San Diego Real Estate Market Update: Data Through August 2026
Data through August 2026. County and ZIP figures are from the San Diego MLS reports current as of September 5, 2026; neighborhood figures are trailing 12 months through September 22, 2026. Next update: January 2027, with full-year 2026 data.
What You Will Learn
- San Diego real estate market at a glance
- Home prices over the last 12 months
- Home prices by neighborhood
- Home prices by ZIP code
- What is driving the market
- Is now a good time to buy?
- Is now a good time to sell?
- Market outlook: what to watch next
- San Diego market history
- How this report is built
- Frequently asked questions
Quick Answer
The San Diego real estate market is running as two markets right now. For detached homes, the county median sale price was $1,120,000 in August 2026, up 4.7% from a year earlier, and inventory fell 20.7% to 2.3 months of supply, which still favors sellers. For condos and townhomes, the median was flat at $670,000 and supply sat at 4.0 months with inventory rising, which gives buyers more room to negotiate. The biggest change since summer is mortgage rates: the 30-year fixed average climbed to 6.95% in mid-September from 6.43% in early July, and that shrinks what every buyer can afford.
Sources: San Diego MLS Monthly Indicators, August 2026 (current as of September 5, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, September 17, 2026.
San Diego real estate market at a glance
These are the county-wide numbers for August 2026, with the year to date alongside, because a single month can swing on a handful of sales. Detached homes lead because that is where most of my clients buy and sell; condos and townhomes sit beside them because right now they are behaving differently enough to matter.
| San Diego County | Detached, August | Detached, year to date | Attached, August | Attached, year to date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $1,120,000 (+4.7%) | $1,100,000 (+2.6%) | $670,000 (+0.1%) | $665,000 (−0.7%) |
| Closed sales | 1,118 (−17.6%) | 9,891 (+0.7%) | 596 (−16.3%) | 5,573 (+3.5%) |
| Days on market | 35 | 35 | 44 | 44 |
| Percent of original list price received | 98.0% | 98.6% | 97.2% | 97.6% |
| Homes for sale | 2,883 (−20.7%) | – | 2,767 (+4.6%) | – |
| Months of supply | 2.3 (−23.3%) | – | 4.0 (flat) | – |
Source: San Diego MLS Monthly Indicators, August 2026. Percent changes are year over year. The all-properties county median was $965,000, up 7.1%; it blends both home types and describes neither, which is why this report separates them.
San Diego home prices over the last 12 months
The monthly view shows the direction better than any single number. Detached prices have edged up through the year while detached supply stayed tight; attached prices have held flat while attached supply built steadily.
| Month | Detached median | Attached median | Detached supply | Attached supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | $1,020,000 | $671,500 | 2.7 mo | 3.7 mo |
| Oct 2025 | $1,000,000 | $659,000 | 2.5 mo | 3.5 mo |
| Nov 2025 | $1,050,000 | $660,000 | 2.2 mo | 3.2 mo |
| Dec 2025 | $1,050,000 | $666,000 | 1.7 mo | 2.6 mo |
| Jan 2026 | $1,055,000 | $629,000 | 1.8 mo | 2.9 mo |
| Feb 2026 | $1,098,900 | $650,000 | 1.9 mo | 3.0 mo |
| Mar 2026 | $1,090,000 | $665,750 | 2.0 mo | 3.3 mo |
| Apr 2026 | $1,100,000 | $679,500 | 2.2 mo | 3.5 mo |
| May 2026 | $1,086,500 | $675,000 | 2.2 mo | 3.8 mo |
| Jun 2026 | $1,120,000 | $672,500 | 2.2 mo | 3.7 mo |
| Jul 2026 | $1,143,182 | $659,900 | 2.3 mo | 3.9 mo |
| Aug 2026 | $1,120,000 | $670,000 | 2.3 mo | 4.0 mo |
Source: San Diego MLS Monthly Indicators, August 2026 report, monthly tables September 2025 through August 2026.
San Diego home prices by neighborhood
County numbers hide the neighborhood story. These cards come from my own San Diego MLS pulls for each neighborhood boundary, trailing 12 months, so every card uses the same measures and a big enough sample to mean something. Bonita and Chula Vista are measured by ZIP code; the others use drawn neighborhood boundaries. Each card links to that neighborhood’s homes-for-sale page, where the current listings live.
