2021, and down 10.4 percent from a year ago in October 2020, when 484,510 homes were sold on an annualized basis. The statewide annualized sales figure, collected from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide, represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2021 if sales maintained the October pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

Despite the fourth straight year-over-year sales decrease, statewide home sales maintained a 13.4 percent increase on a year-to-date basis.

In San Diego, home sales declined 4.9 percent between October and September 2021. In a year-over-year comparison, San Diego home sales were off by 8.3 percent.

Meanwhile, California’s median home price continued to level off as the market moved further into the off-season, dipping below the $800,000 benchmark for the first time in seven months. In October 2021, the statewide median price was $798,440, which was down 1.3 percent from the September 2021 price of $808,890 but was up 12.3 percent from the $711,300 recorded in October 2020.

October 2021 County Sales and Price Activity
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

It was the second consecutive month for a statewide, month-to-month price decline. However, the price drop between September and October 2021 was on par with the 1.5 percent average decline over the past 42 years.

In San Diego, the price for an existing, single-family detached home remained at $850,000 in October 2021, the same price as of September 2021, but 13.5 percent higher than the October 2020 price of $749,000.

“As the housing market moves from ‘frenzied’ to ‘less frenzied’ and price growth comes back to earth, fewer homes are selling above asking price and bidding wars are less prevalent, so more buyers who pushed pause earlier this year will be able to take advantage of still-cheap financing,” said 2022 C.A.R. President Otto Catrina, a Bay Area real estate broker, and REALTOR®. “With their median price being 30 percent less than that of a single-family home, condominiums and townhomes have been selling particularly well as they are a more affordable option to buyers with a smaller budget.”

“Despite a slowdown in sales from last year’s robust fall season, the California housing market continues to stabilize and is outperforming the pre-pandemic levels observed in 2017, 2018, and 2019,” C.A.R. Vice President and Chief Economist Jordan Levine said. “Slower sales activity suggests that the market is returning to its typical seasonal pattern and further market normalization can be expected in the upcoming months. While the market is showing signs of cooling off in recent months, 2021 continues to outpace last year’s sale level so far and is expected to post a gain at year-end.”

Other key points from C.A.R.’s October 2021 resale housing report include:

-- At the regional level, sales in all five major regions declined in a year-over-year comparison in October. Sales in Southern California also dipped by double-digits in October, with Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties each dropping 10 percent or more.

-- Almost all California counties (49 of 51) have experienced an increase in their median prices since last year and prices in 40 counties have increased by more than 10 percent since last October.

-- Market competitiveness remained elevated in October 2021. Nearly two-thirds of homes (60.2 percent) sold above the asking price. The statewide sales-price-to-list-price ratio was 101.5 percent in October 2021, compared to 100.2 percent in October 2020. The sales-to-list-price ratio is an indicator that reflects the negotiation power of home buyers and sellers under current market conditions. The ratio, expressed as a percentage, is calculated by dividing the final sales price of a property by its last list price. A sales-to-list ratio with 100 percent or above suggests that the property sold for more than the list price, while a ratio below 100 percent indicates that the price sold below the asking price.

-- October 2021 was the 13th consecutive month since September 2020 that more than half of the homes sold above the asking price. In September 2021, six out of 10 homes (62.2 percent) sold above the asking price, compared to 67 percent in August 2021 and 70 percent in July 2021.

-- Statewide, the unsold inventory of available homes for sale was 1.8 months in October 2021, compared to 1.9 months in September, August, and July 2021. In October 2020, the unsold inventory figure statewide was at 2.0 months. Inventory levels measured in months indicate the number it would take for the available supply of homes on the market to sell out given the current rate of sales.

October 2021 County Unsold Inventory and Days on Market
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

-- In San Diego County, the inventory of available homes for sale in October 2021 was at 1.5 months, compared to 1.6 months in September 2021 and 1.8 months in October 2020. The figure was 1.7 months in August 2021 and July 2021.

-- The median number of days it took to sell a California single-family home inched up to 11 days in October 2021, up from 10 days in September 2021 and 10 days in October 2020. The uptick was the first in more than two years. The 11-day figure compares to nine days in August 2021, eight days in July and July, and seven days in May and April. Prior to setting record low numbers this year, the previous statewide record was nine days in November 2020.

-- In San Diego County, the median number of days an existing, single-family home remained unsold on the market was nine days in October 2021, which was the same number in September 2021. In October 2020 and September 2021, the number was seven days. The nine-day figure compares to seven days in July 2021, six days in June 2021, seven days in May 2021, six days in April 2021 and March 2021, and seven days in February 2021 and January 2021. The median represents a timeframe when half the homes sell above it and half below it.

