Living LA

Check out this Los Angeles Times Article about he market for high-dollar homes is hopping, with sales on the rise and buyers launching bidding wars. But sales of low- to medium-priced homes have plummeted during the same period with many potential buyers priced out. http://www.latimes.com//la-fi-home-prices-20140416,0,47945

Home owners are getting ready for the spring rush by listing their homes now. They want to take advantage of the increase in the housing market before there is an abundance of inventory. Make the housing inventory WORK FOR YOU. http://realtormag.realtor.org//sellers-getting-ahead-sprin

92% of Realtors expect Prices to increase in the Next 12 moths. In Los Angeles that is closer to 100%. Buyers are you ready to make an investment? http://economistsoutlook.blogs.realtor.org//92-of-realtor/

Erin Lantz, director of mortgages at Zillow, pointed out that as the economy improves and Federal Reserve policies change, mortgage interest rates will rise throughout 2014, likely hitting 5% for the first time since early 2010. ‘While this will make homes more expensive to finance, for example the monthly payment on a $200,000 loan will rise by roughly$160, it's important to remember that mortgage rates in the 5% range are still very low. Because affordability is still high in most areas relative to historical norms, rising rates won't derail the housing recovery. Unfortunately, this isn't true in all areas and affordability is starting to become an issue for some markets, particularly some of the booming California markets,’ explained Lantz.

"To determine which markets will be the hottest in 2014, Zillow combined data on unemployment rates, population growth and its Home Value Forecast to give an early view into housing markets that are likely to experience heavy demand for homes, as well as increasing home values. Top of the list is Salt Lake City, followed by Seattle, Austin in Texas, San Jose in California and then Miami. Making up the top 10 are Raleigh in North Carolina, Jacksonville in Florida, San Diego, Portland in Oregon and Boston."