Inventory is already tight at the low-end, and now local investors and first-time home buyers are having to compete with large institutional funds. This is bad news for all of us little guys. The Wall Street Journal reports: “From the very beginning, we’ve thought of this as eventually becoming a public company,” says Justin Chang, [...]

And though I know it makes sense for the team, and I’m sure it will be an awesome arena in the city, I’m kinda sad to see the Warriors leave the East Bay. Not only are there great fans out here, but the games have generally been pretty affordable. Higher prices and harder-to-get tickets in [...]

A lack of inventory, especially at the low-end, continued to push median prices higher in April. NAR reports: Total existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, increased 3.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.62 million in April from a downwardly revised 4.47 million in March, and [...]

Thankfully, more and more Realtors are letting their real estate licenses expire. Via Calculated Risk: The number of salesperson’s licenses is off 29% from the peak, and has fallen to 2004 levels. But brokers’ licenses are only off 7% and has only fallen to early 2007 levels. Even if activity and prices have bottomed, the [...]

The total inventory of single family homes for sale across the Bay Area is down huge, compared with a year ago. Realtor.com reports April inventory is off 36.43 percent in San Francisco, 38.25 percent in San Jose, and a staggering 52.85 percent in Oakland. The result, multiple offers and popping prices. And until something happens [...]