-- The 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaged 3.07 percent in October, up from 2.83 percent in October 2020, according to Freddie Mac. The five-year, adjustable mortgage interest rate was an average of 2.54 percent, compared to 2.89 percent in October 2020.

PSAR is proud to announce that 15 PSAR members have been approved by the PSAR board of directors for recognition by the California Association of REALTORS^® (C.A.R.) as honorary members for life.

The 15 members include:

Congratulations to each esteemed member for your long-term commitment to professionalism and excellence in the real estate industry.

This latest 2021 group of new C.A.R. life members will receive a waiver of C.A.R. dues beginning in 2022. They will continue to receive a dues waiver for as long as they remain eligible for REALTOR^® membership or until retirement from the field.

Requirements to be honored as a C.A.R. life member include remaining as a C.A.R. member in good standing for a minimum of 25 years and attaining the age of 75.

Acceptance as honorary members for life also requires approval of the C.A.R. Membership Committee and the C.A.R. Board of Directors at one of its three annual membership meetings. Applications for the honorary member-for-life designation must be received in advance of the meetings in order for the dues waiver to be effective the following year. Applications will not be processed without the signature of the member’s local association executive.

Applications are available on the C.A.R.website and using THIS FORM

For additional information, send an email to hmfl@car.org.

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PSAR was recently honored for writing excellence by the San Diego Press Club,

PSAR received an award in the “In-House or Employee Publications” category for recent “Voice of Real Estate” stories, an ongoing series covering the latest real estate industry trends. 

In addition, PSAR was honored in the “General Writing for Internal Publications” category for a series of profile stories about PSAR members.

It was the seventh consecutive year that PSAR has been recognized for writing excellence by the San Diego Press Club.  

The PSAR member profile stories have generated high readership levels and fostered closer bonds among PSAR colleagues. A frequent response to the stories among members who have worked together for years is, “I didn’t know that about you.”

It was the fourth consecutive year that PSAR has received a Press Club writing award for its “Voice of Real Estate” series.

The monthly Voice articles feature updates on local and statewide housing market conditions based on statistics from the California Association of REALTORS®, as well as other recent news about real estate and economic trends, cited from news reports.

The Voice articles also satisfy a core standard from the National Association of Realtors requiring real estate trade associations to provide realtor members with regularly scheduled information on the housing market, and real estate trends and issues.

The San Diego Press Club’s recent 48th annual Excellence in Journalism Awards drew over 1,100 entries, making it one of the largest journalism competitions in the nation. Judges were press club members in Alaska, California (San Francisco, Orange County), Florida, Louisiana(New Orleans), New York (Rochester), Ohio (Cleveland), and Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

The San Diego Press club presented over 500 awards in 130 categories and 10 divisions. Winners included reporters, writers, artists, photographers, videographers, corporate communicators, and public relations professionals. Top winners included The San Diego Union-Tribune with 42 awards in online, daily newspapers, and photography categories, Ranch and Coast Magazine with 22 awards in magazine and photography categories, and the San Diego Business Journal with 19 awards in non-daily newspaper categories.

The San Diego Press Club is one of the largest clubs of its kind in the nation with 400 members, all in the news communications field. The group offers professional growth activities and promotes integrity and high ethical standards in journalism.

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The California housing market’s home sales activity rebounded in September 2021, reversing a four-month decline. It was the state’s largest monthly increase in more than a year, according to the latest home sales and price report from the California Association of REALTORS^® (C.A.R.).

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes statewide on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate were up 5.6 percent to 438,190 in September 2021, compared to 414,860 in August 2021 and down 10.5 percent from a year ago in September 2020, when 489,590 homes were sold on an annualized basis. The statewide annualized sales figure, collected from more than 90 local REALTOR^® associations and MLSs statewide, represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2021 if sales maintained the August pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

The month-to-month increase from August to September 2021 was the largest since August 2020. In addition, statewide sales maintained a 16.8 percent increase on a year-to-date basis.

In San Diego, home sales in September 2021 declined 2.1 percent, compared to August 2021, and were 10.4 percent lower than September 2020.

Meanwhile, California’s median home price declined to $808,890, down 2.3 percent from $827,940 in August, when a record price was set. The September price was 13.5 percent higher than the $712,430 recorded last September. The median price in California remained above the $800,000 benchmark for the sixth consecutive month but the double-digit, year-over-year price gain was the smallest in 14 months.

