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For release:
November 10, 2021
California housing affordability improves in third-quarter 2021 as mortgage rates remain low while prices begin leveling off, C.A.R. reports
LOS ANGELES (Nov. 10) – A slightly less competitive housing market combined with modest household income growth allowed more Californians to purchase a median-priced home in the third quarter of 2021, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today.
The percentage of home buyers who could afford to purchase a median-priced, existing single-family home in California in third-quarter 2021 edged up to 24 percent from 23 percent in the second quarter of 2021 but was down from 28 percent in the third quarter of 2020, according to C.A.R.’s Traditional Housing Affordability Index (HAI). The third-quarter 2021 figure is less than half of the affordability index peak of 56 percent in the third quarter of 2012.
C.A.R.’s HAI measures the percentage of all households that can afford to purchase a median-priced, single-family home in California. C.A.R. also reports affordability indices for regions and select counties within the state. The index is considered the most fundamental measure of housing well-being for home buyers in the state.
A minimum annual income of $148,400 was needed to qualify for the purchase of a $814,580 statewide median-priced, existing single-family home in the third quarter of 2021. The monthly payment, including taxes and insurance on a 30-year, fixed-rate loan, would be $3,710, assuming a 20 percent down payment and an effective composite interest rate of 3.07 percent. The effective composite interest rate was 3.20 percent in second-quarter 2021 and 3.15 percent in third-quarter 2020.
Despite setting a record high median price in third-quarter 2021, affordability for condominiums and townhomes was unchanged from the previous quarter. Thirty-seven percent of California households earned the minimum income to qualify for the purchase of a $600,000 median-priced condo/townhome in the third quarter of 2021, which required an annual income of $109,200 to make monthly payments of $2,730. The third quarter 2021 figure was down from 42 percent a year ago.
Compared with California, half of the nation’s households could afford to purchase a $363,700 median-priced home, which required a minimum annual income of $66,400 to make monthly payments of $1,660. Nationwide affordability was down from 55 percent a year ago.
Key points from the third-quarter 2021 Housing Affordability report include:
See C.A.R.’s historical housing affordability data.
See first-time buyer housing affordability data.
Leading the way…® in California real estate for more than 110 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (www.car.org) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States with more than 200,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles.
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CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Traditional Housing Affordability Index
Third quarter 2021
STATE/REGION/COUNTY |
3rd Qtr. 2021 |
2nd Qtr. 2021 |
|
3rd Qtr. 2020 |
|
Median Home Price |
Monthly Payment Including Taxes & Insurance |
Minimum Qualifying Income |
Calif. Single-family home |
24 |
23 |
|
28 |
|
$814,580 |
$3,710 |
$148,400 |
Calif. Condo/Townhome |
37 |
37 |
|
42 |
|
$600,000 |
$2,730 |
$109,200 |
Los Angeles Metro Area |
26 |
24 |
|
31 |
|
$730,000 |
$3,320 |
$132,800 |
Inland Empire |
36 |
36 |
|
42 |
|
$524,000 |
$2,390 |
$95,600 |
San Francisco Bay Area |
22 |
19 |
|
26 |
|
$1,292,250 |
$5,880 |
