The diverging paths of the rental and buyer markets are an anomaly — they've risen in tandem for most of the last century. But the housing bubble, crash and subsequent recovery have exerted starkly different economic forces on the rental and home markets.
The sharp rise in home values and interest rates has made buying less of a sure bet in some neighborhoods, including Westwood, Culver City and the Miracle Mile, said Richard Green, director of USC's Lusk Center for Real Estate.
"A year ago, it was an easy call to buy over renting," he said."Now it's sort of a pick 'em call."