COVERAGE INFORMATION:
California Department of Real Estate (DRE) NEWS CLIPS service coverage:
Monday through Friday (except state holidays) each week includes electronic format articles retrieved from newspapers or news services that report real estate related news in California and some national services. Coverage is for California newspapers that are available electronically via the Internet - and any significant related breaking news.
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Copyright © , California Department of Real Estate
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Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Top Stories
More Buyers Step Back Into the Housing Market
MELISSA DITTMANN TRACEY, NAR Realtor News
Pending home sales rose last month, building on March’s modest gains and helping to reverse what had been a sluggish start to the spring housing market. NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index—a gauge of future home closings based on contract signings—rose 1.4% in April month over month and is 3.2% higher than levels from a year ago, the association reported Tuesday.
A Risky, Unconventional Mortgage Is on the Rise Again
KATHERINE HAMILTON, Wall Street Journal (Subscription)
Mortgage lenders are increasingly turning to alternative loans to drum up business in a housing market that has been stalled for years. The share of mortgages using alternative lending practices is still a small portion of the market, but it has doubled in size over the past three years.
National News
Down Payments Fall To Four-Year Low As Inventory Gains Ease Buyer Pressure
CZARINNA ANDRES, National Mortgage Professional
The typical down payment fell to $23,400 in the first quarter of 2026, marking its lowest level since 2021, according to a new report from Realtor.com. The decline represents a 19% drop from $28,900 a year earlier and extends a four-quarter trend of easing upfront cash requirements for homebuyers.
AI Boom Sparks Powerful Office Leasing Revival in Major U.S. Cities
MICHAEL GERRITY, World Property Journal
Technology companies accounted for nearly 23% of all U.S. office leasing activity in the first quarter of 2026, the highest share among all industries, as aggressive expansion by AI firms accelerated demand for premium workspace in major innovation hubs, according to new research from CBRE.
New-home purchase applications slip 2.4% year over year in April
HousingWire (Subscription)
Mortgage applications for new home purchases fell 2.4% in April 2026 compared to a year earlier, the first annual decline since October 2025, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Builder Application Survey released this week. Applications also dropped 10% from March 2026 on an unadjusted basis, MBA reported. The monthly numbers are not adjusted for typical seasonal patterns.
California News
To sell a home in this Bay Area city, it must be climate friendly
TODD WOODY, San Jose Mercury News (Subscription)
The real estate listing for the $1.25 million Mediterranean Revival home in a leafy Berkeley, California, neighborhood, touts the property’s electric heat pumps, solar panels, induction range and an updated electrical panel that’s “EV ready.” The sellers aren’t just green-bragging, they’re showing buyers they’ve complied with a new city ordinance requiring such climate-friendly features.
Industry News
Google home listings are back in 8 major markets
DAVE GALLAGHER, Real Estate News
Google is once again dipping its toe into home listings, signaling that a big new shift could be coming to the real estate industry amid what has already been a period of upheaval. The listings, which are powered by Google data partner HouseCanary, are live in a handful of markets but only available on mobile devices. The pilot program launched briefly in December before disappearing for the past few months.
Real Estate Technology
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Property News
As enrollment falls, old schools find new life as apartments
STACKER, San Diego Union-Tribune (Subscription)
In 2024, nearly 2,000 apartments were built in former schools across the U.S., a record high and four times the number a year earlier, according to an analysis from RentCafe, a property search website. School-to-apartment conversions are now the fastest growing segment of a niche industry devoted to makeovers of historic spaces.
In Case You Missed It
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