Ventura County Star - "Home quality dropping with prices" (4-26-08)

"Stoked by a rash of short sales and other distressed transactions, inventory of homes on the market has swelled as demand has sagged. Quality also has become an issue as strapped homeowners seemed to have lost that 'pride of ownership.'Properties foreclosed on within the past year accounted for 35.2 percent of the existing homes sold in Ventura County during March, according to DataQuick Information Systems."

The San Diego Union Tribune - "Resales of homes a house divided" (4-27-08)

"San Diego County's unprecedented housing downturn has created a sharp split in the resale market, with foreclosed properties selling at steep discounts while other homes take a much smaller hit. Although values are down in all categories, the variance between the resale prices of foreclosed and regular properties is dramatic."

Orange County Register - "O.C. building slump hits non-home projects, too" (4-27-08)

"Construction Industry Research Board, Burbank-based group tracking building permits statewide, says planned construction in Orange County of commercial, industrial and other non-residential projects in O.C. fell to the lowest level in six years.That’s one reason why the estimated value of all building permits combined (see chart above) was $663 million for January through March this year, or a little more than half the value of permits issued during the first three months of 2007. Last year’s value was the high for the decade, with permits valued at nearly $1.3 billion in the first quarter."

The San Diego Union Tribune - "'Declining market' tag may threaten recovery" (4-27-08)

"Could widespread designations of entire ZIP codes, metropolitan areas – even entire states – as 'declining markets' hinder a real estate recovery and hurt minority groups and moderate-income buyers disproportionately? Growing ranks of critics say the answer is yes. Since late 2007, most lenders, insurers and mortgage investment firms have compiled lists of local markets that they consider to be posing higher risks because housing values are dropping. Within those areas, borrowers are charged higher rates, loan fees and down payments – costs that can rise significantly when applicants have credit scores below designated minimum levels."