When does strategic default make sense for a negative equity homeowner?
Negative equity and foreclosure
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Economic Trends in California Real Estate
Learn the 25 economic factors that drive California’s real estate market.
Stay current on the latest news, videos, forms, and updates for Economic Trends in California Real Estate.
Recent updates to the course e-book
06/25: The 2025 rules for buyer representation and fee-splitting avoidance are currently being edited into this e-book.
Newly published related content
Real estate runs with the labor force participation rate
Brokers who watch the jobs numbers along with the LFP rate will find the trends useful for forecasting their future brokerage conditions
Jobs move real estate
Track the single most influential factor on California’s real estate market: the number of people employed.
SoCal commercial market headwinds continue in Q1 2026
Vacancy rates are on a year-over-year upward incline, while net absorption returns were positive this quarter. New projects were opened to the market but are not yet occupied. A few major tenants are boosting occupancy of distribution space, while smaller businesses are slowly shutting down.
Low ARM rates fuel unacceptable mortgage risks
The average ARM rate remains below the FRM rate, enticing potential homebuyers unaware of its history.
California residential construction starts
Multi-family and SFR construction continue to lag behind demand for new housing.
The Federal Reserve’s impact on mortgage rates
Learn how the Fed is using their benchmark rate as a monetary policy tool
California’s shifting residential vacancy rates tell a story
Residential vacancy rates – along with jobs and residential construction – held steady.
Streamlined post-entitlement phase permit process in California
State departments may now approve housing plans, and all agencies now have tighter review timelines, or a building permit application is deemed complete.