Market Reports
Welcome to the July 2026 Bay Area Real Estate Market Update
The July 2026 Bay Area real estate market reflected varied conditions across Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda, Santa Cruz, and Monterey Counties. While some areas experienced stronger sales and pricing, others saw increased inventory, longer market times, or softer median prices. Overall, the market remained highly localized, with conditions differing significantly by county and property type.
Santa Clara County recorded 1,548 new listings and 991 closed sales, with a median sale price of $1.6 million. Compared with the previous year, new listings increased 14.8%, while closed sales declined 2.8%. Homes averaged 32 days on market, up 23.1% year over year, while the median sale price declined slightly by 0.7%. The increase in available inventory combined with longer market times suggests buyers had more options during July.
San Mateo County reported 547 new listings and 469 closed sales, with a median sale price of approximately $1.6 million. Closed sales increased 3.1% year over year, and the average price per square foot rose 5.8% to $1,177. Total sales volume also increased 19.2% to $1.2 billion, although average days on market increased to 30 days. These figures indicate continued activity and relatively strong property values despite homes taking somewhat longer to sell.
San Francisco County showed particularly strong year-over-year results in July. The county recorded 412 new listings and 417 closed sales, while the median sale price increased 6.6% to $1.5 million. Average price per square foot rose 16.5% to $1,173, and total sales volume increased 24.3% to $802 million. Average days on market decreased 25.6% to 32 days, reflecting stronger market activity compared with July of the previous year.
Alameda County recorded 1,404 new listings and 897 closed sales, with a median sale price of approximately $1 million. New listings increased 1.9% year over year, while closed sales declined 3.3%. The median sale price remained relatively stable, increasing just 0.2%, while total sales volume declined 7.2%. Homes averaged 29 days on market, slightly faster than the previous year.
Santa Cruz County had 273 new listings and 171 closed sales during July, with a median sale price of approximately $1.1 million. The median price declined 9% year over year, while the average price per square foot decreased 4.9% to $803. Average days on market increased significantly to 50 days, up 51.5% from the previous year, indicating a slower pace of sales during the month.
Monterey County recorded 281 new listings and 187 closed sales, with a median sale price of $940,000. Closed sales increased 8.7% year over year, while total sales volume rose 29% to $308 million. At the same time, the median sale price declined 6%, and average days on market increased to 49 days. The county therefore experienced stronger overall transaction activity despite softer median pricing.
Across the six counties, single-family homes generally commanded higher prices and sold more quickly than condominiums and townhomes. Santa Clara single-family homes, for example, had a median price of $1.9 million and averaged 27 days on market, compared with a $904,000 median and 42 days for condos and townhomes. Similar differences were evident throughout the counties covered in the report.
The $3 million-plus luxury segment experienced a noticeable decline in contracts signed during July across several counties. Santa Clara recorded 35 luxury contracts, San Mateo 32, San Francisco 23, Alameda 8, Santa Cruz 3, and Monterey 6. The July figures were considerably below June levels in several markets, pointing to slower activity at the higher end during the month.
Overall, July 2026 presented a mixed Bay Area market rather than a single regional trend. San Francisco demonstrated particularly strong year-over-year performance, while San Mateo maintained solid activity. Santa Clara experienced considerably more new inventory and longer market times, Alameda remained comparatively stable, and Santa Cruz and Monterey showed softer pricing or longer selling periods. The July results reinforce the importance of evaluating current conditions by county, property type, and price range when making buying or selling decisions.
