First time buyer affordability; from the Cal. Assoc. of Realtors CAR.org

Housing Affordability Index - First-Time Buyer C.A.R.'s First-time Buyer Housing Affordability Index (FTB-HAI) measures the percentage of households that can afford to purchase an entry-level home in California. C.A.R. also reports first-time buyer indexes for regions and select counties within the state. The Index is the most fundamental measure of housing well-being for first-time buyers in the state. Download the complete historical series: XLS First -Time Buyer Housing Affordability Index Methodology 2014 Q3 First-time Buyer Housing Affordability Index STATE/REGION/COUNTY Q3 2014 Q2 2014 Q3 2013 CA SFH (SAAR) 52 53 54 CA Condo/Townhomes 61 61 63 Los Angeles Metropolitan Area 55 55 57 Inland Empire 68 68 71 S.F. Bay Area 44 42 45 r US 75 75 74 S.F. Bay Area Alameda 42 40 44 Contra-Costa (Central County) 43 43 45 r Marin 29 30 37 Napa 44 48 r 52 San Francisco 34 32 36 r San Mateo 34 33 36 Santa Clara 44 42 45 Solano 71 72 76 r Sonoma 53 53 r 56 r Source: CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® r – revised Note: The effective interest rate series previously used to calculate C.A.R.’s First-Time Buyer Housing Affordability Index (FTB-HAI) was discontinued in 2008. Beginning with this news release, the FTB-HAI will incorporate an effective interest rate that is based on the one-year, adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) from Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS). The effective rate accounts for both the one-year ARM rate and the points/fees as reported by Freddie Mac.