Sending our love to the wonderful people of Maui and Hawai’i as they recover from catastrophic wildfires. If you’d like to do something to help, we encourage you to consider donating to the Maui Strong Fund from the Hawai’i Community Foundation. Mahalo.
The market continues to be very tight in Santa Clara County, with home sales down 14% from last year, and condo sales 20% below June 2022. Meanwhile, properties are spending more time on the market as buyers weigh interest rates and inventory against their desire to find their dream home. As a result, home prices have dipped slightly, and condo prices have seen a small spike while buyers wait out the shifting market.
The cost of living in California has many people on the move to new cities and new adventures. What are some of the resources you can use to get familiar with your future home?
The first thing you can do before you pack a single box is check an online travel guide like Tripadvisor, lonely planet, or TimeOut. These sites are full of tips and insights for travelers, and that’s exactly what you are! You’re just staying a little longer. Speaking of which, you can check local government websites in your new city to learn about population demographics and public services like schools, transportation, and safety. It’s also a good idea to understand the city’s governance.
If you’re moving to save money, you’d be wise to crunch the numbers and make sure your new city fits your current budget! You can use websites like Numbeo or Expatistan to get an estimate of the cost of living in cities you’re considering, including the current price of goods and services. Another great resource is local news. Reading the city newspaper or browsing local news websites can help you get a sense of the big issues and challenges you might face after your move.
Thanks to a modified calendar with more days and weeks off during the traditional school year, many local districts are already back from summer break. Here’s to a new year of learning for our youngsters!
According to the numbers, foreign nationals account for more than 2% of home purchases in America each year. But did you know more than 50% of these “foreign” buyers are recent immigrants or non-immigrant visa holders who live right here in the U.S.? And did you know 10% of them are Canadians (third-highest of any nation)? Check the stats to learn more!
