Los Angeles Rent Report 4/22

Renting Is A Waste Of Money

You might think it's more expensive to buy a place than to rent, but that's not true! If you take into account the long-term perks of owning your property, then renting is actually a lot more expensive than you realize. Own your property and start building your wealth.

Source For Rents: Zumper

Should You Accept the Previous Buyer’s Inspection Report?

Sometimes a home falls out of contract. Most buyers assume that it is related to a bad home inspection, but there are many reasons for a home to come back on the market that are unrelated to the condition of the home.

During the contingency period, most buyers can cancel for almost any reason – or even no reason. Of course, the listing agent and seller are motivated to get the home back under contract as quickly as possible and may offer the previous buyer’s home inspection report to the new buyer. Some may even ask that the new buyer remove their right to a home inspection, based on the one they offer. If you have been offered the previous buyer’s inspection report, you’re probably wondering if you should accept it and remove that contingency.

In a fast-moving seller’s market, it might be tempting, but before you accept the report, there are a few considerations:

• Before accepting the inspection, do your research. Who did the inspection? Is it a reputable, licensed home inspector? Check public review sites for comments and customer satisfaction. Check their license with the issuing board and see if they have had any violations or suspensions.

• Once you verify the company, give them a call. Make sure they have performed a comprehensive inspection. Many companies offer both a comprehensive and a simpler, cheaper, visual inspection.

• Finally, read the report carefully. If there are issues discovered, ask for clarification and consider paying for the inspector to meet you at the home to discuss the report in person with you.

Accepting the home inspection might seem like a good idea – both to make your offer more appealing to the seller and to save a few dollars – but before you remove the home inspection contingency, do your homework. Make sure you understand the real condition of the property before you buy it.

Buying or selling a home can be very stressful! Why not get educated now to be prepared. Sign up for your FREE homebuyer’s course today! bit.ly/housekey

Buying a Home with an Easement

If the home you’ve fallen in love with has an easement, you may be wondering how this affects you. An easement gives a person or entity the right to use part of your land, but only for a very specific reason. For example, a utility company may have an easement on your property to maintain an electric pole. Another example is an easement which allows your neighbor to drive through a portion of your land to access their garage. Easements will be disclosed as part of the sales process and if you’ve discovered that your new purchase is subject to an easement, it’s important to learn the different types and their effect on your use of your land.

Types of Easements

• Appurtenant vs. Gross – An appurtenant easement benefits the property, by allowing access through another’s land, such as the neighbor’s garage example above. A gross easement benefits an individual or entity, such as the utility company example above.

• Private vs. Public – A private easement allows a specific person to access your property while a public easement allows any member of the public to use your land.

• Affirmative vs. Negative – Most easements are affirmative (which is to say they allow something to happen) but some are negative easements, such as preventing a neighbor from building a second story that blocks a view.

Easements are not permanent and can be challenged if the need no longer exists. If your property is subject to an easement. It’s important to understand how it will impact your property before completing the purchase.

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Knowing the value of your home is important. You don’t have to wait until you are thinking of selling. Find your value now. Find your value now: My Home Value

Working From Home? Best Home Features To Have!

With major employers now stating that their employees will be working from home for the foreseeable future, many homebuyers have adjusted their list of desirables in their next home. Some not only need to plan for a home office space, but also need to accommodate the homeschooling or distance learning needs of their children as well.

This is impacting the way homes are marketed and the type of features that have become important to buyers at all price points. Of course, homebuyers with larger budgets have the luxury of seeking homes with extra bedrooms or offices and dens already included. But many buyers are not as fortunate and need to find the needed space in more creative ways.

The easiest way to add working space is within the bedrooms. This offers the ability to close a door for privacy. Larger bedrooms (both in master and secondary bedrooms) have been a top priority for homebuyers.

Another important feature is an open floorplan which features a Great Room design. For generations, kids have done their homework at the kitchen table, and a spacious kitchen/family room combo makes it easier for home learning without becoming cluttered.

Another option for homebuyers is a separate formal dining room which could be converted to a workspace.

With all the changes in working and learning environments for both adults and kids, the home is even more important than ever. As needs change, homebuyers seek different features from their new dwellings.

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Not enough room in your home? Maybe it’s time to upgrade!
Find out how much your home is worth: bit.ly/homebotvalue

What is Happening to Los Angeles Home and Rent Prices?

Home prices in Los Angeles are quickly getting out of reach for many residents, according to a new report from the California Association of Realtors. It finds that just one in four residents of LA County make enough to afford a median-priced home in the area.