$235,200 |
United States |
50 |
50 |
|
55 |
|
$363,700 |
$1,660 |
$66,400 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
San Francisco Bay Area |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alameda |
19 |
18 |
|
24 |
|
$1,300,000 |
$5,920 |
$236,800 |
Contra Costa |
31 |
26 |
|
34 |
|
$905,000 |
$4,120 |
$164,800 |
Marin |
22 |
21 |
|
22 |
|
$1,675,000 |
$7,630 |
$305,200 |
Napa |
23 |
23 |
|
27 |
|
$930,000 |
$4,230 |
$169,200 |
San Francisco |
21 |
19 |
|
20 |
|
$1,820,000 |
$8,290 |
$331,600 |
San Mateo |
19 |
17 |
|
19 |
|
$2,000,000 |
$9,110 |
$364,400 |
Santa Clara |
22 |
21 |
|
22 |
|
$1,650,000 |
$7,510 |
$300,400 |
Solano |
42 |
40 |
|
45 |
|
$580,000 |
$2,640 |
$105,600 |
Sonoma |
28 |
25 |
|
29 |
|
$765,000 |
$3,480 |
$139,200 |
Southern California |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Los Angeles |
19 |
22 |
|
23 |
|
$860,870 |
$3,920 |
$156,800 |
Orange |
18 |
17 |
|
23 |
|
$1,100,000 |
$5,010 |
$200,400 |
Riverside |
33 |
33 |
|
40 |
|
$570,000 |
$2,600 |
$104,000 |
San Bernardino |
43 |
43 |
|
51 |
|
$437,500 |
$1,990 |
$79,600 |
San Diego |
23 |
22 |
|
27 |
|
$850,000 |
$3,870 |
$154,800 |
Ventura |
25 |
23 |
|
28 |
|
$830,000 |
$3,780 |
$151,200 |
Central Coast |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Monterey |
20 |
18 |
|
19 |
|
$827,250 |
$3,770 |
$150,800 |
San Luis Obispo |
24 |
21 |
|
28 |
|
$772,500 |
$3,520 |
$140,800 |
Santa Barbara |
17 |
13 |
|
17 |
|
$1,015,000 |
$4,620 |
$184,800 |
Santa Cruz |
17 |
15 |
|
19 |
|
$1,201,000 |
$5,470 |
$218,800 |
Central Valley |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fresno |
42 |
43 |
|
48 |
|
$375,000 |
$1,710 |
$68,400 |
Glenn |
44 |
45 |
|
49 |
|
$325,000 |
$1,480 |
$59,200 |
Kern |
45 |
45 |
|
49 |
|
$332,000 |
$1,510 |
$60,400 |
Kings |
56 |
56 |
|
59 |
|
$315,000 |
$1,430 |
$57,200 |
Madera |
43 |
44 |
|
49 |
|
$378,000 |
$1,720 |
$68,800 |
Merced |
44 |
44 |
|
44 |
|
$365,000 |
$1,660 |
$66,400 |
Placer |
38 |
35 |
|
43 |
|
$650,000 |
$2,960 |
$118,400 |
Sacramento |
39 |
38 |
|
44 |
|
$511,950 |
$2,330 |
$93,200 |
San Benito |
27 |
25 |
|
32 |
|
$778,500 |
$3,540 |
$141,600 |
San Joaquin |
37 |
37 |
|
44 |
|
$512,000 |
$2,330 |
$93,200 |
Stanislaus |
41 |
40 |
|
47 |
|
$435,000 |
$1,980 |
$79,200 |
Tulare |
46 |
45 |
|
50 |
|
$322,000 |
$1,470 |
$58,800 |
Far North |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Butte |
35 |
33 |
|
35 |
|
$441,750 |
$2,010 |
$80,400 |
Lassen |
68 |
62 |
|
63 |
|
$215,000 |
$980 |
$39,200 |
Plumas |
38 |
39 |
|
39 |
|
$423,000 |
$1,930 |
$77,200 |
Shasta |
44 |
45 |
|
50 |
|
$375,000 |
$1,710 |
$68,400 |
Siskiyou |
41 |
44 |
|
49 |
|
$331,500 |
$1,510 |
$60,400 |
Tehama |
38 |
38 |
|
48 |
|
$349,000 |
$1,590 |
$63,600 |
Other Calif. Counties |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amador |
42 |
40 |
|
50 |
|
$425,000 |
$1,940 |
$77,600 |
Calaveras |
39 |
37 |
|
47 |
|
$475,000 |
$2,160 |
$86,400 |
Del Norte |
35 |
35 |
|
39 |
|
$382,500 |
$1,740 |
$69,600 |
El Dorado |
35 |
31 |
|
40 |
|
$660,000 |
$3,010 |
$120,400 |
Humboldt |
32 |
32 |
|
41 |
|
$420,000 |
$1,910 |
$76,400 |
Lake |
42 |
43 |
|
47 |
|
$352,000 |
$1,600 |
$64,000 |
Mariposa |
35 |
36 |
|
35 |
|
$422,650 |
$1,920 |
$76,800 |
Mendocino |
23 |
23 |
|
31 |
|
$554,000 |
$2,520 |
$100,800 |
Mono |
13 |
9 |
|
16 |
|
$841,000 |
$3,830 |
$153,200 |
Nevada |
35 |
34 |
|
41 |
|
$561,000 |
$2,550 |
$102,000 |
Sutter |
42 |
40 |
|
47 |
|
$405,000 |
$1,840 |
$73,600 |
Tuolumne |
45 |
44 |
|
52 |
|
$389,500 |
$1,770 |
$70,800 |
Yolo |
33 |
32 |
|
38 |
|
$600,000 |
$2,730 |
$109,200 |
Yuba |
38 |
39 |
|
51 |
|
$411,000 |
$1,870 |
$74,800 |