Has Southern California’s housing market awoken from its lengthy slumber? My trusty spreadsheet, peeking at February’s CoreLogic sales stats — the most recent available — found these record-setting nuggets … Sales: The 12,430 transactions completed in the six-county region — involving existing and new residences, homes and condos — represented a 17% jump from January. That’s the largest January-to-February increase in a database dating to 1988.
Southern California’s home prices took their biggest two-month dip in 12 years in December and January. And don’t forget that leap year that added a day to conduct business, too. Also, let’s remember any sales increase isn’t that surprising, considering just how slow Southern California homebuying has been. Despite the record one-month sales bump, this was the third-slowest-selling February since 1988 — and 27% below average. Southern California housing remains very unaffordable.