September 2021 County Sales and Price Activity
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

A change in the mix of sales, once again, played a role in the change in the statewide median price, as the sales share of million-dollar continued to shrink on a month-to-month basis, and prices in the high-end market increased at a slower pace than the low-end market over the past two months.

In San Diego, home prices continued to soar with the median price for a single-family detached home in September 20201 was $850,000, which was 1.8 percent higher than the August 2021 price of $835,000, and 15.6 percent higher than a year ago when the price in September 2020 was $735,000.

“As we move into the off-homebuying season, we should see market competition easing and home prices moderating, giving those who waited out the highly competitive market earlier this year an opportunity to revisit buying,” said C.A.R. President Dave Walsh. “Interest rates are expected to remain low and the availability of homes for sale should improve, which should boost homebuying interest and spur sales.”

“With the economic recovery remaining on course but progressing at a pace slower than anticipated, rates are expected to rise modestly in the next few months but will remain low,” said C.A.R. Vice President and Chief Economist Jordan Levine. “While statewide home sales are expected to dip slightly next year according to our latest forecast, housing demand will remain solid and post the second-highest level of sales in the past five years. The market will stay competitive in 2022 as the normalization continues, and home prices will remain elevated.”

Other key points from C.A.R.’s September 2021 resale housing report include:

-- At the regional level, sales in all five major regions dipped on a year-over-year basis in September. All but 10 of 51 counties posted a year-over-year decrease in closed sales in September.

-- Median prices in all major regions continued to grow on a year-over-year basis. The San Francisco Bay Area had the largest jump (21.7 percent) of all regions, followed by the Central Valley (15.4 percent), Southern California (15.0 percent), the Central Coast (5.8 percent), and the Far North (5.7 percent).

-- Home prices continued to exhibit strong growth from last year, with 44 out of 51 counties showing a year-over-year gain from 12 months ago, and 38 of them increased more than 10 percent from last September.

-- California’s housing supply leveled off in September as the market transitioned into the off-season. Orange County had a 46.3 decline in active listings. The dip in new active listings could be due to seasonality.

-- Market competitiveness cooled slightly in September. Six out of 10 homes (62.2 percent) sold above asking price, but it was the lowest level since February 2021. Still, September was the 12th consecutive month since September 2020 that more than half of the homes sold above asking price. In August 2021, 67 percent of homes sold above asking price. In July 2021, 70 percent of homes sold above their asking price.

September 2021 County Unsold Inventory and Days on Market
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

-- Statewide, the unsold inventory of available homes for sale was unchanged at 1.9 months for September, August, and July, and slightly below the September 2020 level of 2.0 months. Inventory levels measured in months indicate the number it would take for the available supply of homes on the market to sell out given the current rate of sales.

-- In San Diego County, the inventory of available homes for sale in September 2021 was 1.6 months, compared to 1.7 months in August 2021 and July 2021, as well as September 2020.

-- The median number of days it took to sell a California single-family home in September 2021 was 10 days, which compares to nine days in August 2021 and 11 days in September 2020. The 10-day figure compares to eight days in July and June and seven days in May and April. Before setting record low numbers this year, the previous statewide record was nine days in November 2020.

-- In San Diego County, the median number of days an existing, single-family home remained unsold on the market was nine days in September 2021, which compares to eight days in August 2021 and seven days in September 2020. The nine-day figure compares to seven days in July 2021, six days in June 2021, seven days in May 2021, six days in April 2021 and March 2021, and seven days in February 2021 and January 2021. The median represents a timeframe when half the homes sell above it and half below it.

-- The 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaged 2.90 percent in September, up from 2.89 percent in September 2020, according to Freddie Mac. The five-year, adjustable mortgage interest rate was an average of 2.45 percent, compared to 2.98 percent in September 2020.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $47.4 million to fair housing non-profit organizations around the country.  At least two of the organizations are based in San Diego. In September these testing organizations received  $653,000 for the Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI).  According to HUD, these organizations will conduct intake and testing.  They will investigate and litigate fair housing complaints under the Fair Housing Act. According to the Department of Justice website:

"Testing refers to the use of individuals who – without any bona fide intent to rent or purchase housing, purchase a mortgage or vehicle loan, or patronize a place of public accommodation – pose as prospective renters, borrowers, or patrons for the purpose of gathering information. This information may indicate whether a provider is complying with federal civil rights laws. The primary focus of the Section's Fair Housing Testing Program has been to identify unlawful housing discrimination based on race, national origin, disability, or familial status in violation of the Fair Housing Act. The Section also has responsibilities to enforce Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the nation's public accommodations law; the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which prohibits discrimination in credit; and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which provides protections for military members as they enter active duty. The Fair Housing Testing Program also conducts testing under these statutes, as well as under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is enforced by the Disability Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division."

