|
For release:
Friday, Feb. 12, 2010
C.A.R. reports entry-level housing affordability remained at 64 percent in
the fourth quarter of 2009
Quick Facts:
. C.A.R. First-time Buyer Housing Affordability Index stood at 64
percent in the fourth quarter of 2009
compared with 61 percent (revised) in the fourth quarter of
2008
. The median price of an entry-level home in California was $257,940
in the fourth quarter of 2009
. The estimated monthly payment including taxes and insurance was
$1,470 in the fourth quarter of
2009
. The minimum household income needed to purchase an entry-level home
in California in the fourth
quarter of 2009 was $44,100.
LOS ANGELES (Feb. 12) The percentage of households that could afford to buy
an entry-level home in California remained at 64 percent in the fourth
quarter of 2009, compared with 61 percent (revised) for the same period a
year ago, according to a report released today by the CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.).
C.A.R.’s First-time Buyer
Housing Affordability Index (FTB-HAI) measures the percentage of
households that can afford to purchase an entry-level home in
California. C.A.R. also reports first-time buyer indexes for regions and
select counties within the state. The Index is the most fundamental
measure of housing well-being for first-time buyers in the state.
The minimum household income needed to purchase an entry-level home at
$257,940 in California in the fourth quarter of 2009 was $44,100, based on
an adjustable interest rate of 4.5 percent and assuming a 10 percent down
payment. First-time buyers typically purchase a home equal to 85 percent of
the prevailing median price. The monthly payment including taxes and
insurance was $1,470 for the fourth quarter of 2009.
At $44,100, the minimum qualifying income was 4 percent lower than a year
earlier when households needed $45,900 to qualify for a loan on an
entry-level home. Home prices remained below peak levels, resulting in an
improvement in housing affordability compared with the previous year.
At 84 percent, the High Desert region was the most affordable area in the
state. The San Luis Obispo County region was the least affordable in the
state at 48 percent, followed by the San Francisco Bay region and Santa
Barbara area both at 50 percent.
Leading the way…® in California real estate for more than 100 years, the
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (www.car.org) is one of the largest
state trade organizations in the United States with more than 167,000
members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate.
C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles.
C.A.R. First-time
Buyer Housing Affordability Index
|
C.A.R. Region |
Q4 2009 |
Q3 2009 |
|
Q4 2008 |
|
|
California |
64 |
64 |
61 |
r |
|
|
California - Condos |
68 |
68 |
67 |
r |
|
|
United States |
77 |
76 |
74 |
||
|
High Desert |
84 |
85 |
78 |
||
|
Los Angeles County |
53 |
52 |
49 |
||
|
Monterey Region |
65 |
66 |
61 |
||
|
Northern California |
65 |
63 |
61 |
r |
|
|
Northern Wine Country |
58 |
58 |
56 |
||
|
Orange County |
53 |
51 |
52 |
||
|
Palm Springs/Lower Desert |
74 |
74 |
68 |
||
|
Riverside/San Bernardino |
78 |
78 |
72 |
||
|
Sacramento County |
79 |
78 |
76 |
||
|
San Diego County |
57 |
56 |
57 |
||
|
San Francisco Bay |
50 |
49 |
50 |
||
|
San Luis Obispo County |
48 |
47 |
47 |
||
|
Santa Barbara Area |
50 |
52 |
57 |
||
|
Santa Clara County |
52 |
53 |
53 |
||
|
Southern California |
63 |
64 |
61 |
||
|
Ventura County |
59 |
56 |
61 |
|
|
|
County |
|
||||
|
Alameda |
52 |
52 |
51 |
||
|
Contra Costa |
44 |
42 |
38 |
||
|
Fresno |
77 |
76 |
72 |
||
|
Marin |
40 |
37 |
33 |
||
|
Merced |
84 |
83 |
81 |
||
|
Riverside |
78 |
78 |
73 |
||
|
San Bernardino |
81 |
81 |
73 |
||
|
San Francisco |
35 |
35 |
33 |
||
|
San Mateo |
41 |
40 |
40 |
||
|
Santa Cruz |
43 |
43 |
46 |
||
|
Sonoma |
59 |
60 |
59 |
* -- percentage of California households that can afford to purchase an
entry-level home
r – revised
Source: CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
|
C.A.R. Region |
Housing |
Entry-Level Price |
Monthly Payment Including Taxes & Insurance |
Minimum |
|
California |
64 |
$257,940 |
$1,470 |
$44,100 |
|
California - Condos |
68 |
$229,360 |
$1,310 |
$39,300 |
|
United States |
77 |
$146,970 |
$840 |
$25,200 |
|
High Desert |
84 |
$103,130 |
$590 |
$17,700 |
|
Los Angeles County |
53 |
$299,760 |
$1,710 |
$51,300 |
|
Monterey Region |
65 |
$266,190 |
$1,520 |
$45,600 |
|
Northern California |
65 |
$220,780 |
$1,260 |
$37,800 |
|
Northern Wine Country |
58 |
$312,230 |
$1,780 |
$53,400 |
|
Orange County |
53 |
$420,770 |
$2,400 |
$72,000 |
|
Palm Springs/Lower Desert |
74 |
$144,610 |
$830 |
$24,900 |
|
Riverside/San Bernardino |
78 |
$150,240 |
$860 |
$25,800 |
|
Sacramento County |
79 |
$160,290 |
$920 |
$27,600 |
|
San Diego County |
57 |
$322,330 |
$1,840 |
$55,200 |
|
San Francisco Bay |
50 |
$468,620 |
$2,680 |
$80,400 |
|
San Luis Obispo County |
48 |
$329,010 |
$1,880 |
$56,400 |
|
Santa Barbara Area |
50 |
$357,710 |
$2,040 |
$61,200 |
|
Santa Clara County |
52 |
$497,250 |
$2,840 |
$85,200 |
|
Southern California |
63 |
$256,620 |
$1,470 |
$44,100 |
|
Ventura County |
59 |
$370,120 |
$2,110 |
$63,300 |
|
County |
|
|
|
|
|
Alameda |
52 |
$399,880 |
$2,280 |
$68,400 |
|
Contra Costa |
44 |
$525,880 |
$3,000 |
$90,000 |
|
Fresno |
77 |
$128,560 |
$730 |
$21,900 |
|
Marin |
40 |
$654,070 |
$3,730 |
$111,900 |
|
Merced |
84 |
$94,360 |
$540 |
$16,200 |
|
Riverside |
78 |
$152,680 |
$870 |
$26,100 |
|
San Bernardino |
81 |
$133,580 |
$760 |
$22,800 |
|
San Francisco |
35 |
$598,860 |
$3,420 |
$102,600 |
|
San Mateo |
41 |
$612,000 |
$3,490 |
$104,700 |
|
Santa Cruz |
43 |
$454,840 |
$2,600 |
$78,000 |
|
Sonoma |
59 |
$318,620 |
$1,820 |
$54,600 |
Source: CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
