Southern California’s hottest real estate news in June
Can't miss tales: Record-high mansion sale, home insurance bills going up, and where rents dipped.
Housing
HOA Homefront: Consider establishing meeting rules
The law does not require associations to have meeting rules, but such rules can be...
Corona del Mar home with underground car gallery sells for $48.5M
The custom estate spans 11,628 square feet and offers five bedrooms and nine bathrooms across...
Chris Light-designed Corona del Mar showpiece seeks $40 million
After changing hands during the pandemic, the contemporary residence returns at nearly double its last...
Democratic congressman asks the CFPB to investigate ‘rent now, pay later’ companies
Frost sent a letter asking for investigation of potential violations of consumer protection laws.
Orange County has 2nd-most overvalued homes in US
This math shows O.C. pricing 35% too high relative to the underlying economic fundamentals. Only...
Trump administration’s homelessness funding rule struck down
Several states alleged that the rule changes — a shift away from HUD’s long-standing Housing...
A few lessons for dads from the U.S. Open
Allen Buchanan: Perhaps the greatest lesson golf teaches is the importance of process.
HOA Homefront: Tips toward reasonable rules
Unwritten rules are traditions, not “rules,” and are unenforceable.
Anduril HQ in Costa Mesa up for sale as California defense tech booms
Anduril occupies the entire complex with 13 years remaining on its lease, according to Eastdil...
Buyer beware: Why Fannie Mae’s condo blacklist is likely to grow
For loan applications dated Aug. 3 or later, borrowers will no longer be eligible for...
Trump refuses to sign bipartisan housing bill into law. What does that mean for homebuyers, renters?
Refusal could impact aspiring homeowners and renters at a time of high costs.
New-home sales unexpectedly fall, with West down 27%
The West region saw its slowest pace since October.
11-parcel Laguna Beach beachfront compound lists for $95 million
The coastal compound follows a record Emerald Bay sale and features sweeping views, 11 parcels...
Housing bill passes Senate with lawmakers under pressure
The package — which passed in a 85-to-5 vote — would curb institutional investors’ influence...
Greenspan’s legacy: From irrational exuberance to 2008 housing crisis
While Greenspan was lauded as he left office in 2006, critics say he missed the...
California plans $11.3 billion housing bond for November election
Senate Bill 417 includes $10 billion of general obligation bonds for affordable housing programs and...
Is California home insurance cheap, considering the risks?
California premiums are estimated to jump 16% for 2016, largest increase in the nation.
$110 million Laguna Beach mansion sale topples Orange County price record
The record-shattering sale comes as wealthy buyers shift from Los Angeles to Orange County's quieter,...
California ranked nation’s No. 3 spot for natural disaster risks
The frequency and damage of calamities was weighted against population and geographic size to create...
Solar generations surpasses natural gas in California
Utility-scale solar generation in California exceeded power from gas during 82% of the days this...
Lawmakers push for higher capital gains exemptions, with an eye on home sales
The “lock-in” effect has discouraged a lot of Californians from selling their homes, preventing more...
Following bruising legal battle and fines, Huntington Beach approves long overdue housing plan
The councilmembers who voted for the updated housing element said they did so only to...
OC has 58 million-dollar ZIPs. Is yours on the list?
These seven-figure ZIPs accounted for 76% of countywide sales. The busiest was Irvine 92618 with...
Glendale mid-century modern home lists after 71 years for $3M
Designed by modernist architect Gregory Ain, the Oliver House features glass walls, a pond and...
Housing deal in hand, revised bill cruising toward passage
The federal package aims to increase housing supply and decrease costs for the living expense...
Southern California home to 3 fastest-growing US ZIPs – including No. 1
The swift-growth trio – Chino's 91708, Irvine's 92618 and Los Angeles' 90094 – highlight the...
Housing starts drop to weakest pace since 2020
The decline was driven by a steep decline in apartment projects.
Musk math: How much California housing does $1 trillion buy?
$1 trillion gets a buyer 1.3 million California residences in cash at the $776,000 median...
California home insurance costs to rise 16% in 2026, largest jump in U.S.
That’s the biggest jump in the country, four times the national average of 4%.
Why selling real estate remains one of the most exciting spaces
Allen Buchanan: The buildings may change and the markets, the opportunity to adapt and serve...
Rancho Mirage home once owned by hitmaker Michael Masser asks $4.5M
The 7,312-square-foot Thunderbird Heights estate sits on 1.29 acres and features a pool, spa and...
Where is Southern California’s homebuilding hotspot?
The past year's 59,900 housing permits, best pace in nearly 19 years, were not a...
HOA Homefront: Is your board correctly adopting HOA rules?