Agents must also understand that California has additional protected classes including Ancestory, CREED, Gender Identity, Medical Condition, Source of Income/Occupation, and "Other Arbitrary Discrimination."  The definition of a "Protected Class" is all-inclusive in California.  Agents need to be aware of their unconscious biases and be careful to treat everyone equally.

In March of 2021 HUD Published the 2021 civil penalty amounts for fair housing violations. Civil penalties may reach a maximum of $54,157 and respondents who had violated the Act two or more times in the previous 7 years could be fined a maximum of $108,315.

PSAR, NAR, and C.A.R. have been diligent and have provided fair housing resources for Realtors for many years. During the past two years following the Newsday Investigation called "Long Island Divided" the Associations doubled down the efforts.  PSAR has hosted or promoted at least eight opportunities this year for agents to better understand fair housing.  NAR also prepared a "gamified" training to help agents understand the law.  The game is called Fairhaven.  More information may be found here.

Testers may be reaching anonymously to agents and property managers in the field.  The best practice is to understand and obey the law.  PSAR agents are the most professional in California and the Nation. PSAR's staff and volunteer leaders are available to help our members with resources and training. This law is important and there is no room for error.

Watch this video to see how real estate agents treated undercover clients on Long Island.

Housing demand tempered for the fourth consecutive month in August, even while the statewide median home price set another record high.

The California real estate market continued its return to more normal conditions, prior to COVID-19, according to the monthly home sales and price report from the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.).

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes statewide on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate were down 3.3 percent on a monthly basis from 414,860 in August to 428,980 in July, and down 10.9 percent from a year ago, when 465,400 homes were sold on an annualized basis. The statewide annualized sales figure, collected from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide, represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2021 if sales maintained the August pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

August’s statewide sales level was the lowest in 14 months. Despite the monthly and annual sales drop, California home sales remained strong by pre-pandemic standards, maintaining a solid year-to-date increase of 21.3 percent statewide.

In San Diego, home sales in August 2021 declined 5.1 percent compared to July 2021, and 1.6 percent lower than August 2020.

August 2021 County Sales and Price Activity
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

After taking a breather in July, California’s median home price set a new record in August 2021 at $827,940 which was the fifth record set in the past six months. The August 2021 price was 2.1 percent higher than the $811,170 recorded in July 2021 and 17.1 percent higher than the $706,900 recorded in August 2020. The median price in California remained above the $800,000 benchmark for the fifth consecutive month.

In San Diego, the median price for a single-family detached home in August 2021 was $835,000, which was 2.9 percent lower than the July 2021 price of $860,000, but 14 percent higher compared to the August 2021 price of $732,560.

“The normalizing market and modestly improving housing inventory in the past few months have created an opportunity for homebuyers who sat out the highly competitive housing market seen over much of the past year,” said C.A.R. President Dave Walsh. “With the highest level of active listings in nearly a year, interest rates expected to stay consistently low, and a dip in multiple offers, now is a good time for discouraged buyers to get back into the game.”

 “While home sales at the lower end of the market are underperforming due to a lack of supply and the economic uncertainty induced by the COVID resurgence, the higher-priced segments continue to see double-digit sales growth that’s keeping the overall market from moderating too fast,” said C.A.R. Vice President and Chief Economist Jordan Levine. “With interest rates expected to stay low for the rest of the year, sales in California will remain solid by pre-pandemic standards while price growth will likely ease further in the coming months.”

Other key points from C.A.R.’s August 2021 resale housing report include:

-- At the regional level, sales in three of the five major regions dipped a year ago. Southern California (-4.1 percent) and Central Valley (-2.0 percent) experienced a sales drop from last year. Riverside (-13.6 percent), San Bernardino (-15.6 percent), Madera (-32.7 percent), and Placer (-13.5 percent) are a few counties that fell by double-digits in August. 

-- Nearly three-quarters of all counties, 37 of 51, posted year-over-year decreases in closed sales in August, with 23 counties declining by more than 10 percent from last year. 

