Unique Homes & Land

Interest in purchasing real estate as an investment has more than tripled in the past year, according to a survey conducted by Move, Inc. Nearly 17 percent of potential home buyers said they plan to purchase a home in the near future as an investment compared with 5.6 percent in March 2009, according to the survey.

The survey also found more than 10 percent of Americans planning to purchase investment property in the near future said they will pay for the property using 100 percent cash, and 12.8 percent will use cash for more than 50 percent of the purchase price and finance the remainder. Nearly half reported they will buy the property with less than 50 percent cash down and finance the remainder. Nearly half of the potential real estate investors said they plan to own the property for six or more years; 16 percent expect to hold the property between two and five years; while 10.6 percent plan to own the property between six and 24 months.
While interest by potential home buyers in purchasing a foreclosure to live in has declined 31.1 percent in the past five months to 26.5 percent, the survey found interest in purchasing a foreclosure as an investment is on the rise, with interest in purchasing a foreclosure as an investment to fix it up and resell rising 42 percent in March.

-California Association of Realtors

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

* — percentage of California households that can afford to purchase an entry-level home
r – revised
Source:  CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^®

Source:  CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^®