San Diego Housing Market Update for Agents: What Q4 2026 Means for Listing Marketing

What do the latest San Diego numbers say?

These figures are from the Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS® Monthly Indicators report for August 2026, which uses San Diego MLS data for the whole county. Changes are compared with the same month a year earlier.

For the city of San Diego alone, Redfin's San Diego housing market page showed a median sale price of about $960,000 and homes selling in around 39 days when we checked in early October 2026. Redfin's figures cover the city and mix all home types, so they won't match the county numbers above.

Market data changes every month. Open both sources for the current figures before you quote any of this to a client.

Why are detached homes and condos behaving differently?

The supply numbers explain it. There were about 21% fewer detached homes for sale than a year earlier, and 2.3 months of supply. There were about 5% more condos and townhomes for sale, with 4.0 months of supply, and new attached listings rose 7.5%.

Fewer sales closed in both groups. With detached homes, that goes along with fewer homes available to buy. With attached homes, buyers have more to choose from and are taking slightly longer.

The report describes what happened. It doesn't forecast, and neither do we. Use it to set expectations, not to predict what a listing will do.

What does this mean for marketing a detached home?

Low supply doesn't mean presentation stops mattering. Detached sellers received 98.0% of their original list price on average, which also means the average home sold slightly under where it started. Buyers at a $1.1 million median are paying close attention.

• Launch complete. Have photos, drone, floor plan, and tour ready on day one. A listing gets most of its attention in the first days.
• Give buyers the facts up front. A measured floor plan and a 3D tour let a serious buyer decide to visit sooner. See ANSI measured floor plans.
• Lead with the strongest photo. A twilight or a view photo in the first position. See virtual vs real twilight.
• Use the low inventory in your listing appointments. Sellers who are waiting may not know how few homes they are competing with.

What does it mean for marketing a condo or townhome?

This is where presentation does the most work right now. A buyer looking at condos has more listings to compare, and a 44-day average means a listing that starts weak can sit.

• Don’t skip professional photos because the home is small. Small spaces are the hardest to photograph well with a phone.
• Add the floor plan. Condo buyers compare layouts across several units in the same price range.
• Photograph the building and the amenities. The pool, the gym, the view from the common areas, and the walk to the village are part of what is for sale.
• Stage vacant units virtually, and label the photos as California requires. See virtual staging in California.
• Refresh a stale listing. New lead photo, new order, and a twilight image can give a listing a second look without a price change being the only move.

Our Essential package is built for this kind of home. See packages by home type and the pricing page.

How should I use these numbers at a listing appointment?

1. Print the two tables for the seller’s property type, with the source named
2. Add the same figures for their zip code or neighborhood from your MLS
3. Say what the numbers mean for them in one sentence: how many homes they are competing with, and how long a typical sale is taking
4. Then show your marketing plan as the response to that

Sellers trust an agent who brings sourced numbers. They are wary of one who brings predictions. Our listing marketing plan template has a place for this.

What changes in Q4 specifically?

Two practical things change for media, whatever the market does.

Daylight. Days are shorter, the sun is lower, and sunset comes before 5 p.m. by December. Shoot times narrow, and twilight shoots happen in the late afternoon. Book earlier in the day than you would in summer. See the best time to photograph a San Diego listing.

The holidays. Sellers decorate, travel, and host. Photograph before the decorations go up if the listing may run into January, because dated photos age a listing.

The upside of the season is the coast. Fall and winter skies near the water are usually clearer than in early summer, which helps view properties.

Frequently asked questions

What is the median home price in San Diego County?

In August 2026, the median sales price was $1,120,000 for detached homes and $670,000 for condos and townhomes, according to the Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS® Monthly Indicators report.

How long are homes taking to sell in San Diego?

In August 2026, detached homes averaged 35 days on market until sale and attached homes averaged 44, per the same report. Individual listings vary widely.

Is San Diego a buyer’s or seller’s market right now?

It depends on the property type. Detached homes had 2.3 months of supply in August 2026, which is tight. Condos and townhomes had 4.0 months, which gives buyers more choice.

Where does this data come from?

From the Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS® Monthly Indicators report, which uses San Diego MLS data, and from Redfin’s San Diego housing market page. Both are linked in the article.

How often is this page updated?

Quarterly. The date at the top shows the last update, and the report month is named in each table.