Over the past three decades, the housing market in Northern California has experienced significant fluctuations driven by various factors. In the early 1990s, the region saw a period of economic recession, resulting in a downturn in the housing market. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the housing market in Northern California experienced a dramatic upswing. The dot-com boom fueled an influx of highly paid tech-workers, creating a surge in housing demand. Prices skyrocketed, and bidding wars became commonplace. This housing boom continued until the dot-com bubble burst in the early 2000s, causing a subsequent market correction.
Following the dot-com crash, the housing market in Northern California entered a period of stabilization. Housing prices experienced a decline, and buyers gained more negotiating power. The mid-2000s brought a housing boom fueled by subprime lending and speculative investments. Northern California, particularly areas like the San Francisco Bay Area, experienced a rapid increase in home prices as demand outpaced supply. This housing bubble peaked in 2007, followed by the bursting of the subprime mortgage crisis, leading to the global financial crisis in 2008. The market tumbled, and foreclosures became widespread. Over the subsequent years, the housing market slowly recovered, aided by government intervention and economic stimulus measures. Since then, Northern California has witnessed a prolonged period of growth in the housing market, driven by a combination of factors, including low-interest rates, a thriving tech industry, and limited housing supply, leading to a significant increase in home prices.
Graph Source: California Association of Realtors