The association’s Housing Affordability Index shows that a typical LA County home cost $553,330 in the fourth quarter of 2017. With property taxes and insurance factored in, that comes out to a monthly payment of $2,790 for buyers (assuming they put down a 20 percent down payment).

Given those figures, prospective homebuyers need a salary of $111,730 (based on household income) to make those payments without becoming cost-burdened—meaning that more than 30 percent of income goes toward housing. Unfortunately for most people, 75 percent of LA County residents don’t earn that much.

Historic data shows it’s gotten much harder to afford an LA home in recent years. As recently as the first quarter of 2012, more than half of residents took home the required income to purchase a home in the area. Since then, though, prices have risen dramatically and incomes haven’t quite caught up.

In the wider Los Angeles metropolitan area, a salary of $53,780 was required to buy a median-priced home in 2012—compared to $100,210 today.

The outlook is a little better if you’re a first time buyer looking for a starter house. With a median price of $470,330, starter homes in LA County are affordable to 43 percent of residents. Of course, they’ll first have to save up for a hefty $94,066 down payment (after that, payments are $2,400 per month).

Not surprisingly, the report finds that homes in LA are far less affordable than they are nationwide. Across the country, buyers need a yearly income of $50,040 to purchase a typical home (median price: $247,800). That means that buying is still within reach for 56 percent of Americans.

If only more of those affordable homes were in LA.

But what about apartments for rent in LA and the rest of the country? If you can’t afford in LA, should you look at other options in smaller cities, maybe even the Midwest? According to ABODO, a city like Minneapolis shows apartments that are renting for almost $1,200. So, how is that any better than LA, when the same company shows rents are for just a few hundred dollars more.

Renting or owning, it’s all expensive, especially in the City of Angels.

Painting Your Own Home: Tips to Make the Process Painless

Painting Your Own Home: Tips to Make the Process Painless

While it’s might seem easier to hire professionals to paint the house, but with a little research you can find the job is not as intimidating as it seems. With a few free days set aside and some preparation, painting one room (or multiple) is easily doable for anyone. Here are a few things to consider before you start.

Apply a Primer Coat

Preparation entails most of the painting process. It’s easy to become frustrated during the preparation stage, because prepping to paint can take longer than the actual painting component of the project.

Interior walls aren’t always perfect, and painting the walls is a perfect opportunity to fix those imperfections. If you’re using a putty or a filler to patch holes, the paint will react differently to those substances than it will the wall itself. The solution here is to prime your walls, so the new paint color has a uniform surface to adhere to. It’s one simple step that doesn’t seem like much, but could end up saving you a whole lot of work at the end of the process.

Factor in taping time

Taping up the room is tedious work, but will be worth it when you don’t have to waste time being ultra-careful or nervous when getting close to edges. Instead of trying to take the tape off while the paint is still dry, wait at least 24 hours for the paint to dry, and use a knife to slice the tape off at the edge. If the paint is still even a little wet or gummy, don’t continue. Make sure the knife is sharp enough and pull the tape away at a 45-degree angle, making sure not to rip the paint.

Set up with clean-up in mind

To protect floors, a drop cloth is a necessity. In some cases, cotton or canvas drop clothes can work better than plastic. Plastic drop cloths can be slippery and don’t easily stay in place, especially when ladders are involved. Any splatters or drips of paint that fall onto a plastic drop cloth won’t dry or absorb right away and can be easily tracked throughout the rest of your house. A canvas or cotton drop cloth will be more stable and will protect the floors better. Tape the edges of the drop cloth to the tops of the trim to protect both the floor and the trims from any splattering or dripping paint.

Work top down

Not only does it prevent drips from ruining anything you’ve already painted, but it keeps the walls and baseboards free of any dust or debris from sticking to wet trim. Paint the ceiling first, move to the walls and possible crown moldings. Only then should you move to any trims around windows or doors and finish with the baseboards. Not only will this keep a system in place to ensure there’s no questioning what’s been painted and what hasn’t, but it’ll keep things clean.

Check thickness of previous paint layers

Cracks on an exterior paint job don’t reflect the owner’s best intentions and should be fixed before the damage is too much to fix. Too thick of a layer of paint means that the paint might just be too heavy to stay, and will start to crack and to peel off. It loses its grip and can’t attach to the other layers of paint. In older homes, it’s likely that some of those layers of paint have lead in them, in which case you’ll need to look into how to remove it safely. The EPA has guidelines here. This could be the one step that requires you to outsource, if the layer of paint is extremely thick, because removing it completely (and correctly) will ensure the next coat of paint will attach correctly. Hiring a home washing company can help you identify these cracks in exterior paint as well. If anything, have the exterior of your home professionally power washed, so the paint will have a clean surface to adhere to.

