Real Estate Articles (2025)

Friday, March 28, 2025

Despite growing concerns about a possible economic slowdown, National Association of Realtors chief economist Dr. Lawrence Yun's message to Realtors attending NAR's March 21 Real Estate Forecast Summit was upbeat.

"We are beginning to see a little light at the end of the tunnel… We are beginning to see a little more inventory coming onto the market," he announced.

Friday, March 28, 2025

San Mateo and Santa Clara counties see month-over-month double-digit percentage rise in sales.

California's housing market rebounded in February with statewide home sales reaching their highest level in more than two years, according to a report released last week by the California Association of Realtors. Realtor officials attribute the spur in home sales to declining mortgage rates and a rise in new listings at the start of the year.

Friday, March 21, 2025

Homebuyers can benefit from working with an agent who is a Realtor because they offer services such as finding available homes that meet their specific criteria, accompanying buyers to showings, negotiating on their behalf, and more. The new California law (AB 2992) that requires a buyer's agent and buyer to sign an agreement before the buyer makes an offer on a property is important because it helps consumers have a clearer understanding of the services provided by real estate agents and have more choice in selecting an agent who can help them through a complex transaction. This law is also important because it ensures that every licensed agent - whether they are a Realtor or not, must adhere to this new standard.

Friday, March 21, 2025

Silicon Valley's housing market appears to be headed in the right direction, according to market trends based on February 2025 MLSListings data. Presented to members of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors last week by Aculist senior product marketing manager Michelle Ronco, market indicators show year-over-year positive shifts in the region's markets. Compared to the previous year, median sales prices of single-family homes in both Santa Clara and San Mateo counties increased to an all-time high. The number of new listings also increased substantially, particularly in Santa Clara County.

Friday, March 14, 2025

Part of the job of being a Realtor is keeping up with new laws that could affect their clients, their business, and the real estate industry as a whole. At a Silicon Valley Association of Realtors meeting this month, real estate attorney Harry Price with Price Law Firm in Los Altos shared some 2025 California laws aimed at increasing housing production and penalizing local governments that deliberately delay housing projects.

Friday, March 14, 2025

The U.S. housing market has grappled with housing affordability, primarily due to low inventory. A limited workforce, insufficient building permits, or zoning restrictions are also factors hindering housing affordability for homebuyers. Interestingly, although the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont and the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metropolitan areas have struggled with these problems, according to the National Association of Realtors Housing Shortage Tracker, these metros are not the top areas with the greatest housing shortages.

Friday, March 7, 2025

Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone recently met with Silicon Valley Realtors and shared his insights on California and Silicon Valley's economy and real estate market. "California is one of the nation's economic powerhouses," Stone said. "With high incomes, high economic output, and globally significant industries, California remains the fifth-largest economy in the world, contributing 14% to the nation's GDP."

Friday, March 7, 2025

The Silicon Valley Association of Realtors congratulated the 2025 president and board of the directors of the Asian Real Estate Association of America Silicon Valley (AREAA SV) chapter at their installation held last Friday at Sonesta San Jose in Milpitas. Representing the local trade association at the event were President Tammie Peters, President-elect Stacey Woods, and board director Sunita Merchia. Merchia was installed as a 2025 AREAA SV board director.