Key Takeaways
- San Diego County was a seller’s market in June: homes moved in 27 days, inventory shrank for the fifth straight month, and more than a third of sales closed above asking price.
- Homes sold surged 16% year over year to 2,344—the largest monthly gain since early 2024—while pending sales also rose 8%, signaling sustained buyer demand.
- Active listings fell 5% even as new listings grew 6%, meaning rapid absorption continued to outpace fresh supply.
San Diego County, CA Housing Market Snapshot
| Median Sale Price | Pending Sales | Active Listings | Days on Market | Sold Above List |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $950,000 (+3.5% YoY) | 2,522 (+7.6% YoY) | 8,903 (-5.1% YoY) | 27 days (-2 days YoY) | 37.1% (+4.6 ppt YoY) |
San Diego County’s housing market accelerated in June. Homes sold at a pace not seen in over two years, bidding wars intensified with nearly 4 in 10 sales closing above asking, and inventory fell even as sellers brought more homes to market. Prices outpaced the national average for the first time in several months, and the typical listing found a buyer in under four weeks.
Learn everything you need to know about the San Diego County, CA housing market as we head into summer, and what buyers and sellers can do to succeed.
U.S. Housing Market Snapshot
| Median Sale Price | Pending Sales | Active Listings | Days on Market | Buyer-Seller Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $409,900 (+2.5% YoY) | 343,633 (+3.3% YoY) | 1,466,621 (-0.1% YoY) | 49 days (+1 day YoY) | Sellers outnumber buyers by 54.6% |
Nationally, home prices rose about 3% and pending sales climbed modestly. Inventory and days on market were essentially flat year over year. San Diego County outperformed the national trend in nearly every metric: homes sold surged while the nation posted a modest gain, the typical listing moved 22 days faster than the U.S. median, and available inventory fell more than 5% while the national total barely budged.
“June marked a bump in the road for the ongoing housing market recovery,” said Chen Zhao, Redfin’s head of economics research. “Prices climbed faster than in recent months, and economic uncertainty and rising mortgage rates tied to war in Iran spooked some homebuyers and sellers. On a positive note, home sales trended upwards, and affordability improved as wages rose faster than prices. There are pockets of competition in the Midwest, Northeast, and Bay Area, but in general, consumers are still struggling through a difficult period. Even so, economists still expect the market to slowly improve in the coming years.”
San Diego County Prices Outpaced the Nation—and Set a New High
The median sale price in San Diego County reached $950,000 in June, a 4% gain from a year ago, exceeding the national growth rate of 3% for the first time in months. At $950,000, San Diego County remains one of the most expensive large counties in the country and has appreciated roughly 65% since early 2020. The median price per square foot slipped about 2% to $585, suggesting the price gain partly reflected a shift in the mix of homes trading rather than across-the-board value growth.
Price cuts remained relatively uncommon. Only 20% of active listings carried a reduction, and the typical cut was about 4% of the original list price. The average home sold for 99.4% of its asking price—nearly at list—and more than a third sold above asking. For a market where the median home costs nearly a million dollars, sellers held pricing power with minimal concessions.
Sales Volume Surged as Both Closings and Contracts Rose
Homes sold jumped 16% year over year in San Diego County to 2,344, far outpacing the national gain of about 4%, while pending sales rose 8% to 2,522. Unlike July’s divergence between closings and contracts, June showed alignment: both completed sales and new contracts were rising. The typical home went under contract in 27 days, down 2 from a year ago and 22 days faster than the national median of 49. Over a third of listings went pending within two weeks.
The strength in both pendings and closings signaled genuine demand expansion rather than a simple backlog clearing out. Nationally, pending sales grew 3%, less than half of San Diego’s rate. At 2,344 closings, June was the strongest sales month in over two years for the county. Whether that pace can be sustained depends on whether inventory stabilizes—at present, homes were being absorbed faster than they were being listed.
Inventory Kept Shrinking Despite More New Listings
Active listings in San Diego County fell 5% year over year to 8,903, even as new listings grew 6% to 2,889. The math was straightforward: homes sold faster than sellers could replace them. Months of supply stood at 2.56, well below the national figure of 3.88 and deep in seller-friendly territory. At the current pace, the entire available inventory would sell in roughly two and a half months.
Nationally, inventory was essentially unchanged year over year. San Diego’s supply compression stood out against that backdrop. Despite active listings having recovered from their 2023 low of around 5,000, the county remained well below pre-pandemic norms of 10,000 to 12,000. The 6% rise in new listings offered a modest supply-side improvement, but with absorption outpacing additions, the net effect was continued tightening. Homes priced correctly continued to move fast, and the overall inventory deficit kept upward pressure on prices.