Using these tips, ideally the house-painting process will be doable for anyone. Prepare yourself to set aside time for set-up, knowing that it will help when you’re done painting and ready to clean up. Instead of hiring painting professionals, save some money for decorating and tackle the job yourself.

Curious to know how much your Southern California home is worth! Get an instant report now! www.CaliOnTheMove.com 

Bio: Matt Lawler is an Internet marketing specialist from Tempe, Arizona where he attended Arizona State University. Whenever he can step away from the computer, Matt enjoys playing sports, traveling and exploring the great outdoors. Follow him on Twitter.

Laura Key, REALTOR® Cal BRE 01908085 310-866-8422 Laura.A.Key@gmail.com www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com

Types of Real Estate Sales - Coffee Time with the Realty Goddess

https://youtu.be/swxL643JKYw  

When you are purchasing a home you will come across many different "types" of sales. Short-Sales, Stand, HUD, Trust, REO...it can be confusing. This broadcast will look into the terms and untangle the mystery.

If you are in the Los Angeles area, I would love the opportunity to earn your business.

Laura Key, REALTOR Cal BRE 01908085 Laura.A.Key@gmail.com www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com

Follow me on: Periscope & Twitter: @RealtyGoddess Snapchat: @RealtyGoddess Instagram: @realtygoddess1 Facebook: www.Facebook.com/RealtyGoddess

How To Find A Realtor (Buyer)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf7vgVU_IGs&w=420&h=315] Did you know most people choose a Realtor by spinning the wheel of fortune? When you are buying a home, you really should take the time to interview agents to help your buying experience the most enjoyable as it can be.

Did you know not all agents work the same? Some don't work weekends, some don't want to work with buyers, some only work certain hours of the day, some are part time, etc.  But how will this benefit you when you are working hard to find the home of your dreams.

Interviewing agents is a extremely important part of successfully buying a home.

Enjoy the above Periscope broadcast to learn a few things when choosing a Realtor! (recorded March 19, 2016)

Please note I have a correction: If an agent tells you they will not let you out of a buyer's agency, please think long and hard before signing.

Follow me...

Snapchat: @realtygoddess Periscope & Twitter: @realtygoddess Instagram: realtygoddess1 Facebook: www.Facebook.com/RealtyGoddess Website: www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com

The “KEY” to your real estate dreams!

Lots of Los Angeles Real Estate Agents want to be stars as big as the celebrities they cater to. Me? I just want to help people find the homes that make them happy and help them to create a sanctuary for future dreams and lasting memories.

Laura Key 310-866-8422 Laura.A.Key@gmail.com Cal BRE #01908085

Happier Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors make for a beautiful, stunning addition to your home. However, they can bring new cleaning and maintenance challenges that aren’t present with carpet. Here are some tips for simple, efficient, and thorough hardwood floor cleaning.

Make the job easier Place mats on either side of your exterior doors and always remove your shoes before entering your home—and make sure your guests do the same. Protect the floors by placing felt (or similar) protectors on the feet of your furniture, and use area rugs to designate play areas for the kids. This will reduce extra dirt, dust, and floor scratches.

Weekly cleaning Sweeping with a standard broom will remove some dirt and dust, but not as much as a mop, wipe, or broom that’s been treated with a dusting agent such as a Swiffer. You could also invest in a vacuum that is designed for hardwood floors. Just be sure that the vacuum won’t leave scratches!

Deeper cleaning Regular sweeping will remove most dirt and dust, but occasionally you’ll need to give the floors a deeper cleaning to remove the dirt and grime that builds up in your floors’ seams. Use a wood-cleaning soap to thoroughly mop your floors, but make sure the mop isn’t sopping wet—you don’t want to leave standing water.

Spots and scuffs Most of the marks that occasionally show up on your floors, such as scuffs from rubber soles on boots and shoes—can be wiped away with a rag or very fine steel wool.

To find your next home: www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com To find the value of your current home: www.CaliOnTheMove.com

The "KEY" to your real estate dreams!

Lots of Los Angeles Real Estate Agents want to be stars as big as the celebrities they cater to. Me? I just want to help people find the homes that make them happy and help them to create a sanctuary for future dreams and lasting memories.

