The following extract focuses on the East Bay exclusively. (I inserted my comments in parenthesis)

* East Bay unemployment declined, falling to 5.2 percent from 5.5 percent in March (Always good for the local economy)

* Construction, finance and manufacturing payrolls continued to post larger-than-average monthly and yearly decreases (Not good, fewer dollars available in our local economy)

* Median home sale values decreased 19 percent in Alameda County and 32 percent in Contra Costa County on an annual basis (No surprise, please see Chairman Bernanke’s speech in my blog)

* Non-residential construction permit values increased slightly, with much of the activity taking place in the industrial sector (Interesting, usually Industrial follows home, retail and office construction)

* Both single and multi-family residential construction permits continued to post annual decreases (The high cost of raw materials creating even higher barriers to entry)

Please click on May 2008 East Bay Economic Analysis to view the full report.

Unlike the residential downturn, Commercial Real Estate Investors in the East Bay seem to be weathering the storm quite well.  Listings for East Bay Apartments continue at prices just slightly off their peaks.  Numerous other investment property types, including unlisted properties, available by contacting Pete@CommercialMasterMinds.com

It’s not a loss till you close escrow- similarly, it’s not a gain until you close escrow either!    What is your 5 year plan?

Your feedback and comments are always appreciated. Many thanks to my listeners and readers for providing feedback. To learn more about Pete, visit Consult Pete , To learn more about the company strategy , visit Commercial MasterMinds