San Diego Housing Market Update — August 2026

• Prices Rise, Sales Reset •

The San Diego housing market shifted gears in August, as fewer homes sold while median prices climbed across both detached homes and attached properties. Detached homes sold faster despite the slower sales pace, with tight inventory supporting a rising median sale price of $1,120,000. 
Closed sales fell 17.6 percent year-over-year for detached homes and 16.3 percent for attached properties. Pending sales also pulled back, declining 14.0 percent for detached homes and 8.2 percent for condos & townhomes as late-summer sales activity settled into a more selective rhythm.

Market conditions branched by type for the ninth consecutive month. Days on market revealed the divide between detached homes and attached properties.

Detached homes sold 10.3 percent faster than last year and averaged 35 days on market, giving prepared Sellers a clearer path to a timely sale. Attached homes spent 2.3 percent more time on market at 44 days, allowing Buyers slightly more time to compare available options and negotiate with confidence.

A wider range of properties is surfacing across San Diego as short sales and foreclosures return to the market. Growing distressed inventory shows Buyers another way to spot value in properties that follow a different path to closing. 

August 2026 San Diego Housing Market Update

San Diego home prices pushed higher in August, even as overall sales activity softened from one year ago in August 2025. The median sale price for detached homes rose 4.7 percent to $1,120,000, bolstering home values despite fewer closed sales.

The median price for condos & townhomes reached $670,000, holding nearly flat at 0.1 percent above August 2025. Attached properties like condos & townhomes grant Buyers a broader selection with more time to find a property that fits their goals. 

Housing inventory diverged by property type again in August. Detached inventory dropped 20.7 percent year-over-year, tightening supply with fewer homes listed for sale across San Diego County. Attached inventory increased 4.6 percent, expanding the pool of condos & townhomes available to Buyers.

Months of supply followed the same pattern. Detached supply fell 23.3 percent from August 2025, while attached housing supply remained unchanged. Tight detached inventory supports stronger pricing power for Sellers. The robust attached market gives Buyers more room to bargain and find the right property without rushing the decision. 

San Diego Foreclosures and Short Sales Return

Bank-owned foreclosures and active short sales are making their way back onto the San Diego real estate scene, bringing a growing mix of opportunities into public view.

Current distressed inventory includes traditional homes, condos, and townhomes. Other listings carry redevelopment potential and grant qualified Buyers access to properties that can trade differently than conventional sales. Some may offer compelling value, though longer escrows and complex Title or property conditions can demand greater patience. Buyers now have another corner of the market to explore.

Distressed inventory reaching the open market may represent only part of a larger pipeline. Some loans pass through servicing transfers or private transactions before a property reaches the MLS, while HOA liens can add another layer of distress. Careful review can uncover Title or condition issues that shape both the transaction and equity potential.

As more distressed properties reach the market, Buyers gain another category of San Diego homes to watch. 

San Diego Zip Codes with Most Homes Sold August 2026

In August, the top zip codes in San Diego County with the most home sales were:

• 92056 (Oceanside East) with 49
• 92057 (Oceanside North) with 49
• 92078 (San Marcos South) with 49
• 92128 (Rancho Bernardo East) with 49
• 92028 (Fallbrook) with 48
• 92117 (Clairemont Mesa) with 46
• 92101 (Downtown San Diego) with 45
• 92009 (Carlsbad Southeast) with 43

North County posted six of the eight highest home sales totals during August 2026, with Oceanside, San Marcos, and Rancho Bernardo sharing the lead at 49 sales. Fallbrook followed closely with 48, while Clairemont Mesa and Downtown San Diego brought two Metro markets into the county’s busiest sales group.

The spread shows active Buyer demand reaching from established North County communities into central San Diego, including areas offering homes at a practical price per square foot. Even as countywide sales volume eased, these zip codes maintained a steady flow of closings and gave Sellers a clearer picture of where Buyers kept making moves. 

Most Expensive House Sold in San Diego August 2026

The most expensive home sold last month during August 2026 was a prized mid-century oceanfront residence in La Jolla Shores, designed by celebrated San Diego architect Russell Forester. Warm wood and original mid-century details meet soaring glass windows that flood the lofty interior with golden coastal light. A floating dining room hangs above the surf, turning the Pacific Ocean into part of the architecture.

