Lardner Valenzuela
Coldwell Banker West
San Diego County Housing Market Report
August 2026 · Data through August 31, 2026Market at a Glance
August split cleanly in two directions: far fewer homes changed hands, but the ones that did sold for more, faster, and closer to asking. Closed sales fell 17.1% and accepted offers fell 12.0% — the slowest August in at least three years. At the same time the countywide median jumped 7.1% to $965,000, the strongest year-over-year price gain of 2026, and sellers kept 97.8% of their original asking price. This is what a supply-constrained market looks like when buyer urgency cools: volume drops before prices do.
Median Sale Price
Closed Sales
Homes for Sale
Months of Supply
All-property figures (detached + attached). A balanced market is generally considered 4–6 months of supply; at 2.9 months, San Diego County remains firmly seller-leaning. One month does not remake a year: year to date, closed sales are still up 1.7% (15,464) and the countywide median is up 2.2% at $925,000.
By Property Type
Last month the condo and townhome segment looked like it was tightening, and we flagged that the buyer-leverage story might be about to end. August reversed that. Attached inventory grew again — up 4.6% — with new listings up 7.5% and supply steady at 4.0 months. Detached homes went the other way entirely: inventory fell 20.7% and supply compressed to just 2.3 months. The gap between the two halves of this market is now the widest it has been all year.
| Metric | Aug 2026 | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $1,120,000 | +4.7% |
| Closed Sales | 1,118 | −17.6% |
| Pending Sales | 1,158 | −14.0% |
| New Listings | 1,778 | −2.9% |
| Homes for Sale | 2,883 | −20.7% |
| Months of Supply | 2.3 | −23.3% |
| Days on Market | 35 | −10.3% |
| % of Orig. List Price | 98.0% | +1.4% |
| Metric | Aug 2026 | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $670,000 | +0.1% |
| Closed Sales | 596 | −16.3% |
| Pending Sales | 672 | −8.2% |
| New Listings | 1,347 | +7.5% |
| Homes for Sale | 2,767 | +4.6% |
| Months of Supply | 4.0 | 0.0% |
| Days on Market | 44 | +2.3% |
| % of Orig. List Price | 97.2% | +0.2% |
A note on the headline number: the countywide median rose 7.1% while the detached median rose 4.7% and the attached median was essentially flat. That is not a contradiction. The countywide figure is the midpoint of both segments combined, so it can move more than either one on its own as the mix of what sells shifts. The segment medians above are the better guide to what happened to a specific type of home.
Twelve-Month Trends
Median Sale Price
September 2025 – August 2026, by property type
Closed Sales
Monthly closings, September 2025 – August 2026
Months of Supply
Inventory measured against the pace of sales. The two segments have been pulling apart since spring: detached supply has held near 2.2–2.3 months, while attached supply has climbed steadily and now sits at 4.0 — the edge of a balanced market.
The Numbers
| Metric | All Properties | Detached | Attached |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $965,000+7.1% | $1,120,000+4.7% | $670,000+0.1% |
| Average Sale Price | $1,249,153+2.4% | $1,477,488+3.3% | $815,393−0.2% |
| Closed Sales | 1,714−17.1% | 1,118−17.6% | 596−16.3% |
| Pending Sales | 1,830−12.0% | 1,158−14.0% | 672−8.2% |
| New Listings | 3,125+1.3% | 1,778−2.9% | 1,347+7.5% |
| Inventory of Homes | 5,650−10.0% | 2,883−20.7% | 2,767+4.6% |
| Months of Supply | 2.9−12.1% | 2.3−23.3% | 4.00.0% |
| Days on Market | 38−7.3% | 35−10.3% | 44+2.3% |
| % of Orig. List Received | 97.8%+1.1% | 98.0%+1.4% | 97.2%+0.2% |
| Housing Affordability Index | 44−8.3% | 38−5.0% | 640.0% |
August 2026 figures with year-over-year change. Source: San Diego MLS via ShowingTime Plus, current as of September 5, 2026. Percent changes are calculated using rounded figures, and prior months are restated as late-reporting sales are recorded. A higher affordability index means greater affordability.
How San Diego Compares
Nationally, existing-home sales ran at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.06 million in August, down 1.7% from July, with the median existing-home price at $431,400 and inventory at a 4.6-month supply, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR noted that homes are sitting on the market longer and fewer buyers are bidding above asking price than a year ago. San Diego County is running tighter and pricier than the nation on every comparable measure: 2.9 months of supply against 4.6, and a median more than double the national figure. The national slowdown in volume showed up here too — but so far, local scarcity has kept it from showing up in local prices.