Laura Key 310-866-8422 Laura.A.Key@gmail.com Cal BRE #01908085

Los Angeles FHA Loan Limits

Homeownership is not out of reach. FHA limits in California are one of the highest in the country.  I have great lenders that can help you reach your real estate goals! Call me to get started on your home ownership goals!!!  Laura Key 310.866.8422

Here are the current limits for Los Angeles (as of Nov 13, 2014) FHA allows 3.5% downpayment over a 15 to 30 year term!

Single Family             $625,500

Duplex                        $800,775

Tri-Plex                      $967,950

Four-Plex                   $1,202,925

Start your home search today!

www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com

**Source: https://entp.hud.gov

Auto Insurance Shopping

I bet you are wondering why a real estate agent would post about auto insurance, but the fact is, most people bundle home and auto. So here are some interesting tips about auto insurance for your reading pleasure.... Auto Insurance. Shopping for it is not enjoyable. Trying to figure out which policy is best for you is confusing. Typically we just like to choose the cheapest, however, depending on where you live geographically that may not be the choice as those of us located near or adjacent to our Southern Border must take into account the high percentage of uninsured drivers. Not only does this typically raise our annual premium, but usually it will require us to buy additional coverage. There are ultimately 7 primary factors that have the most significant impact on your insurance premium.

• Aesthetics
• Fuel Efficiency
• Usability
• Comfort
• Drivability
• Engine Horsepower
• Crash Test Ratings

Now it will not take a rocket scientist to figure out that driving a high performance sports car will yield significantly higher rates than say a small sedan. This infographic lists among the 10 most popular vehicles to drive as well as the upper and lower limits for what people pay for insurance. Thus, if you drive one of the vehicles described in the above infographic and are paying significantly more, perhaps you have a strong case to change carriers, or perhaps you are buying too much coverage. Regardless it’s always a good idea to do a bit of research to see what else is out there. Luckily with the digital age there are numerous ways to save time by comparing numerous carriers’ quotes at one time. One such company compare.com does this for Auto Insurance. So even if your car is not one of the 10 vehicles, it’s still worth a shot to give compare.com a visit and Compare Auto Insurance now to see if you could be saving money on your policy!

Written by Matt Lawler www.MattJLawler.com

The Balance Between Packing and Staging When Trying to Sell a Home

Staging your home is basically decorating it for showings. The idea is to make your house look like a house other people would like to live in, and make the house appeal to as many people as possible. While this seems easy enough for most people, it does make packing your home up for a big move complicated. Of course, a full-service moving company such as these full service movers could come and pack everything for you after your house sells, but if hiring a mover isn’t in the budget then there is a complicated issue.

The balance seems impossible. If you pack up your stuff there will be boxes everywhere and your house will look like a mess while it’s for sale. If you leave it as is until the day before you move you will be rushed, stressed, and less careful. So how do you find the sweet spot? Hopefully the following tips will provide you with some valuable insight.

De-clutter Your Space

De-cluttering will be the most helpful thing in achieving this balance without a doubt. Not only will less junk make your house appear larger and more open, but less messy without unused furniture. Gather up everything that wont have a place in your new home and donate what you can, otherwise call these furniture removal specialists.

Repaint the Interior

This is something you will likely have to do for the next owners anyway. Putting a fresh layer of paint over every room will make the room seem much cleaner and brighter. You will want to stick to neutral colors to really chase mass appeal. This is a great home staging idea that can be done easily (and quickly with the help of these one day painters).

Use Packing to Help Stage

Pack each room individually and put away anything not necessary for staging. Pack up all your family pictures, souvenirs and mementos and place them in the closet. Basically half-packing each room will actually make your home feel more organized and clean while also removing remnants of the past owner. Taking your personal style out of the house will make sure that more people can visualize themselves making it their own home. Once the extra things are packed (or thrown) away you should have more space available inside the house. Take advantage of this to show a room’s full potential rather then just leaving all your furniture where it is.

Continue Minimizing 

There are still ways to continue minimizing. Take all of your child’s wall decorations down and pack them up. I recommend putting all of the extra boxes neatly in the garage to maximize space inside the house. Continue purging the house for items that show the previous owner, as these must be packed prior to showing the house. Extra mirrors, wall decorations and small appliances are also great things to pack away ahead of time. People viewing your house may open up some cabinets in the kitchen so if they are partially packed they will look extra spacious.