-- Median prices in all major regions continued to increase by double-digits. The Far North had the largest jump (19.1 percent) year-over-year, followed by Southern California (18.8 percent), San Francisco Bay area (18.4 percent), Central Valley (16.9 percent), and Central Coast (11.4 percent). Despite the strong price growth rates, all regions decelerated from a few months ago, when regional median prices surged by more than 20 percent year-over-year.

-- After increasing for the past six consecutive months, California’s housing supply leveled off in August as the market transitioned into the off-season. The number of for-sale properties dipped slightly by 2.6 percent between August and July of this year and a 10.9 percent decline from August 2020. The year-over-year decline was the smallest in two years.

-- New active listings in August 2021 dipped from a year ago for the second straight month after increasing for four straight months from March through June. The dip in new active listings could be due to seasonality but the surge in COVID cases also may have played a role.

-- The imbalance between supply and demand continued to heat up the market, with many buyers offering sales bids over the asking price. In August 2021, 67 percent of homes sold above their asking price, making it the 11th consecutive month since September 2020 that more than half of homes sold above their asking price. In July 2021, 70 percent of homes sold above their asking price.

-- Statewide, the unsold inventory of available homes for sale was unchanged at 1.9 months for both August and July, and slightly below the August 2020 level of 2.1 months. Inventory levels measured in months indicate the number it would take for the available supply of homes on the market to sell out given the current rate of sales.

August 2021 County Unsold Inventory and Days on Market
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

-- In San Diego County, the inventory of available homes for sale in August 2021 was unchanged from July 2021 at 1.7 months for both months, but slightly below the August 2020 level of 1.9 months.

-- The median number of days it took to sell a California single-family home inched up from eight days in July to nine days in August but was lower from 13 days in August 2020. The nine-day figure compares to eight days in June and seven days in May and April. Prior to setting record low numbers this year, the previous statewide record was nine days in November 2020.

-- In San Diego County, the median number of days an existing, single-family home remained unsold on the market was eight days in August 2021, which compares to seven days in July 2021, six days in June 2021, seven days in May 2021, six days in April 2021 and March 2021 and seven days in February 2021 and January 2021, as well as eight days a year ago in August 2020. The median represents a timeframe when half the homes sell above it and half below it.

-- The 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaged 2.84 percent in August, down from 2.94 percent in August 2020, according to Freddie Mac. The five-year, adjustable mortgage interest rate was an average of 2.42 percent, compared to 2.91 percent in August 2020.

CRMLS launched a new IDX transparency initiative on September 1st, 2021.

What is IDX?  “Internet Data Exchange” is a means by which each MLS Participant (AKA Broker In the MLS) subscribing to the (IDX) program permits the limited electronic display of Participant’s listings appearing in Internet Data Exchange Database on each Participant’s (Other Broker's) IDX Internet websites and on applications for mobile devices that said participating Broker Participants and R.E. Subscribers control.

The newly updated rule Rule 12.16.5 listing credit:

All Listing Brokers grant permission for any Advertising Broker to display any listings submitted to the service by the Listing Broker only if the listing display or advertisement is clear so that a reasonable real estate consumer understands:

a) Who is the Listing Agent & Broker?
b) Who is the Advertising Broker?
c) How to contact that Listing Agent or Broker.

Note: These changes only affect how agent and broker IDX websites display your MLS data in public sites, not any other form of marketing. They are unrelated to communications between you and your clients.

What are the full implications of this rule? How do agents and brokers make sure your IDX feeds are compliant? Where did this rule come from, and why, and how does it benefit you?  To answer these questions and more,

CRMLS’s Vice President and General Counsel Edward Zorn - VP & General Counsel at California Regional MLS (CRMLS), will host a Webinar Wednesday, September 15th at 2:00 PM centered on the IDX Transparency Initiative.

Edward Zorn,  will also review frequently asked questions,  display examples of this new change, and take questions live.

Art Carter, CEO of CRMLS

Provides quick insight into the rule change on this 2:35 minute video.

As a follow-up from white-hot conditions in both home sales and prices, the California housing market moderated for the third straight month in July.

Both home sales and prices have tempered from the heated market conditions seen over the past year, according to the monthly home sales and price report from the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.).

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes statewide on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate were dipped 1.6 percent in July 2021, when 428,980 homes were sold, compared to the previous month of June 2021 when 436,020 homes were sold. July 2021 statewide home sales also were down 2 percent from July 2020, when 437,890 homes were sold on an annualized basis. The statewide annualized sales figure, collected from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide, represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2021 if sales maintained the July pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

Despite the slight decline, July’s statewide sale total was the second highest for a July in the past six years. Also, the state’s home sales pace maintained a solid year-to-date increase of 27.3 percent.