ZIP 91902
Bonita
The largest lots in this report. See Bonita homes for sale.
ZIPs 91910, 91911
West Chula Vista
The most accessible detached price point here, and fast-moving. See Chula Vista homes for sale.
ZIPs 91913, 91914, 91915
East Chula Vista
The most house per dollar, in the newest housing stock. See the Chula Vista hub.
Uptown, San Diego
University Heights
Thin inventory and tightly held character homes. See University Heights homes for sale.
Mid-City, San Diego
Normal Heights
The fastest-moving detached market in this report. See Normal Heights homes for sale.
Mid-City, San Diego
North Park
Walkability priced in, with a deep condo market alongside. See North Park homes for sale.
92037 and 92109
La Jolla Mesa
Only 13 detached sales in the period; a patient, specific market. See La Jolla Mesa homes for sale.
Source: San Diego MLS closed sales, trailing 12 months, captured September 23, 2026. Medians, not averages. Detached, condo, townhome and attached homes only.
San Diego home prices by ZIP code, and why ZIP data can mislead
The San Diego MLS publishes official monthly figures by ZIP code, and they are the right tool for county-level context. They are the wrong tool for most neighborhoods, because ZIP boundaries and neighborhood boundaries do not line up. 92116 includes Kensington and Talmadge as well as Normal Heights. 92103 covers Hillcrest, Mission Hills and Middletown. University Heights is split between the two, so no single ZIP measures it at all. And La Jolla Mesa straddles 92037, which covers all of La Jolla, and 92109, which is mostly Pacific Beach.
Where a ZIP and a neighborhood are the same area, the two measures agree closely: Bonita’s neighborhood median and the 91902 year-to-date median are within about one percent of each other, and the East Chula Vista ZIPs match my pulls within a few percent. Where they differ, the gap is the point. A Normal Heights homeowner who reads the 92116 median is reading a number that Kensington pulls up by more than $350,000.
| ZIP | Area | Detached median, YTD | Attached median, YTD | Detached supply | Attached supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91902 | Bonita | $1,232,500 (+2.7%) | $510,000 (−2.5%) | 1.4 mo | 2.1 mo |
| 91910 | Chula Vista North | $915,000 (+2.5%) | $648,750 (+17.2%) | 1.9 mo | 3.0 mo |
| 91911 | Chula Vista South | $820,000 (−1.2%) | $610,000 (+1.7%) | 1.5 mo | 4.0 mo |
| 91913 | Chula Vista, Eastlake and Otay Ranch | $1,015,000 (+0.5%) | $652,628 (−0.4%) | 2.0 mo | 2.8 mo |
| 91914 | Chula Vista NE | $1,335,000 (+1.5%) | $675,050 (+3.0%) | 2.3 mo | 0.8 mo |
| 91915 | Chula Vista SE | $1,013,200 (+10.1%) | $685,000 (−3.1%) | 1.6 mo | 2.6 mo |
| 92103 | Hillcrest, Mission Hills | $1,752,500 (+5.6%) | $770,000 (−4.9%) | 2.7 mo | 4.3 mo |
| 92104 | North Park | $1,125,000 (−5.9%) | $555,000 (−9.8%) | 2.2 mo | 4.1 mo |
| 92116 | Kensington, Normal Heights | $1,355,000 (−7.2%) | $605,000 (−1.6%) | 2.2 mo | 3.2 mo |
| 92037 | La Jolla | $3,505,000 (−2.2%) | $1,252,500 (+1.9%) | 3.7 mo | 3.6 mo |
| 92109 | Pacific Beach, Mission Beach | $2,340,500 (+14.2%) | $1,022,500 (+3.3%) | 2.6 mo | 4.0 mo |
Source: San Diego MLS Local Market Updates by ZIP code, August 2026, published by the Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS. Year-to-date medians through August, change versus the same period in 2025; months of supply as of August. Small monthly samples swing widely, which is why this table uses year-to-date figures.
What is driving the San Diego housing market
1. Detached versus attached: a two-speed San Diego market
The single most useful thing to know about San Diego right now is that detached homes and condos are not moving together. Detached supply fell 20.7% over the year to 2.3 months, a seller’s market by any definition. Attached supply sits at 4.0 months with inventory up 4.6%, which is balanced and tilting toward buyers. The same county can be a hard market to buy a house in and a workable market to buy a condo in.
