[quote=temeculaguy]… why I think 500k for a 2k rental is insane, I don’t even think 380k is right, I like 100-150x rent multipliers. Even if it’s at the beach, shouldn’t the fair rent be the decider of underlying value. If the place at the beach is worth more, then it should rent for more. If the place at the beach rents for half the cost of owning, then rent at the beach, if an inland house costs the same to buy or rent, then buy that house if you rent there. Formulas work everywhere, advice like “it’s a great time to buy” or “it’s a bad time to buy” that doesn’t work everywhere.[/quote]
TG, I wish I can get 100-150x rent multipliers around here. I just don’t see that happening with today’s rate. The area I bought, at the bottom of the last crash, it was around 125x rent, but rate was also at 8-9%. Something that was renting for $1200/month was going for around $150k. With 20% down and interest at 8%, PI was ~$800. Today, something that would rent for $1300/month is going for ~$190k. With 20% down and interest at 5%, PI would be ~$800. Something that rent for $1700/month is going for around $360k right now (was around $330k late 2008). PI today would be ~$1500/month and it was around $1400/month last year. If we do get 100-150x rent again, such house would have to drop another 30-50% from today’s level or 55-70% from peak.

I did some more digging and I think there’s a different rent multiplier for condo vs house. Some example, http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-090068196-12655_Camino_Mira_Del_Mar_224_San_Diego_CA_92130 and http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-090065246-10758_Dabney_35_San_Diego_CA_92126. The CV one can probably rent for ~$1700 while the MM one can probably rent for $1300. Both of those are w/in the 100-150x rent multiplier. However, I can’t find and SFR that fall into the 100-150x range, not even in MM. Can it possibly be that, SFR have a higher rent multiplier than condo?

Using a 2/2 condo in MM that current rent for $1300, it used to rent for around $900 in 1996. That condo today is selling for 180-190k. It sold for $78k in 1998 (http://www.sdlookup.com/Property-BCC73314-10758_Dabney_Dr_33_San_Diego_CA_92126). However, I can’t find any SFR around this same area selling for 86x rent multiple in the mid 90s.