The median home price is the threshold which divides the real estate market into two equal halves, in reference to pricing. One half of all homes in the market are priced above the median home price, while the other half are priced below it.

The median home price is one of the most common measurements used to compare real estate prices in different markets, areas, and periods.
 

OPM,OPL,OPK

OPM - “Other People’s Money” - 
Renters will make you rich by making all of your payments for you.

Even as Bay Area home values weaken, a new report shows rents are soaring - indicative of the curious mix of a sturdy economy and a faltering housing market.

Average monthly rents in the region’s financial and high-tech hubs have jumped more than 10 percent in the last year, and occupancy rates hover around 95 percent, according to a quarterly rental survey by RealFacts.

While robust hiring is boosting apartment prices, the purchase side of the market languishes amid the subprime crisis and a supply of homes for sale that far outstrips demand.

As Marcus Ison moved his belongings into his new townhouse in San Pablo’s Devon Square development last week, he had mixed feelings.

His excitement about buying his first home was tempered by a sobering reality: Outside, bright red signs announced that two dozen homes in the development would be sold at auction within days - with starting bids of $250,000, far below the $415,000 he had just paid for his three-bedroom-plus-den unit.

“For the sake of my property values, I’m fairly anxious about the upcoming auction,” said Ison, an information technology consultant. “I’ll cross my fingers and hope there will be numerous bidders to drive the price up. As a first-time home buyer, this has definitely been a bittersweet experience.”