2. Inventory: why San Diego home prices are holding firm
Detached homes for sale dropped to 2,883 county-wide in August from 3,635 a year earlier. Owners holding low-rate mortgages are staying put unless life forces a move, and that is what keeps detached prices firm even as buyers get more selective. Homes still sold for 98.0% of their original list price on average, which says pricing needs to be accurate from day one; the era of routinely selling well over asking is not the market today.
3. Mortgage rates: the variable that moved most
The 30-year fixed average rose to 6.95% as of September 17, 2026, according to the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, up from 6.43% in early July. On a $1,000,000 home with 20% down, principal and interest is about $5,296 a month at 6.95% versus about $5,020 at 6.43%, roughly $276 more every month. Put the other way, the same payment now supports about $42,000 less loan. That is the change most likely to show up in the next update.
Want these numbers for your street?
Neighborhood medians are a starting point. I can pull the recent sales for your exact blocks and home type and walk you through what they mean.
Is now a good time to buy a home in San Diego?
Working for buyers
- Condos and townhomes at 4.0 months of supply, with real room to negotiate
- Homes selling below original list on average, not above
- Inspection and appraisal contingencies remain standard
- La Jolla and 92103 condos carry the most supply in the ZIPs tracked here
Working against buyers
- Rates up to 6.95%, cutting buying power
- Detached inventory down about a fifth from a year ago
- South Bay detached supply at 1.4 to 1.6 months in 91902, 91911 and 91915
- The best detached homes in any neighborhood still draw competition
Smart buyer moves right now
- Shop where supply gives you leverage. Months of supply tells you who has the upper hand. Attached homes and the higher-supply ZIPs are where negotiation is realistic.
- Re-run your payment math at today’s rate. A pre-approval from the summer may overstate what you can afford now. Here is how I approach mortgage pre-approval in San Diego.
- Do not wait on rates alone. Rates and prices rarely both move in your favor at once; I lay out that math in should buyers wait for rates to drop.
- Match your offer to the neighborhood. In tight South Bay detached markets, a lowball offer goes nowhere; in a 4-month condo market, a measured offer with terms can land. More in how to write a winning offer.
Is now a good time to sell a home in San Diego?
Working for sellers
- Detached supply at 2.3 months county-wide, lower in the South Bay
- Detached median up year to date
- Fewer competing listings than a year ago
- Well-prepared homes still move quickly in most neighborhoods
Working against sellers
- Higher rates shrink the qualified buyer pool
- Sellers averaging about 98% of original list, so overpricing gets punished
- Condo and townhome sellers face 4.0 months of competing supply
- Buyers expect inspection and appraisal contingencies
Smart seller moves right now
- Price to the current data, not last year’s best sale. The framework is in how to price your home to sell in San Diego.
- Prepare before you list. With buyers more rate-sensitive, condition and presentation decide who writes an offer. The full process is in the complete guide to selling your home in San Diego.
- If you own a condo, plan for competition. At 4.0 months of supply, attached listings need sharper pricing and better presentation than detached ones.
- Decide on data, not timing guesses. A current net-proceeds analysis beats waiting for a better month. If timing is the question, see when is the best time to sell a house in San Diego.
San Diego housing market outlook: what to watch next
These are planning scenarios, not predictions. They show how the market is likely to respond depending on which way the biggest variable, mortgage rates, moves between now and January.
| If this happens | What it likely means for buyers | What it likely means for sellers |
|---|---|---|
| Rates settle in the mid to high 6% range | Affordability stays tight; condos remain the easier segment to negotiate in | Detached homes keep selling at accurate prices; overpriced homes sit |
| Rates fall back toward 6% | Buying power returns and competition picks up quickly, especially for detached homes | More qualified buyers and stronger offers, particularly in tight-supply neighborhoods |
| Rates move above 7% | More negotiating room and more inventory to choose from | Longer days on market and more concession requests; pricing discipline matters most |
Three numbers are worth watching in the meantime: the weekly Freddie Mac rate, detached months of supply against attached, and the percentage of list price sellers receive. Together they show who has leverage before prices move.