Outside, a private pool curves along the oceanfront terrace as waves roll toward the rocky shoreline below. The property sits beside La Jolla’s famous Sandcastle mansion, placing two remarkable pieces of coastal architecture along the same coveted stretch of La Jolla Shores.

This setting captures an unmistakable sense of place, where radiant sunsets stretch across the water as kayakers drift past below. Original details preserve the mid-century character. An oceanfront loggia and glass cabana extend daily living toward the sea. This landmark sale reflects the value Buyers placed on rare architecture in coastal La Jolla.

It sold on August 27, 2026 for $17,340,000. Listed by Holly & Heather Manion at Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty. MLS# 250036694.

San Diego Housing Market Real Estate Data

This snapshot of the latest San Diego real estate stats reflects activity and pricing from August 2026, with key indicators compared year-over-year against August 2025. New listings and pending sales moved at a calmer pace, while median prices finished above last year.

Current housing inventory continues to shape each segment differently. Read on for a detailed analysis of this historical data across San Diego home prices, sales activity, and neighborhood-level trends affecting Buyers and Sellers throughout the county.

Data on the current housing market in San Diego is compiled by the Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS® (SDAR) through the San Diego Multiple Listing Service (SDMLS).

Sources: 

https://sdar.stats.10kresearch.com/docs/mmi/2026-08/x/report?src=page

https://nsdcar.stats.10kresearch.com/docs/lmu/x/SanDiegoCounty?src=map

https://nsdcar.stats.10kresearch.com/docs/mwr/2026-08/x/report?src=page

https://media.sdar.com/media/CurrentStats.pdf

san diego housing market update, san diego real estate today, real estate news san diego, housing market decline san diego, real estate market bubble burst, san diego housing market crash, latest update on real estate market, san diego housing market article, current housing market update san diego, san diego real estate market explained, housing market forecast san diego, housing market correction san diego, housing market going up again, why is the housing market going up again, san diego home prices 2026, san diego house prices 2026, san diego median home price 2026, san diego real estate prices 2026, san diego housing prices forecast 2026, when will san diego home prices drop, why are there more homes for sale in san diego, san diego housing supply 2026, san diego months of inventory, is san diego a buyers market 2026, is san diego a sellers market 2026, buyer’s market san diego, seller’s market san diego, san diego condo inventory, san diego townhome market, san diego detached home market, san diego foreclosure increase 2026, san diego foreclosure trends, san diego short sale market, short sale homes san diego county, foreclosure homes san diego county, distressed property market san diego, how to find foreclosures in san diego, how to find short sales in san diego, san diego real estate market august 2026, are house prices dropping in san diego, are home prices falling in san diego, are san diego home prices going down, will san diego home prices drop, why are san diego home prices dropping, is the san diego housing market slowing down, is san diego real estate slowing down, san diego housing market downturn, san diego housing market decline 2026, san diego housing market crash 2026, will the san diego housing market crash, is san diego housing market crashing, san diego real estate market correction 2026, san diego distressed homes for sale, distressed properties san diego, san diego foreclosure homes for sale, san diego foreclosures 2026, foreclosures in san diego county, are foreclosures increasing in san diego, san diego short sales for sale, short sales san diego 2026, are short sales coming back, san diego pre foreclosure homes, san diego foreclosure market, san diego distressed real estate, buying a foreclosure in san diego, buying a short sale in san diego, san diego housing inventory increase, are more homes for sale in san diego, san diego condo market 2026, are san diego condo prices dropping, san diego housing market news, portia green realtor, compass san diego real estate, san diego real estate forecast, compass housing market update san diego, redfin housing market updates san diego, zillow housing market updates san diego, realtor.com housing market update san diego, realtor near me san diego, how much does it cost to sell a house in san diego, how much does it cost to buy a house in san diego, san diego real estate data, san diego housing market, how to win a bidding war in san diego, opendoor housing market updates san diego, homes.com housing market updates san diego, san diego market tracker widget, real estate data by zip code san diego, neighborhood housing market values san diego, interactive san diego real estate map, track home values san diego neighborhood, local san diego real estate stats by zip code, san diego housing market by zip code, san diego real estate market by neighborhood, san diego home sales by zip code, san diego neighborhood housing market data, san diego home price tracker, san diego housing market tracker, san diego real estate market tracker, san diego zip code market report, san diego housing inventory by zip code, median home price by zip code san diego, days on market by neighborhood san diego, san diego neighborhood real estate trends