California Housing Market: Nearly $174,000 Needed to Buy a Home

California's housing market is one of the nation's priciest, with a median home price of $730,000. To afford this, a household needs an annual income of around $173,934. In cities like San Jose, where median prices reach $1.88 million, the required income jumps to $337,000. Additional costs like mortgage interest, PMI, property taxes, homeowner's insurance, and HOA fees must be considered. Strategies include saving for a larger down payment, exploring mortgage options, and looking into areas with lower home prices to make homeownership in California achievable.