Written by Matt Lawler www.zogdigital.com

Laura Key, Realty Goddess

310-866-8422

www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com

HOW MUCH IS YOUR HOME WORTH?

www.CaliOnTheMove.com

Laura.A.Key@gmail.com

Tips on How To Prepare Your Home for Holiday Guests

By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon *Published: November 14, 2011

Is your home ready for holiday visits from friends and family? Here’s how to prepare for the invasion.

I'm lucky and have a guest suite always ready for holiday guests. But even with a dedicated space, preparing my home for the annual onslaught of friends and family takes time and forethought.

Some preparations for holiday guests take only a few minutes; some take a lot longer. My advice: Start preparing your home for the holidays now.

Prioritize

The day before guests arrive is no time to pull apart junk drawers and clean out linen closets. Declutter guest rooms and public areas — foyer, kitchen, living room, den, and dining room. Remove anything unnecessary from countertops, coffee tables, and ottomans; if it’s out of sight, keep it out of mind, for now.

If you run short of time, bag up the clutter and store it in car trunks, basements, and out-of-the-way closets. Sort and arrange after your guests depart.

Safety

Light the way: Even though you can navigate your home blindfolded, your guests can’t. Make sure outside lights are working so they don’t trip on the way to your door. Put motion-activated night lights in hallways, bathrooms, and bedrooms to ensure safe passage after the sun sets.

Child proofing: Ask parents to bring hardware that keeps their small ones safe, such as baby gates and cabinet locks. Transfer toxic cleaners and medicines from base to wall cabinets. Hide matches and lighters.

Fire prevention: If you didn’t freshen smoke detector batteries when you switched the clocks to Daylight Savings Time, change them now. After your guests arrive, run a quick fire drill: Make sure they can locate exits and fire extinguishers, and that they know how to open windows and doors.

Entryway upgrades

Your home’s foyer is the first place guests see, so make a good first impression.

• Upgrade exterior entry doors or give old doors a new coat of paint. Polish and tighten door hardware, and oil hinges to prevent squeaks.

• Remove scratches from hardwood floors, stairs, and wood railings. Place a small rug or welcome mat at the entrance to protect floors from mud and snow. 

• Clear out shoes, umbrellas, and other clutter.

• Add extra hooks to walls so guests can hang coats and hats.

• Add a storage bench where guests can remove boots and shoes.

Kitchen prep

Your kitchen is command central during the holidays, so make sure it’s ready for guests and extra helpers.

• To increase storage, install a pot rack to clear cooking items off countertops and ranges.

• Move your coffee station into a family room so guests don’t crowd the kitchen when you’re trying to fix meals.

• If you like to visit while you’re cooking, place extra stools and chairs around the perimeter of your kitchen so guests can set a spell.

Sleeping arrangements

If you’ve got a guest room, replace the ceiling fixture with a ceiling fan and light combo, which helps guests customize their room temperature without fiddling with the thermostat for the entire house. 

To carve sleeping space out of public areas, buy a folding screen or rolling bookcase, which will provide privacy for sleepers. Fold or roll it away in the morning.

Bathroom storage

Bring toilet paper, towels, and toiletries out of hiding, and place them on open shelves so guests can find them easily.

If you don’t have enough wall space for shelves, place these items in open baskets around the bathroom.

Also, outfit each tub with a bath mat (to avoid falls) and each toilet with a plunger (to avoid embarrassment).

What tips do you have for getting ready for guests this holiday season?

Find your next home with me! I'd love to hand you a set of new keys! www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com

Beautiful Patio Tile Work

I can just see myself sitting on the patio

with a nice cup of tea with a warm blanket!

www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com

Long Beach

I just love the homes around my Long Beach office. They even have yards!!! www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com

Los Angeles 2 Bed 1 Bath Attached Garage!

Los Angeles Condo with LOW HOA Fees

North Hollywood Condo For Sale

Tree Falls Over Property Line: Who Pays? Who Picks Up the Pieces?

Tree Falls Over Property Line: Who Pays? Who Picks Up the Pieces?

By: Ann Cochran

Published: March 23, 2011

If a neighbor’s tree falls over your property line, file an insurance claim for repairs and cleanup. No house damage? Check if chopping and hauling debris is covered.

When a neighbor’s tree falls over your property line, yell TIMBER, then call your insurance company. Home owners policies cover tree damage caused by perils like wind and winter storms. Most policies cover hauling away tree debris if the mess is associated with house damage; some will cover cleanup even if no structures were harmed.

When a Tree Falls

Your neighbor is responsible when a tree falls over your shared property line only if you can prove he was aware that his tree was a hazard and refused to remedy the problem. Regardless, your insurance company restores your property first, and later decides whether or not to pursue reimbursement from the neighbor or his insurer if the neighbor was negligent in maintaining the tree.

