California’s housing inventory is being squeezed even more by potential sellers who are deciding to stay put due to unavailability of affordable replacement homes. A survey conducted by the California Association of Realtors found that of the homeowners who had considered selling their current homes, 64 percent have wavered on disposing of their current homes because they could not find a suitable replacement.

The 2015 Survey of California Homeowners found that a median income of $96,160 was required to afford a home at the median price of $265,000. This represents a 99 percent increase in median income based on 2012 levels and indicates the depth of the affordability crunch in the state’s housing market.

Compounding the inventory problem, the survey found that majority of California homeowners were opting to stay in place. About 59 percent of those surveyed said that they had not considered selling at all. Seventy percent of those who have lived in their homes for at least 15 years indicated that they intend to age in place rather than move.

However, the same survey found that 61 percent of homeowners could be persuaded to sell at the right price. About 56 percent of respondents stated that they would upsize to a larger property should they decide to sell while 49 percent would downsize. Forty five percent have looked at moving out of state with Texas and Oregon topping the list of preferred relocation sites.

For California dreamers, the most desirable home is a Craftsman-style bungalow, which is fitting because the state was the center of the arts and crafts movement.