Median Price for Southern California Home Hits Record $351,000 in February - 2004-03-18
The median price of a Southern California home surged an annual 20.2 percent to a record $351,000 in February as sales also set a mark for that month, an industry tracker said Wednesday.

Continued strong demand and low mortgage rates combined to drive 23,004 sales across the six-county region, from Ventura to San Diego, said La Jolla-based DataQuick Information Systems.
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Australia's CBA Looks To Fill Mortgage Gaps - 2004-03-18
As demand for home loans drops with rising interest rates, Commonwealth Bank of Australia hopes to fill part of the gap by encouraging parents to support their children in getting a mortgage.

Hugh Harley, CBA's chief of retail banking, told Dow Jones Newswires Wednesday that the company's research indicates that careers, money and luxury goods are no longer the benchmark of success for parents, who instead want to ensure their children's financial security.
Read the full story at Yahoo News