G Harvest Homes, Inc.

“Conforming” loans, meaning those that can be purchased and guaranteed by Fannie or Freddie, are easier to get because they require a smaller down payment, lower credit score, fewer assets and a slightly higher debt-to-income ratio than larger “jumbo” loans, which have no government backing.

Raising the conforming loan limit above $1 million will “open the door to more borrowers,” especially first-time buyers who have the income to qualify for a jumbo loan, but lack the credit history or post-purchase assets that jumbo lenders require, said Dianne Crosby, Northern California regional manager for mortgage company Guaranteed Rate.

How a new rule for $1 million mortgages could help Bay Area homebuyers in 2023 This incremental but important change could finally help some Bay Area homebuyers land a...

“Housing: Developers looking to build housing in sleepy commercial areas, such as vacant parking lots, strip malls and office parks, will have an option to fast-track their projects. AB2011 by Assembly Member Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, streamlines zoning and permit approvals for housing in many urban areas, as long as about 15% of rental units will be designated affordable. Wicks’ bill also allows developers to hire non-union workers for the projects so long as they pay such workers prevailing wages and offer health benefits. The bill takes effect July 1.”

https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/new-california-laws-2023-17626931.php?fbclid=IwAR1Wvel2fZQgsAnkt7l48wKQaNd1jOXXg7Z2qoouCiBEquqMmDE_B7uZk4A&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Here are 14 new laws Californians must start following in 2023 Hundreds of new laws passed by the California Legislature will take effect in the new...

https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/the-most-affordable-places-to-buy-a-vacation-home/?cid=push_braze_marketing_apps_marketing-insights_e7da028f-4b82-4a7d-a6c7-20c58ccc1e05_v2

Endless Vacations: The 10 Towns Where You Can Still Buy an Affordable (and Great) Second Home Vacation homes are getting more expensive, so the Realtor.com data team found places where folks can get a second home without going broke.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-15/how-much-are-home-rents-rising-prices-surge-by-record-in-hot-us-housing-market

Renting a Home Is Even Harder Than Buying One in Unrelentingly Hot U.S. Market Rental prices for single-family homes grew 7.8% in 2021, an all-time high, according to CoreLogic.

“2021 is looking to be an equally impressive year for land investment. In particular, my firm has seen significant interest in rural land for residential use. This makes sense given the impact of the pandemic, and some of the large societal changes it’s spurred. As people anticipate being able to work from home on a permanent or semi-permanent basis, they are interested in relocating away from cities and suburbs to more rural areas where they can reconnect with nature and more easily isolate themselves from others.

Most notably, there has been increased demand from professional couples with young children, who are seeking more indoor and outdoor space for their growing families, as well as empty-nesters, who have a newfound freedom to relocate.”

https://www.loopnet.com/learn/is-2021-the-year-to-invest-in-rural-land/670478737/

Is 2021 the Year To Invest in Rural Land? For Investors Seeking Stability, Rural Land Offers Renewed Appeal

Home Rehab Tax Credit: A Win-Win for Investors and Homebuyers | New Western As part of his trillion dollar infrastructure package, President Biden has officially announced the Neighborhood Homes Tax Credit to spur development and rehabilitation of affordable homes.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/individual-confidence-rising-10-cities-leading-way-george-anders

Transplants “may primarily be looking at the expense side of the equation of living in California, without fully appreciating their prospects for earning a higher cost adjusted income,” Schaedler says. But when you factor higher earnings into the equation, “traditionally high cost of living areas [are] among the most affordable.”

Interesting...

The 12 big cities where families are best set up to grow wealth Expensive cities come with higher earning potential. Even after paying your bills in expensive California cities, families have a good chance to build wealth.

https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/money/2021/02/04/homes-sale-we-housing-bubble-prices-outstrip-wages/6671282002/

Are we trapped in another housing bubble? A rapid rise in home prices has some experts worried Home prices are rising coast to coast and are outstripping wages and rents. Some say it's another housing bubble. But it's nothing like the mid 2000s.

“Work from home orders and job losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic prompted many Americans to pack up and head to other states in 2020.

The ones who rented one-way U-Hauls went to states like Tennessee, Texas, Florida and Ohio, according to a new report by the company.”

The states Americans headed to the most in 2020, according to U-Haul U-Haul's migration trends report calculated how many one-way U-Haul vehicles entered a state versus how many left during 2020, the year of the pandemic. Here's what the data showed.

https://www-bloomberg-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2021-01-15/finding-workers-is-getting-harder-for-busy-u-s-homebuilders

Why Finding Workers Is Getting Harder for U.S. Homebuilders Business Why Finding Workers Is Getting Harder for U.S. Homebuilders Even with millions out of work because of the pandemic, there are still hundreds of thousands of unfilled jobs in the construction industry. By Arianne Cohen January 15, 2021, 4:00 AM EST A contractor works on a home under construc...