Author: Neil Collins (Neil Collins)

Collins: Reimagining home ownership

Over the last few years there have been many discussions about duplexes. This includes legislation around zoning changes driven by the state to encourage more duplex production, and more recently, a proposed local ordinance that would give corporate nonprofits a special priority in the purchasing of them and other multi-family properties. What I want to...

Collins: An optimistic outlook for the spring housing market

According to the California Association of Realtors, home sales in the state edged up in January for a second straight month. Existing home sales are up 0.04% from December, but down 45.7% from January 2022. “Thanks to slightly waning interest rates and tempering home prices, California’s housing market kicked off the new year with another...

Collins: COPA—Here we go again

The Community Opportunity to Purchase Act, or COPA, is once again up for consideration. This was first proposed nearly three years ago as part of an anti-displacement proposal from San Jose’s housing department. Last year, COPA was stalled from moving forward because it did not have the votes to pass. It’s back again with the new...

Collins: What 2023 will bring for the local housing market

This is the time of year where we all like to pull out our crystal ball and make some speculations about what the local housing market will look like in 2023. This year, the Federal Reserve has been aggressive in raising interest rates at 0.75 basis points for four consecutive periods since June, in an...

Collins: How is today’s housing market different than 2008?

As the Federal Reserve raises interest rates in an attempt to reduce inflation, there is growing uncertainty in the economy. Some are worried about the increasing interest rate’s impact on “kitchen table issues” such as credit card bills and utilities.  However, this anticipated economic downturn looks different from the last major economic decline of 2008....

Collins: What’s really going on with the local housing market?

The headlines these days are quite ominous as they pertain to our current housing market. Residential sales are down substantially on a year-over-year basis, inventory is on the rise, and price reductions are becoming more common. What does this all mean for our local housing market here in Santa Clara County? There are a couple...

Collins: Building equity with modern-day mobile homes

Several months ago, I heard a presentation about mobile homes from Franco Perez, a Santa Clara County Association of Realtors member. His presentation really opened my eyes and changed my perception of the amenities a mobile home could provide. I have had family members reside in mobile homes, mostly around the Brentwood area, that were basic in...

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