COVERAGE INFORMATION:
California Department of Real Estate (DRE) NEWS CLIPS service coverage:
Monday through Friday (except state holidays) each week includes electronic format articles retrieved from newspapers or news services that report real estate related news in California and some national services. Coverage is for California newspapers that are available electronically via the Internet - and any significant related breaking news.
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Copyright © , California Department of Real Estate
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Thursday, January 29, 2026
Top Stories
Housing Affordability Improves Nearly 10% In 2025 As Rates And Incomes Align
ERIC C PECK, National Mortgage Professional
Affordability in the U.S. housing sector improved sharply as rising incomes, falling mortgage rates, and flat home prices boosted U.S. house-buying power nearly 10% year-over-year, though supply constraints remain a key risk.
Foreclosure auction volume reaches highest level since Q2 2020
SARAH WOLAK, HousingWire (Subscription)
Foreclosure auction volume in Q4 2025 rose 48% year over year, reaching the highest level since 2020. Despite increased buyer willingness, sales rates declined while REO auction sales improved due to more favorable pricing.
National News
The Single-Family Rental Is On the Decline
LILY KATZ, GRISHMA BHATTARAI
Roughly one of every three (33.1%) renter-occupied housing units in America is located in a large multifamily building—the highest share in records dating back to 2011. By comparison, 31% of rentals are single-family homes—the lowest share on record. Units in small multifamily buildings make up 27.3% of the nation’s rental stock, and townhomes make up 8.5%.
New listing uptick tests the depth of the ‘buyer’s market’
LIEZEL ONCE, Mortgage Professional America
New listings inched higher in late January, offering a sliver of relief to inventory‑starved originators, even as the United States housing market remained firmly tilted toward choosy buyers.
New Listings Rise For First Time in 2 Months As Lower Mortgage Rates Perk Up Homebuyers
DANA ANDERSON, Redfin News
While slightly more sellers and buyers are coming off the sidelines, homes are still taking a long time to sell. The typical home that sold in January took 63 days to go under contract–a week longer than last year and the longest span in six years.
California News
Fees add costs to California housing. Are they ‘too high’ or a ‘rounding error?’
STEPHEN HOBBS, Sacramento Bee (Subscription)
As California legislators search for ways to bring down the cost of building homes in the state, one of the areas they have looked to target is impact fees. Many outside the Capitol support the Legislature’s placing limits on how high the fees can go.
Housing Tracker: Southern California home values drop in December
JACK FLEMMING, HAILEY WANG, Los Angeles Times (Subscription)
Southern California home prices dropped again in December, capping off a yearlong skid that saw the average home value in the six-county region drop by more than $7,000.
Industry News
FTC vs. Zillow discovery proceeds; settlements in SDAR, eXp cases
AMIE FISHER, Real Estate News
A dispute over company documents appears to be resolved. Plus, ex-SDAR CEO, eXp recruiter reach deals in separate cases; ex-Alliance CEO accused of defamation.
Real Estate Technology
Shared homebuying startup launches; Rechat adds local insights
Real Estate News
"Joynt" platform aims to streamline co-buying and co-ownership. Plus, SkySlope expands to Hawaii; ATTOM unveils new tools; a Rechat-Local Logic integration.
Property News
The Housing Market Is Slumping—but Sales Over $10 Million Are Skyrocketing
KATHERINE CLARKE, Wall Street Journal (Subscription)
In 2025, the U.S. housing market continued to be mired in a slump, with sales volume stuck at its lowest point in decades and affordability out of reach for many buyers. But at the ultra high-end of the market, a very different narrative unfolded.
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