Non-Luxury Led Sales Growth; Bottom Tier Prices Declined
| Price Tier | Median Price (YoY) | Sold (YoY) | DOM (YoY) | % Above List (YoY) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luxury (top 5%) | $3,778,193 (+2.9%) | 391 (+9.8%) | 31 days (+1 day) | 18.9% (-3.0 ppt) |
| High (65th-95th%) | $1,491,675 (+0.6%) | 2,022 (+2.6%) | 19 days (-1 day) | 36.7% (+0.8 ppt) |
| Non-luxury (35th-65th%) | $910,182 (+0.5%) | 2,017 (+5.3%) | 21 days (+1 day) | 43.3% (-1.7 ppt) |
| Starter (5th-35th%) | $651,377 (-0.4%) | 1,912 (+2.4%) | 29 days (+2 days) | 38.7% (-0.8 ppt) |
| Bottom (bottom 5%) | $387,638 (-1.4%) | 334 (+7.1%) | 45 days (+5 days) | 30.8% (-2.2 ppt) |
Redfin analysis of MLS data • Rolling three-month period (Mar-May 2026)
The non-luxury tier (35th-65th percentile, median $910,446) posted the strongest volume growth at nearly 11% year over year, with homes selling in 21 days. The high tier saw the biggest jump in above-list activity, gaining 3.6 percentage points to 36%. Luxury homes ($3.77M median) moved more slowly at 32 days, and sales volume surged 24%, though much of that likely reflected a low base from the prior year.
At the bottom, prices fell 2% and homes sat 46 days—nearly double the county median. The starter tier was essentially flat on price, and volume dipped 3%. Competition concentrated in the middle and upper tiers, where days on market hovered around three weeks and above-list rates ran between 37% and 43%. Buyers shopping below $650,000 faced fewer bidding wars but longer waits; those in the $900,000-to-$1.5M range encountered the most aggressive competition.
How Buyers and Sellers Can Navigate the San Diego County, CA Housing Market
If you’re buying in San Diego County, expect speed. The median home went pending in 27 days, and more than a third sold above asking. Financing approval before you tour is essential, and offers at or above list attracted the fastest responses. The non-luxury tier between $650,000 and $1.5 million saw the most intense competition. Buyers with flexibility on price tier—either stretching toward luxury or pivoting to the starter segment—may find slightly more negotiating room.
If you’re selling, the data supported confident pricing. Active listings fell 5%, months of supply sat well below 3, and homes moved in under a month. New listings grew modestly, so competition among sellers remained muted. Price accurately from the start: only about one in five active listings carried a price reduction, and those that did typically cut about 4%. The rise in both pending and closed sales suggested demand was genuine, but overpricing still carried risk—homes that missed the window could sit longer as inventory eventually normalizes.
San Diego County, CA Market Data by City
Rolling three-month period (April-June 2026). Cities with 50+ sales shown. Click any column header to sort.
| City | Median Sale Price (YoY) | Sold | New List. | Active | DOM | % Above | Supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $989,504 (+2.8% YoY) | 2,703 | 3,703 | 6,056 | 25 | 34.9% | 3.0 |
| Oceanside | $884,557 (+4.1% YoY) | 518 | 557 | 892 | 28 | 36.8% | 2.0 |
| Chula Vista | $829,585 (+3.1% YoY) | 473 | 561 | 855 | 24 | 46.2% | 2.1 |
| Carlsbad | $1,574,212 (-0.1% YoY) | 366 | 390 | 647 | 29 | 32.2% | 1.8 |
| Escondido | $824,587 (-0.7% YoY) | 300 | 344 | 564 | 29 | 40.4% | 2.3 |
| San Marcos | $927,036 (-4.4% YoY) | 187 | 234 | 359 | 36 | 32.3% | 2.3 |
| El Cajon | $754,622 (+2.0% YoY) | 172 | 202 | 351 | 26 | 35.2% | 2.6 |
| Encinitas | $2,181,408 (+14.4% YoY) | 158 | 197 | 317 | 21 | 38.4% | 2.7 |
| Vista | $837,081 (-8.0% YoY) | 157 | 199 | 305 | 21 | 43.9% | 2.2 |
| Santee | $779,610 (-2.5% YoY) | 146 | 177 | 253 | 20 | 54.0% | 1.7 |
| Poway | $1,249,374 (-2.0% YoY) | 128 | 143 | 202 | 20 | 38.5% | 1.9 |
| La Mesa | $882,058 (+6.0% YoY) | 117 | 154 | 232 | 27 | 48.4% | 2.4 |
| Fallbrook | $849,575 (-1.3% YoY) | 73 | 87 | 154 | 34 | 31.1% | 2.7 |
| Coronado | $3,013,491 (+32.5% YoY) | 70 | 106 | 212 | 35 | 19.2% | 5.3 |
| La Presa | $759,620 (-0.7% YoY) | 69 | 84 | 118 | 20 | 52.4% | 2.0 |
| Casa de Oro-Mount Helix | $1,134,432 (-0.8% YoY) | 65 | 70 | 105 | 19 | 48.5% | 1.8 |
| Spring Valley | $777,111 (-5.8% YoY) | 59 | 63 | 96 | 27 | 53.6% | 1.7 |
| Imperial Beach | $849,575 (+3.6% YoY) | 53 | 111 | 190 | 27 | 28.9% | 6.4 |
This article has been generated, in whole or in part, using generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology, with input from Redfin head of economics research Chen Zhao. While efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of this information, you should independently verify all data, facts, and citations contained in this article before relying on it for any purpose. This information is not a substitute for advice from a real estate agent, financial advisor, or other licensed professional. County-level data is not seasonally adjusted. Check the Redfin Data Center for additional in-depth housing market data.