Kelly Richardson: Good rule ideas are not enforceable unless the HOA follows a prescribed rule...
What are the most asked questions from first-time homebuyers?
Don’t quit your job or get yourself fired in the middle of escrow.
Pasadena estate, site of ‘Dynasty’ pond brawl, seeks $45 million
Fictional rivals Krystle Carrington and Alexis Colby slugged it out in the reflecting pool, one...
Seeing commercial real estate through the eyes of a 10-year-old
You may be wondering what any of this has to do with commercial real estate....
Pasadena’s historic Wallace Neff ‘bubble house’ lists for $2 million
The lauded architect's last remaining post-war Airform in the U.S. has been restored and updated.
Rent dips in most of Southern California. Which cities have biggest drops?
In the past year, rents dropped in 35 cities, climbed in 30, and held steady...
HOA Homefront: Tips for emergency special assessments
Such an assessment often becomes controversial when a board treats it as a “no-brainer” and...
Is AI ready to arrange your mortgage without a human loan officer?
Just how much can a buyer save by going without a mortgage loan originator and...
SCNG wins 4 awards for housing coverage in wildfires’ aftermath
The NAREE awards come one month after SCNG was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
Pulte’s spy agency shift seen undercutting Trump’s housing agenda
Housing policy analysts and advocates fear the mortgage market could get short shrift.
2026 Election Results: Kim and Allen lead pack for California insurance commissioner
Updated at 11:20 a.m. Wednesday: The race, which has attracted more attention and money than...
Berkshire Hathaway’s new CEO makes first deal, buying homebuilder Taylor Morrison for $6.8B
The plan likely involves consolidating Taylor Morrison with Berkshire’s existing homebuilding operations that are part...
Where can California tenants easily find rent discounts?
It's not too difficult to find California landlords who'll offer discounts – the six-metro median...
Tough advice for property owners is key to being a successful adviser
Real estate professionals who stay in this business long enough eventually realize we are not...
HOA Homefront: Why isn’t the board taking care of our property?
Without good care of the shared elements (the common area), one of the greatest benefits...
Building boom? Southern California housing permits near 19-year high
The 59,900 Southern California permits in the past 12 months were also 7% above the...
VantageScore, a FICO competitor, launches pilot with 21 mortgage lenders
Renters with just one month of credit may now be able to qualify for a...
How Powell’s Fed whipsawed Southern California homebuying
Local real estate was whipsawed over Jerome Powell's eight years as fed chairman.
Laguna Beach ‘Sea Castle’ with deeded sand area aims for $14M
The oceanfront estate overlooking Thousand Steps Beach includes a main house with guest quarters and...
Mortgage rates could hit 7% if Iran war doesn’t end soon
Rates are going crazy. And not in a good way.
Home prices dip in half of OC. How did your ZIP do?
In March 2026, prices increased in the past year in 43 and decreased in 43.
Job growth critical to housing’s health
Jobs. Jobs. Jobs. That’s the secret sauce for California home prices. Far too often, housing...
When to go principal to principal in commercial real estate
Transactions can collapse over comments that had nothing to do with price, timing or terms.
South Pasadena home, remodeled and expanded by R.M. Schindler, seeks $2M
The Howenstein Residence pairs a flying roofline with panoramic views, from the San Gabriel Mountains...
Los Angeles reaches $1.2 million settlement with Blueground
The rental startup accused of price gouging in Los Angeles during the January 2025 wildfires...
HOA Homefront: When must the board reduce assessments?
Even in an emergency assessment situation, the HOA cannot require payment sooner than 30 days...
Orange County sets new median home price record at $1.22 million
It's up 21% since the Federal Reserve ended its cheap-money policies four years ago.
California FAIR Plan rates going up 29.1% in late 2026
A consumer advocate called the hike 'a real blow for consumers.'
Fed minutes show more officials warned of rate-hike scenario
"Many” officials during last month’s policy meeting called for the Fed to drop its easing...
Big Bear pivots to luxury as pandemic’s short-term rental push slows
A buying spree five years ago has settled with property owners courting high-end visitors.
Rare 111-acre Bradbury Estates ranch seeks $10.5M ahead of auction
Held by the same family for three generations, this guard-gated foothills compound will sell to...
Consumers struggle to pay debts in California, nationwide
2.1% of California debts were 90 days or more late, highest since 2020's first quarter...
Did Southern California homebuying hit bottom with sales at 3-year high?
Southern California had 14,538 sales in March, a 2% boost from a year ago –...
As enrollment falls, old schools find new life as apartments
The 74 reports that old schools in Atlanta are being converted to apartments as enrollment...