In San Diego, home sales in July 2021 were 7.4 percent lower compared to June 2021, but 1.4 percent higher than July 2020.

Home prices also remained at moderate levels in July 2021.

After setting record highs for the past four consecutive months, California’s median home price slipped 1 percent on a month-to-month basis to $811,170 in July 2021, down from June 2021’s $819,630 and up 21.7 percent from the $666,320 recorded last July 2020. The median price in California remained above the $800,000 benchmark for the fourth consecutive month.

In San Diego, the median price for a single-family detached home in July 2021 was $860,000, which was $5,000 or 0.6 percent lower than the June 2021 price of $865,000, but 19.6 percent higher compared to the July 2020 price of $719,000.

July 2021 County Sales and Price Activity
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

“The California housing market continues to normalize from the white-hot conditions we experienced at the height of the pandemic with both sales and prices moderating as we slowly transition from the peak home-buying season into the fall,” said C.A.R. President Dave Walsh. “The market remains solid, however, as sales were still the second highest level for a July in the last six years, and the statewide median price continues to perform above last year’s level by double-digits. Housing supply, while improved, remains tight and market competition is still heated with homes flying off the market in record time.”

“Despite dipping slightly from its record peak set in June, California’s median price remains elevated as supply constraints continue to provide upward pressure to support home prices,” said Jordan Levine, C.A.R. Vice President and Chief Economist. “However, home prices should ease as housing inventory improves in the third quarter and the market continues to normalize during the traditional off-season.”

Other key points from C.A.R.’s July 2021 resale housing report included:

-- At the regional level, all major regions posted a dip in sales from a year ago, when home sales began to surge as mortgage rates continued their downward trend. San Francisco Bay Area (-1.4 percent) and Southern California (-1.4 percent) held up relatively well, but more affordable counties within the regions such as Napa (-36.9 percent), Solano (-14.7 percent) and San Bernardino (-13.2 percent) also recorded sharp declines from a year ago.

-- Active listings in California in July 2021 reached the highest level since last October 2020, signaling continuous improvement in the state’s housing supply condition. The number of for-sale properties increased 15.4 percent in July 2021 from June 2021 as more homes were being listed on the market. Despite an increase in total active listings in July, new listings added in the month dipped slightly for the first time after gaining year-over-year for four straight months. New active listings inched up by 0.7 percent from June 2021 to July 2021 percent but dipped on a year-over-year basis from July 2020 by 0.9 percent. Housing supply typically climbs during this time of the year and remains on an upward trend until late July-to-early August.

-- The imbalance between supply and demand continued to heat up the market, with many buyers offering sales bids over the asking price. In July, more than 70 percent of homes sold above their asking price, making it the tenth consecutive month since September 2020 that more than half of homes sold above their asking price.

-- Statewide, the unsold inventory of available homes for sale improved slightly from 1.7 months in June 2021 to 1.9 months in July 2021, but remained sharply below last year’s level of 2.1 months for July 2020. Inventory levels measured in months indicate the number it would take for the available supply of homes on the market to sell-out given the current rate of sales.

July 2021 County Unsold Inventory and Days on Market
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

-- In San Diego County, the inventory of available homes for sales in July 2021 also improved slightly to 1.7 months, compared to 1.5 months in June 2021, but below last year’s level of 1.9 months in July 2020.

-- The median number of days it took to sell a California single-family home was eight days in July 2021, which was the same number for June 2021, down from 17 days in July 2020. The eight-day figure compares to seven days in May 2021 and April 2021. Prior to setting record low numbers this year, the previous statewide record was nine days in November 2020.

-- In San Diego County, the median number of days an existing, single-family home remained unsold on the market was seven days in July 2021. That number compares to six days in June 2021, seven days in May 2021, six days in April 2021 and March 2021 and seven days in February 2021 and January 2021, as well as eight days in December 2020 and seven days in November, October and September 2020. The timeframe a year ago in July 2020 was 10 days. The median represents a timeframe when half the homes sell above it and half below it.

-- The statewide sales-price-to-list-price radio was 103.8 percent in July 2021 and 100 percent in July 2020. 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 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaged 2.87 percent in July, down from 2.98 percent in July 2020, according to Freddie Mac. The five-year, adjustable mortgage interest rate was an average of 2.49 percent, compared to 3.02 percent in July 2020.