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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Friday, March 20, 2026
Top Stories
U.S. Homes Sell in 66 Days, Slowest February Pace in a Decade
World Property Journal
Homes that went under contract in February 2026 spent a median 66 days on the market, according to a report from Redfin -- the slowest February pace in a decade and up sharply from 58 days a year earlier. The data points to a market where demand remains restrained, even as conditions increasingly favor buyers.
Mortgage rates hit 2026 high as peak homebuying season begins
DAVE GALLAGHER, Real Estate News
Concerns about inflation and the wider U.S. economy are driving up mortgage rates as the housing market embarks on what is typically its busiest time of year.
National News
Built-for-rent multifamily starts jump 18% in Q4 2025
HousingWire (Subscription)
NAHB’s analysis of Census data shows multifamily construction in Q4 2025 remained overwhelmingly rental-focused. Of 96,000 multifamily units started, 91,000 were built for rent, up 18% from a year earlier and representing 95% of multifamily starts. Condo starts were flat at 6,000 units, underscoring persistent headwinds in the for-sale multifamily segment.
The spring housing market is on, but mortgage rates just shot higher. Here’s what to know.
DIANA OLICK, CNBC
Spring is traditionally the busiest season for home sales, and while this year’s market dynamics have shifted strongly in favor of buyers, broader forces in the economy are creating significant challenges.
3 in 5 Americans Fear AI Could Replace Jobs, Making it Harder to Afford Homes
DANA ANDERSON, Redfin News
AI has dominated headlines as rapid advances stoke fears that it could automate a significant share of white-collar jobs. Some estimates suggest up to 30% of U.S. jobs could be displaced, with 80% of workers affected in some way, fueling anxiety about income stability. Uncertainty around the future of the labor market could also contribute to volatile mortgage rates, adding another hurdle for prospective homebuyers.
California News
Californians are nation’s top users of adjustable-rate loans
JONATHAN LANSNER, Orange County Register (Subscription)
The higher the home price, the more likely an adjustable-rate mortgage is used. When you rank the states by borrowers’ use of adjustable loans, then slice the scorecard into three groups, you find that adjustable mortgages are most common in 17 states where the median price averages $454,300 median price. At 31%, California had the nation’s largest share of adjustable-rate mortgages in 2025.
The Silicon Valley builder behind tech campuses turns to a new mission: Affordable housing
J.K. DINEEN, San Francisco Chronicle (Subscription)
For generations the Sobrato Organization has been known for building some of Silicon Valley’s flashiest corporate campuses — homes for Apple, Nvidia, Netflix, EMC, VeriSign, Facebook and Amazon. But these days the Silicon Valley heavyweight spends much of its time and resources on something a lot less sexy: affordable housing.
Industry News
Where brokerages stand on pre-MLS listings after a whirlwind week
DANIEL HOUSTON, Inman (Subscription)
After Compass announced it would bring coming-soon listings to Redfin, the brokerage's competitors rolled out three new partnerships or initiatives to provide their listings with pre-MLS exposure. Here's what they look like.
Zillow’s ‘simplified’ listing standards make the MLS optional
AMIE FISHER, Real Estate News
On March 17, Zillow unveiled a new product, Zillow Preview, that would allow participating brokerages to display pre-market listings exclusively on Zillow websites (and their own brokerage sites) — as long as they still complied with local MLS rules. Behind the scenes, the company also revised its Listing Access Standards.
Real Estate Technology
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Property News
Priced Out No More? College Teams Compete to Build Attainable Homes
MELISSA DITTMANN TRACEY, NAR Realtor News
The Housing Innovation Challenge announced its inaugural cohort of 20 university teams from across the country who will compete to design, build and ultimately showcase attainable housing solutions in the competition’s inaugural host city—Charlotte, N.C. The national design-build competition brings together students, builders and industry innovators in what organizers describe as a long-term effort to reduce housing costs.
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