Market Matters

Houses are about to get really, really smart Source: CNBC Improvements in smart technology have allowed homeowners to control their utilities, their temperature, even their security from hand-held devices outside the home, and experts say that in the next five years, home technology could learn to sense a person’s patterns so everything is automated and operating at maximum efficiency. Read the full story

California second least affordable state for renters, study says Source: LA Times   The National Low Income Housing Coalition released a report that found California renters must earn more than triple the minimum wage to afford a two-bedroom apartment. The report states that an estimated 61 percent of California renters cannot afford a two-bedroom. In the Bay Area, a worker needs to earn $37.62 an hour to comfortably afford a two-bedroom apartment. Read the full story

Home prices fall in January but continue double-digit yearly gains Source: The Hill   The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index revealed that prices declined 0.1 percent in January, which is the third straight month of decline. However, there were healthy double-digit gains year over year, with a 13.2 percent increase from January 2013. Read the full story