Los Angeles Real Estate Blog & Market Updates

Mortgage rates for San Fernando Valley and Westside buyers have spent much of August hovering in the mid-to-upper 6% range. Freddie Mac's August 27 weekly average was 6.66%, but rates moved higher following Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh's August 28 Jackson Hole remarks, a reminder of how sensitive borrowing costs remain to inflation data and expectations about future Fed policy. Rates haven't meaningfully improved, but higher rates are also helping create a less competiti

San Fernando Valley first-time home buyers in 2026 are still closing, but not on the homes they originally pictured. Entry-level single-family homes in Reseda start in the mid to high $700,000s. North Hollywood and West Hills start in the low $800,000s. Buyers who get to the table are combining family gift funds, California down payment assistance, and lenders who know how to qualify them correctly. The Valley is not closed to first-time buyers. It just requires a clearer str