Mortgage Rate Snapshot
Financing is the one input that moved against buyers this month. The 30-year fixed has risen in five of the past six weeks and now sits above where it was a year ago — a reversal of the pattern that held through most of 2026. That drift is the most plausible explanation for why accepted offers fell 12% in August even as inventory stayed scarce.
30-Year Fixed
Up from 6.71% last week; ~6.35% a year ago
15-Year Fixed
Faster payoff, lower rate
Conforming Limit
San Diego County, 1-unit, 2026
Payment illustration. At the countywide median of $965,000 with 20% down, a $772,000 loan at 6.76% runs about $5,010 per month in principal and interest. At the detached median of $1,120,000, an $896,000 loan runs roughly $5,820; at the attached median of $670,000, a $536,000 loan runs about $3,480. A 20%-down purchase at the detached median still finances within the $1,104,000 conforming limit, which typically means easier qualifying and better pricing than a jumbo loan. Figures exclude taxes, insurance, HOA dues, and mortgage insurance. Rate averages are Freddie Mac's national survey for the week of September 10, 2026; your rate depends on credit, down payment, and loan type. With rates drifting up, temporary buydowns and lender credits are worth pricing out.
Good News on Both Sides of the Table
For Sellers
Where the leverage is
- Pricing power held even as traffic thinned. The countywide median rose 7.1% to $965,000 — the strongest year-over-year gain of 2026 — and the detached median rose 4.7% to $1,120,000.
- Buyers came closer to your number. Sellers received 97.8% of original list price countywide and 98.0% on detached homes, both up more than a full point from last August.
- Detached competition is scarce. Inventory fell 20.7% and supply compressed to 2.3 months. If you own a single-family home, you are selling into the tightest conditions of the year.
- Homes sold faster, not slower. Detached homes went under contract in 35 days, four days quicker than last August, and 38 days countywide.
- The year is still ahead of last year. Despite a soft August, year-to-date closed sales are up 1.7% and the year-to-date median is up 2.2%. One month is a data point, not a trend.
For Buyers
Where the openings are
- Competition dropped sharply. Accepted offers fell 12.0% and closings fell 17.1%. You are bidding against the thinnest field of buyers all year.
- The condo window reopened. Attached inventory rose 4.6% and new listings rose 7.5%, holding supply at 4.0 months — the edge of a balanced market, and the clearest negotiating room in the county.
- Attached pricing has gone nowhere. The attached median is up just 0.1% year over year and is down 0.7% year to date at $665,000. Condo affordability held flat while detached affordability slipped 5%.
- More choice is arriving. Countywide new listings rose 1.3% — the first year-over-year increase in months — driven entirely by condos and townhomes.
- Sellers are more willing to talk. With fewer buyers circulating and condo listings sitting 44 days on average, a well-supported offer gets a real conversation rather than a multiple-offer deadline.
Where the Leverage Sits: Months of Supply by Segment
Under 4 months favors sellers; 4–6 months is broadly balanced. Detached supply is the tightest it has been this year, while attached has reached the balanced threshold. Same county, two very different negotiations.
Thinking About Your Next Move?
A 17% drop in sales and a 7% jump in prices in the same month means countywide averages are telling you very little about your own home. Whether you are weighing a sale into tight detached inventory or buying while the condo market is balanced, I will give you a clear, no-pressure read on your specific property and your specific block.
Request Your Home Value ReportData source: San Diego MLS via ShowingTime Plus, LLC; Monthly Indicators report current as of September 5, 2026 (data through August 31, 2026). Prior-month figures are restated by the MLS as late-reporting sales are recorded and may differ from previously published reports. National figures from the National Association of REALTORS®. Mortgage rate averages are Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey for the week of September 10, 2026, and reflect national averages for borrowers with 20% down and excellent credit; rates vary by lender, credit profile, down payment, and loan amount. Consult a licensed lender for a personalized quote. Payment illustrations are for educational purposes only and exclude taxes, insurance, HOA dues, and mortgage insurance.
Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. This report is for general information only and is not financial, lending, investment, or tax advice. Market conditions vary by neighborhood and change without notice. This report is not intended to solicit properties already listed. Equal Housing Opportunity. Lardner Valenzuela, REALTOR®, DRE #01836213, Coldwell Banker West, 2300 Boswell Rd, Suite 100, Chula Vista, CA 91914. © 2026 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker® and the Coldwell Banker logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Each office is independently owned and operated.