Real Estate Trends
Home prices have risen nationally three times faster than incomes since the turn of the century, which has made home ownership an impossibility for more Americans than ever before.
In many large cities, home prices have outpaced income. In Miami, for example, incomes have risen 16 percent, while home prices have increased 58 percent since early 1998. New York's Long Island suburbs have seen just a 14 percent rise in incomes as compared to an 81 percent increase in home prices. Boston home prices have gone up 89 percent, while incomes have increased only 22 percent.
Even with a downturn in the real estate market looming on the horizon, home sales are still headed for another record year.
The first sector to show slowing is the high-end home market. Because of “overpersonalized” big-ticket properties, the pace of house auctions nationwide has surged.
Low interest rates are the only continuing positive trend of the housing market. Low rates average now less than 5 percent for 30-year fixed-rate loans, the lowest since the 1960s.
Real-estate analysts believe that if the housing market stalls, some areas will continue to grow modestly while other markets gradually go soft, rather than pop.
Quick Summary of the law and C.A.R.’s Lease Addendum
Rent Cap
Rent increases are capped at 5 percent plus inflation, or up to a hard cap of 10 percent, whichever is lower.
All rent increases since March 15, 2019 will count toward the rent cap, and if above the permissible rent cap, will have to be rolled back effective January 1, 2020.
Just Cause
Landlords may only evict for “just cause.” There is a list of 15 reasons.
The just cause reasons are divided into two categories:
“At fault” termination of tenancy is generally based upon a tenant’s breach of the lease, among other reasons, and does not require the payment of relocation assistance.
“At fault” reasons include non-payment of rent, nuisance, criminal activity, refusal to allow entry, and breach of a material term of the lease.
“No fault” termination of tenancy is allowed when the tenant has not breached the lease and will require the landlord to pay one month’s rent in relocation assistance.
“No fault” reasons include owner occupancy, withdrawal from the rental market, substantial remodeling and compliance with government order to vacate the property,
Just cause eviction only applies to tenants who have been continuously and lawfully occupying the property for 12 months.
Exemptions
Exempts single family properties and condos if:
Notice of the exemption is provided to the tenants and;
The owner is not a REIT, a corporation, or an LLC where an owner is a corporation
Other exemptions include:
Housing that has been issued a certificate of occupancy within previous last 15 years
Owner occupied duplexes
Owner occupied single-family properties renting no more than two bedrooms including Accessory Dwelling Units (“ADU”s). (This exemption applies only to just cause but not the rent cap).
CAR’s Rent Cap and Just Cause Addendum (Form RCJC)
What do I need to provide to my tenants?
CAR’s new “Rent Cap and Just Cause Addendum” (Form RCJC) – available in December pending approval of the Standard Forms Advisory Committee.
When do I provide it?
It needs to be provided by January 1, 2020.
My tenant is month to month. Does that matter?
Yes. For month to month tenants, the addendum should be incorporated into the rental agreement by providing the notice by a change in terms of tenancy. Use Form “Notice of Change in Terms of Tenancy” (Form CTT).
What about leases?
If your tenant is on a lease, then you’ll provide the addendum as a stand-alone notice.
What needs to be done for new or renewed tenants?
For all tenants signing a new lease or rental agreement or a renewed lease or rental agreement after January 1, 2020, the addendum must be included.