Real estate in San Bruno has recovered from a slight dip in home property valuation that occurred between December 2008 and June 2009.  During that time, the market value average of homes in the area dropped from over $560,000 to about $540,000.  According to the most recent Yahoo! Real Estate update on November 16, 2009, the 1-year market value change now shows no change, with the value increasing to about $560,000.  The price for foreclosed homes has remained remarkably high and currently sits on a median price of $509,790, just $40,000 lower than the median price of all other homes on the local market.

San Bruno real estate is expected to see a significant rise in home purchase closures following the United States government’s decision to extend and expand the first-time homebuyer’s federal income tax credit.  According to Eve Mitchell’s report in the Oakland Tribune on November 16, 2009, “The law extends until June 30, 2010, the deadline for closing escrow for first-time homebuyers to receive a credit worth up to $8,000. The credit was set to expire Nov. 30. It also adds a credit worth up to $6,500 for taxpayers who buy a replacement primary home provided they have lived in their existing home for at least five of the past eight years. Qualifying income limits were raised substantially for both groups of buyers for homes purchased Nov. 7 or later.”

However, San Bruno homes for sale aren’t completely out of the woods yet.  In fact, J. W. Elphinstone of the Associated Press and Oakland Tribune wrote on November 15, 2009, that buyers are still very cautious in home buying decisions, according to recent survey results.  The uncertainty of the market is still quite visible for all people, the article says.  “Home prices rebounded this summer at an annualized pace of almost 7 percent, according to the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price index. But with high unemployment and foreclosures clouding the picture, economists debate whether prices will dip again.”  More shockingly, “Forty-five percent of Americans worry that they or someone they know will face foreclosure in the next year. And almost 30 percent of those with a mortgage have contacted their lender in the past year to reduce their payments.”  Real estate in San Bruno also suffers from an uncertain surrounding community.  With the national unemployment rate topping 10 percent and the local San Bruno numbers matching these staggering figures, it’s no wonder why the market will continue to struggle, although it will begin to ease as the pains of the global recession begin to lessen.  Experts predict that with increasing job placement in San Bruno thanks to local college recruitment events and job fairs open to the community, there will be a larger number of capable home buyers who will help to re-stimulate the neighborhood housing market.