Market report · Updated September 2026

San Diego County housing market, translated into plain English

This report summarizes where the San Diego County housing market stands in 2026 and what the numbers mean for buyers and sellers. The short version: prices are holding near record highs, inventory is the healthiest it has been since 2019, and well-priced homes still sell, just on calmer timelines than the peak years.

Countywide picture

A balanced market, with prices holding firm

The 2025 market shifted from a tight seller's market to a more balanced one, and 2026 has continued that trend. Inventory rose to its highest summer level since 2019 last year before settling, and days on market climbed to a more normal pace. At the same time, the county median price has held near $905K to $925K through 2026, roughly flat to up slightly year over year. The biggest single force remains mortgage rates, which spent 2025 in the 6.5% to 7% range and stabilized in the low 6s in 2026. When rates briefly dipped below 6% in February 2026, sales jumped about 22% month over month, a sign of how much pent-up demand is waiting on the sidelines.

~$905K

County median home price, early 2026

Up about 1% year over year

2.2 mo

Months of supply, spring 2026

Still a seller-favorable range

~28-44

Average days on market, 2026

Longer than the peak frenzy, faster than normal

6.5%

30-year conforming mortgage rate

Stabilized in the low 6s, with dips below 6%

Town by town

Median prices where I work

Median prices vary widely across North County. These are recent reported figures, each for its own period, a snapshot not a trend line.

Town

Recent median

Reference period

Encinitas

~$1.9M

mid-2025

Carlsbad

~$1.4M

early 2026

Del Mar

~$2.66M

2025 calendar year

Solana Beach

~$2.0M

late 2025

Carmel Valley

~$1.22M

spring 2026

Oceanside

~$910K

median list, early 2026

Vista

~$858K

recent month

Figures drawn from public market reports and compiled for reference. Real estate data moves monthly, so use these as a starting point, and ask me for current numbers for your exact neighborhood and home type.

What this means for buyers

2026 is widely described as the friendliest buyer environment since 2019. More inventory means more choices and more negotiating room, and sellers are increasingly accepting below-asking offers, rate buydowns, and other concessions. If you've been waiting on the sidelines, the combination of more supply and calmer competition is worth a serious look, especially if rates dip again.

What this means for sellers

The days of listing at a stretch price and waiting out the frenzy are over. Sellers are recalibrating: honest pricing from day one, strong presentation, and patience through a longer market time are what close deals in 2026. The good news: well-priced, well-presented homes still sell, and with supply still below pre-pandemic levels, a serious buyer pool remains. This is exactly the market where staging, pricing strategy, and negotiation skill pay for themselves.

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