According to the latest report by the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.), all counties in Southern California have faced a drop in home affordability. However, San Bernardino County remains the most affordable county in Southern California, with 30% of households able to afford the $493,000 median-priced home.

Key Takeaway:

• According to the data collected by the California Association of Realtors (CAR), Orange County was the least affordable at 12 percent, while San Bernardino County was the most affordable to buy a house.
• In the second quarter of 2022, California housing affordability fell to its lowest point in almost 15 years as home prices reached all-time highs and interest rates increased.
• San Bernardino county proved to be the cheapest of all counties in the Southern Californian region.

We Covered this in our Weekly Wire Roundup

Housing affordability in California is at its lowest point in nearly 15 years.

As home prices soared to new highs in April and May and interest rates shot up to levels not seen in more than 13 years, housing affordability in California dropped below 20 percent and sank to the lowest level in almost 15 years.

According to C.A.R.’s Traditional Housing Affordability Index, the proportion of homebuyers who could afford to buy a median-priced, existing single-family home in California in the second quarter of 2022 dropped to 16 percent from 24 percent in the first quarter of 2022. It was below 23 percent in the second quarter of 2021.

In the second quarter of 2022, single-family homes with a current market value of $883,370 can be purchased with a minimum yearly income of $199,200. Assuming a 20% down payment and an effective composite interest rate of 5.39 percent, the monthly payment for a 30-year fixed-rate loan would be $4,980. In the first quarter of 2022, the effective interest rate was 3.97 percent, while in the second quarter of 2021, it was 3.20 percent.

San Bernardino: Most Affordable County in Southern California

Despite everything, San Bernardino County remains the most affordable one. Here, 30 percent of households can afford the median-priced home of $493,000. The monthly payment, including taxes and insurance in San Bernardino County, is $2,780. And the minimum qualifying income is $111,200.

Inland Empire: Most Affordable Housing Market in Southern California

The Inland Empire’s housing sector has been a bright spot in the community’s economy during the COVID. Home price rise surpassed that of more expensive regions. According to a study by the U.C. Riverside School of Business Center for Economic Forecasting and Development, affordability has decreased due to higher mortgage rates, more demand, and costly markets across the state.

Inland Empire residents can now only afford to pay 31% of the typical home price, down from a comparatively low 39% in the first quarter of 2021. Yet, the area continues to be among the cheapest in all of Southern California and is more affordable than the entire state, where only 24% of people can buy a property with a median price.

Real estate entrepreneur Jeff Burum proposes that San Bernardino County should become a state

Wrap Up!

The Inland Empire has always been the cheapest despite California’s high housing costs. As per the latest report by C.A.R., San Bernardino County ranks first among Southern California counties for housing affordability.