Southern California real estate prices jump - 2005-08-15
The median price disbursed for a home in Southern California reached a new peak for the sixth month in a row in July, while the sales pace eased back from June's record-breaking tempo, a real estate information service stated.

The median price paid for a Southern California home was $469,000 last month, 0.9 percent higher from $465,000 in June, and up 16.7 percent from $402,000 for July 2004, according to DataQuick Information Systems.
Read the full story at Inman.com

Fed survey-Banks say mortgage and refinance mortgage standards unchanged - 2005-08-15
Major U.S. banks made it easier for companies to get qualify for loans and refinance mortgage loans in recent months but credit standards for home loans were held unchanged, a Federal Reserve survey of bank officers said on Monday.

U.S. banks stated credit standards on residential mortgages and consumer loans were roughly unchanged from the last survey while demand for mortgages to acquire homes grew, the Fed said.
Read the full story at Reuters