A house in my neighborhood just sold for $350k. Lowest price I've seen in 6 years.

Market isn't done yet. Winter this year and Jan/Feb next year. You'll see little peaks here are there, but it's far from done.

SoCal (along with several other cities/areas) has been classified as high risk. You need at least 20% even be looked at by a lender these days.

finally done with spring semester...

soooo close to the cruise then a few days at DL...

I didn't know I had someone to suffer through school with! I finished today too!

How much longer do you have?

this is just community college... sadly.

to get out i need like 3 more classes.... then transfer to USF for another 2 years... maybe 3...

all because the job I would like doesn't like the AS version of the degree...

The house across the street sold last year for $256k. Right now the houses in my area are going for $150-160k.

Over by my mom the houses have dropped even further. There is a 2600sq ft house, custom, selling for $250k and has been vacant for 6 months. Last year it would have been snapped up for $500k.

As a person wishing to purchase a home (without having to sell one), this is all good news.

Housing market is dropping - and yet my rent is going up $80/month :(

Yes, very.

The rental market is becoming tighter as people have to move out of their homes. Still super sucky :(

Yup. The housing market is dropping because loan money has tightened up so less people can buy a home plus there are all the people getting foreclosed on. Guess where they all go? That's right. Into the rental market. More demand means higher prices.