Two months after reopening, the California economy is recovering unevenly, but recovering nonetheless. The housing market is a strong leader in the recovery process, with low interest rates contributing to a surge in activity after the last two months’ lull. The recovery will take time, though. The UCLA Anderson Forecast predicts a GDP decline of 42% in this quarter before easing back up 11% and then 7.6% in the next two quarters of this year. The total change from last year is expected to be a decline of 8.6%.
May was probably the trough for home sales, and they will pick up in the coming months. The extension of the foreclosure and eviction moratorium coupled with all-time low interest rates should allow buyers to regain their bearings quickly, and thus demand hasn’t suffered. Low supply and and a smaller than expected decrease in unemployment claims could point to a slower pace, but shouldn’t prevent recovery.
Call or email us if you want more information or are ready to buy or sell. Also, if you live in the South Bay or are interested in data about the area, stay tuned for a special South Bay update in early July.
Photo by Eric Rothermel on Unsplash
More: https://www.car.org/knowledge/pubs/newsletters/newsline/covid62420