San Diego real estate market history
This table grows with every update, so the page builds a running record of the San Diego market over time.
| Period | Detached median | Attached median | Detached closed sales | Detached supply | Attached supply | 30-year rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 through August | $1,100,000 (+2.6%) | $665,000 (−0.7%) | 9,891 (+0.7%) | 2.3 mo | 4.0 mo | 6.66% (August 27) |
Sources: San Diego MLS Monthly Indicators (year-to-date figures, change versus the same period a year earlier; months of supply at period end); Freddie Mac PMMS.
How this San Diego market report is built
County and ZIP figures come from the San Diego MLS monthly reports published through the Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS: the county Monthly Indicators and the Local Market Update for each ZIP. Neighborhood figures come from my own San Diego MLS searches drawn to each neighborhood’s boundary, using closed sales over the trailing 12 months, which smooths out the small-sample swings that make single months unreliable. Detached homes lead the analysis, with condos and townhomes reported alongside, and the two are never blended into a single figure except where labeled. This page is updated quarterly; the next update will add full-year 2026 data in January 2027.
San Diego real estate market FAQs
Is San Diego real estate going up or down?
It depends on the neighborhood and the type of home, which is why this report separates them. Detached homes and condos have been moving differently, and neighborhoods only a few miles apart can be heading in opposite directions. Look at the detached and attached figures for the specific neighborhood you care about rather than a single county-wide number.
Why do ZIP code medians differ from neighborhood medians?
Many San Diego ZIP codes cover more than one neighborhood, so a ZIP median blends areas with very different prices. The 92116 ZIP includes Kensington as well as Normal Heights, and 92037 covers all of La Jolla rather than just La Jolla Mesa. Where a ZIP and a neighborhood are the same area, such as Bonita, the two measures agree closely.
What is the difference between detached and attached market data?
Detached means single-family houses; attached means condos and townhomes. They serve different buyers, sell at very different price points and often move in different directions, so blending them into one median produces a number that describes neither. This report leads with detached homes and shows attached homes alongside.
What does months of supply mean for buyers and sellers?
Months of supply is how long the current inventory would last at the recent pace of sales. Under about three months generally favors sellers, four to six months is balanced, and more than six favors buyers. It is one of the clearest signals of who has negotiating leverage in a given neighborhood.
How often is this San Diego market report updated?
This page is updated quarterly using the San Diego MLS monthly reports and fresh neighborhood searches. Each update refreshes the county, ZIP and neighborhood figures and adds a new row to the market history table, so the page keeps a running record over time.
Should I wait for mortgage rates to drop before buying?
Usually not, unless you are confident that rates will fall and prices will stay flat. When rates drop, demand tends to rise and push prices up, which can erase the savings from the lower rate. The more reliable approach is to buy the right home at a defensible price when you are ready, and refinance later if rates improve.
Why is the median price different from what my neighbor sold for?
A median is the middle sale in a group, so half of homes sold for more and half for less. The value of your home depends on its size, condition, lot, location on the street and what comparable homes nearby sold for recently. A neighborhood median is a starting point, and a comparative market analysis for your specific home is the real answer.
What is the difference between the East and West Chula Vista markets?
The 805 freeway splits Chula Vista into two markets. West Chula Vista is mostly older homes on larger lots at lower price points, while East Chula Vista is newer planned communities with more square footage for the money and, in many areas, Mello-Roos and HOA costs. They often move differently, so check the side of the city your home is on before drawing conclusions.
Ryan Fisher
Realtor · Founder, Lovery Real Estate
Ryan Fisher is a San Diego Realtor and the founder of Lovery Real Estate, with $56M+ in career sales. He works with buyers and sellers across Chula Vista, Bonita, North Park, University Heights, Normal Heights and La Jolla Mesa, and publishes neighborhood-level market data because a county-wide median does not tell a North Park seller or a Chula Vista buyer anything useful.
Before real estate, Ryan was drafted by the Miami Marlins out of UC Irvine in 2010 and played professional baseball. He grew up around Fisher Bros. House Moving, a California construction family business dating to the 1850s, where he learned what it takes to build something that lasts.
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Related guides for San Diego buyers and sellers
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Ryan Fisher, Realtor. California DRE #02110091. Lovery Real Estate is a brand of Ryan Fisher, licensed under LPT Realty. 323 Minot Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Market data is from the San Diego MLS and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. This article is general information and is not legal, tax, or lending advice. Consult appropriate professionals of your own choosing.