California (CA) housing market
Warm MarketStatewide monthly sale-market indicators for rental investors — not a substitute for local rent comps, taxes, or insurance, but a fast read on price level, pace, and negotiation pressure.
Data period: September 2026
Market snapshot
- Median sale price
- $753K
- Median days on market
- 41 days
- Months of supply
- 3.6
- Active inventory
- 106,441
- Homes sold
- 22,295
- Sale-to-list ratio
- 100.2%
- Listings with price drop
- 17.6%
- Data month
- September 2026
Pair this view with the rental property calculator, DSCR calculator, and cap rate calculator — or browse all calculators.
Rental Investor Snapshot
Labels below come from monthly sale-market indicators only. True cash flow requires local rent, taxes, insurance, vacancy, and expense assumptions — model those in the rental calculator, then sanity-check against sale-speed signals here.
- Market temperature
- Competitive
- Buyer leverage
- Medium
- Pricing signal vs. U.S. median
- Harder buy-in vs. U.S. median (price only)
- Investor fit (heuristic)
- Appreciation
Watch-outs
- High median sale prices raise buy-in and tighten margin for error.
Suggested next step: Run a rental property analysis with your own rent, financing, vacancy, and expense assumptions — then sanity-check against this market's sale-speed and negotiation signals.
Warm Market
The market is active with moderate buyer demand.
California market summary
The California housing market is heating up. As of September 2026, the median home sale price is $753K, up 1.0% year-over-year. Homes are spending a median of 41 days on the market, 4.7% shorter than a year ago.
There are 106,441 homes for sale — 1.7% fewer than last year. With 3.6 months of supply, this is a seller's market. 29,584 new listings were added during this period, down 0.5% year-over-year.
Homes are selling for 100.2% of their list price on average, indicating buyers are paying above asking. 33.0% of homes sell above their asking price. 17.6% of listings have had a price drop.
Market Opportunity Score
Based on current market conditions
57
Contributing Factors
How This Market Compares
vs. National Median
Investor takeaway
Prices are 91% above the national median. Model rent-to-price and expenses carefully before assuming cash flow.
California market trends
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Detailed market metrics
Median list price
$761K
Price per sq ft
$469
Sale-to-list ratio
100.2%
Months of supply
3.6
Sold above list
33.0%
Price drops
17.6%
New listings
29,584
↓ 0.5% YoY
Pending sales
24,110
California housing market FAQs
What is the median home price in California?
For the latest published month, the median sale price in California is $753K. Median means half of homes sold above that price and half below — it is a useful benchmark, not a rule for every listing.
Is California a buyer's or seller's market?
With about 3.6 months of supply, conditions often favor sellers (inventory is relatively tight versus sales pace). Buyers may need to move quickly and keep offers competitive.
How long do homes stay on the market in California?
For the latest published month, the median days on market in California is 41 days — half of homes went pending faster and half slower.
Is California good for rental property investors?
Sale-market stats show how competitive buying is (speed, negotiation, inventory). They do not prove rent performance. California can still work for rentals if the numbers work on a deal-by-deal basis — use local rent comps, financing, vacancy, and expenses in the rental property calculator.
How should investors analyze a rental property in California?
Start with purchase price, financing, rent, vacancy, operating expenses, and capital repairs. Stress-test rates and rent. Will It Flow’s rental property calculator is built to translate those inputs into cash flow, DSCR, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return for California deals.
Metro markets in California
Open a metro for the same investor snapshot and trends, then run a shortlist through the DSCR calculator and cap rate calculator.
Los Angeles, CA
$913K median · 49 days on market
Riverside, CA
$579K median · 57 days on market
San Diego, CA
$913K median · 31 days on market
Sacramento, CA
$598K median · 37 days on market
Anaheim, CA
$1.21M median · 45 days on market
Oakland, CA
$908K median · 21 days on market
San Jose, CA
$1.55M median · 18 days on market
San Francisco, CA
$1.70M median · 15 days on market
More California housing market data
Compare how California fits nationally on the U.S. housing market overview, or browse the top 100 U.S. metro housing markets by sales activity.
New to underwriting? Read how much cash it takes to buy a rental in 2026 — then stress-test assumptions in the calculators above.
Underwrite a California rental with real numbers
Cash flow, Cap Rate, DSCR, and cash-on-cash return — built for speed without skipping rigor.
Housing market data provided by Redfin, a national real estate brokerage. Not financial advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making investment decisions.