For years, California's housing debate has centered around one question: Where are we supposed to put all these homes? Walnut Creek may have just given us one answer. A former auto-repair property at 1532 Mt. Diablo Boulevard in downtown Walnut Creek has been approved for redevelopment into an eight-story mixed-use building with 104 homes, including 14 affordable units. The project would also include roughly 8,400 square feet of retail space and just 49 parking spaces

For generations, there was a fairly straightforward path into homeownership. You didn't necessarily buy your dream house first. You started smaller. Maybe it was a two-bedroom condo. Maybe a townhome. Maybe a modest starter house. You built equity, increased your income, saved more money and eventually moved into something larger. That first property was a rung on the housing ladder. But in California, one of those lower rungs has become increasingly difficult

Choosing the right mortgage lender in California involves much more than finding the company advertising the lowest interest rate. The right lender should be able to offer a competitive combination of rate and costs, recommend a loan program that actually fits your situation, accurately evaluate your qualifications before you make an offer, communicate clearly throughout the transaction, and successfully close the type of property you are buying. That last part matters mo