With many pointing to the housing market as the backbone of the economic recovery, investors are flooding the market with all-cash offers and it’s squeezing out many traditional homebuyers. “People are worried about the returns on alternative investments,” says Karen Dynan, vice president and co-director of economic studies at the Brookings Institute. “There is still Read More

 An interior image of a Baccarat-branded residence.  Luxury-branded furniture? Nah, just put the label on the whole building — or at least the penthouse — housing said furniture. The newest, biggest (literally speaking) wave of designer endorsements and collaborations are on entire high-end properties around the world. In Los Angeles, the Ritz-Carlton is opening a Read More

Americans are more optimistic about the economy than they have been since the Great Recession began, the Conference Board said Tuesday. The group’s Consumer Confidence Index unexpectedly jumped to 81.4 this month, up sharply from 74.3 in May. It was the third straight monthly increase, though the figures were compiled before the recent stock market Read More

The median list price in Dana Point this week is $1,499,000. Inventory is up, and market action is trending down recently. While days on market appear to be trending lower, the overall conditions are weakening a bit. Supply and DemandIn the last few weeks, the market has achieved a relative stasis point in terms of Read More

An Austrian firm has come up what it hopes is the next big thing for the mega-rich: a man-made, floating island with a list price of $6.5 million. Measuring 66 by 121 feet, the “Orsos Island” has no engine but can be anchored anywhere its owners choose and then towed to another location the other Read More

The median list price in Laguna Beach this week is $2,495,000.Demand measured by the Market Action Index is increasing, and days on market are holding steady. With more properties coming available, conditions are mildly positive. Supply and DemandBoth prices and inventory levels are relatively unchanged in recent weeks. Watch the Market Action Index for changes, as it can Read More

Word is that director Steven Spielberg — “Saving Private Ryan,” “Indiana Jones,” “Lincoln” — has nudged his Malibu beach compound on the rental market, quietly asking $125,000 a month for his 7,237-square-foot Craftsman-style main house and accompanying two-bedroom guesthouse. Sure, it sounds like a lot of money to spend every 30 days on just 1.08 Read More

The median price in Newport Beach is $2,192,500.The Market Action Index has been trending down lately, while inventory and days on market are climbing. Supply and DemandIn the last few weeks, the market has achieved a relative stasis point in terms of sales to inventory. However, inventory is sufficiently low to keep us in the seller’s Read More