This law aims to prevent investors from flipping distressed homes. They’re managing to anyway — and going unpunished
The law, one cleanup bill says, has been 'undermined by fraudulent actors exploiting loose eligibility...
Rents drop in 63% of Southern California
Rents fell in the past year in 34 or 63% of the region's 54 cities...
Will the industrial real estate market recover in Orange County?
Companies are carefully analyzing labor costs, tariffs, supply chains, interest rates, inventory levels and broader...
14,000 apply for California’s housing down payment program
The program's third round, which will go to between 1,500 and 3,000 applicants, could be...
HOA Homefront: Are monthly assessments fair?
Not all assessments for an Homeowners Association are created equal.
Laguna Beach peninsula home atop Arch Rock aims for $32 million
The 3,829-square-foot house sits on a quarter-acre-plus lot that juts directly into coastal waters, claiming...
Young adults own just 11% of Los Angeles-OC homes, a national low
Instead of buying, a new survey says, they are choosing to either rent or live...
Cash-out home loans on the rise for debt reduction, renovations
Home improvements, credit card consolidation and buying more real estate are among the reasons homeowners...
OC has 60 million-dollar ZIPs. Is yours on the list?
These seven-figure ZIPs accounted for 73% of countywide sales.
$7 million Laguna Beach home opens to ‘floating gardens,’ coastline views
The home includes a two-car garage with a 16-foot ceiling, ample height for vehicle lifts...
Falling mortgage rates signal economic distress
Jobs were falling at a 0.6% annual rate across California and 0.2% nationwide as rates...
Are job losses nudging homeowners to sell?
Rising unemployment usually translates to more homes on the market – and fewer homes are...
Why did California home-price gains shrink?
California's gains in home prices shrank by 73% – that's a 1.9% increase last year...
After losing state housing mandate lawsuit, Huntington Beach could face fines of up to $50,000 a month
The state is arguing the city should pay that monthly penalty retroactively back to Jan....
Why Orange County is out of industrial outdoor storage
If you own a piece of industrial land with yard space, you may be sitting...
Topanga home designed by Norton Simon Museum architects seeks $1.8M
The house features wood paneling, tongue-and-groove ceilings, skylights and walls of glass with views of...
Strangers to family: Southern California senior citizens lean into home-sharing
Programs matching senior homeowners and renters are rising in popularity, chipping away at a shortage...
California insurance commissioner candidates want tough industry sanctions
Four of the 11 candidates running in the state insurance commissioner's race gathered for a...
Altadena Buff, Smith and Hensman ‘gem’ asks $2.5M after post-fire rehab
Michele and Brian Smatko spent a year reclaiming their 2000 Buff, Smith and Hensman home...
If conventional mortgage financing fails you, try the exotic avenue
Today’s exotic mortgage avenue is defined by borrowers with limited income documentation, streams or documentation.
Why Trump’s affordability push is stalling ahead of midterm elections
Two executive orders aimed at mortgage credit and streamlining rules for builders would only help...
What’s next for California home prices? Watch the job market
Jobs and home prices share an oddly painful relationship for anyone seeking a housing bargain.
Newport Coast estate linked to NBA star Zach LaVine lists for $40 million
While a private trust bought the estate in 2023, the two-time NBA All-Star has occasionally...
Fed’s Musalem says risks shifting from jobs to inflation
“There are very plausible scenarios under which the economy would require us to keep the...
Two California home insurers to raise rates, expand coverage by late 2026
Travelers Insurance and the Interinsurance Exchange of the Automobile Club will use the state's new...
Approval for 181-unit housing project in Trabuco Canyon stands after county supervisors deny appeal
Neighborhood groups appealed the use permit for Saddleback Meadows in Trabuco Canyon pointing to area's...
Tom Petty’s former Encino estate, now linked to Selena Gomez, seeks $6.5M
Fans of the HBO Max series "Selena + Chef" will recognize the kitchen as the...
California seeks up to $4 million from State Farm over alleged mishandling of wildfire claims
A seven-month investigation by the Department of Insurance found hundreds of instances of policy violations....
Renting or buying? California is hotbed for looking at both options
LA-Orange County had the nation's highest share of dual search at 12%. Then San Diego...
Affordability rises for California homebuyers but gaps remain for Blacks, Hispanics
Realtors survey finds only 11% of Black and Hispanic households could afford a home compared...
How Southern California churches are turning unused land into affordable housing
Land-rich churches are bringing affordable housing into their spiritual agendas at a time of declining...
Where has all the urgency in industrial real estate gone?
What we are dealing with is a market where both sides, seller and buyer, believe...
CSUF economists raise inflation forecasts for Southern California
"Housing prices are under stress. We see only moderate improvement in 2026," says economist Anil...