Before a Tree Falls

Write a letter to your neighbor before his dead, diseased or listing tree falls through your roof or over your property line.

The letter should include:

• Description of the problem

• Photographs

• Request for action

• Attorney letterhead--not necessary but indicates you mean business.

Trim Their Trees

If the limbs of a tree hang over your property line, you may trim the branches up to the property line, but not cut down the entire tree. If a tree dies after your little pruning, the neighbor can pursue a claim against you in civil or small claims court. Depending on the laws of your state, your neighbor may have to prove the damage was deliberate or caused by negligence, but may also be able to recover up to three times the value of the tree.

Before you cut, tell your neighbors what you intend to do to protect your property. They may offer to trim the whole tree instead of risking your half-oaked job.

Your Tree Falls

It’s always a good idea to take care of your big and beautiful trees, and keep receipts for trimmings and other care.

But if your tree falls over a neighbor’s property line, do nothing until their insurance company contacts you. You may not be liable unless you knew or should have known the tree was in a dangerous condition.  If you pruned a tree or shored up trunks to prevent problems, gather your receipts to prove your diligence.

Lots of Los Angeles Real Estate Agents want to be stars as big as the celebrities they cater to. Me? I just want to help people find the homes that make them happy and help them to create a sanctuary for future dreams and lasting memories. Contact me today!

Distressed Housing Market Shrinks Dramatically in Last 5 Years

Distressed housing market shrinks dramatically since housing downturn of Great Recession

LOS ANGELES (March 10) – Vastly improved home prices over the past five years have changed the landscape of California’s distressed housing market, which is now just a fraction of what it was during the Great Recession, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said today.

In January 2009, 69.5 percent of all homes sold in California were distressed, which includes short sales and real estate-owned (REOs) properties. Five years later, that figure has shrunk to 15.6 percent.  More specifically, REOs comprised 60 percent of all sales in January 2009, while short sales made up 9.1 percent of all sales but rose to as high as 25.6 percent in January 2012. Short sales currently make up 9.2 percent of all sales.

During the same time period, California’s median home price has soared more than 64 percent from $249,960 in January 2009 to $410,990 in January 2014.

“The dramatic drop in the share of distressed sales throughout the state reflects a market that is fully transitioning from the housing downturn,” said C.A.R. President Kevin Brown.  “Significant home price appreciation over the past five years has lifted the market value of many underwater homes, and as a result, many homeowners have gained significant equity in their homes, resulting in fewer short sales and foreclosures.”

The statewide share of equity sales hit a high of 86.4 percent in November 2013 and has been above 80 percent for the past seven months.

In some of the hardest hit California counties, the distressed market in January 2009 was 93.6 percent in Stanislaus County, 93 percent in San Joaquin County, 89.5 percent in San Benito County, 86.1 percent in Kern County, 85.6 percent in Sacramento County, 84.2 percent in Fresno County, and 83.6 percent in Monterey County.  The distressed market now has shrunk to 24.8 percent in Stanislaus, 25.1 percent in San Joaquin, 17.5 percent in San Benito, 18.4 percent in Kern, 19.9 percent in Sacramento, 26.3 percent in Fresno, and 16.9 percent in Monterey counties.

Of the reporting counties, San Luis Obispo, Orange, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties held the lowest share of distressed sales in January 2014 at 10.2 percent, 9.5 percent, 7.7 percent, and 6.8 percent, respectively.

Leading the way...® in California real estate for more than 100 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (www.car.org) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States with 165,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles.

Single-family Distressed Home Sales by Select Counties

Distressed Sales by County	Jan. 2014	Jan. 2009
CA	15.6%	69.5%
El Dorado	20.1%	63.0%
Fresno	26.3%	84.2%
Kern	18.4%	86.1%
Los Angeles	15.8%	62.4%
Monterey	16.9%	83.6%
Orange	9.5%	60.3%
Placer	15.1%	68.1%
Riverside	15.6%	79.4%
Sacramento	19.9%	85.6%
San Benito	17.5%	89.5%
San Bernardino	21.7%	81.9%
San Joaquin	25.1%	93.0%
San Luis Obispo	10.2%	52.2%
San Mateo	6.8%	48.2%
Santa Clara	7.7%	68.0%
Santa Cruz	11.6%	56.6%
Stanislaus	24.8%	93.6%
Tulare	20.0%	45.8%
Yolo	13.3%	74.5%