The Numbers This Month
Here is where the market stands this month, with each figure sourced so you can quote or check any single line. "Year over year" compares to the same period last year; "days on market" is how long a home takes to go into contract.
- San Francisco median sale price: $1.7M over the last 3 months, up 16.1% year over year (Redfin, as of June 2026).
- San Francisco days on market: homes are selling in about 14 days, down from 18 days a year ago (Redfin, as of June 2026).
- San Francisco competition: roughly 4 offers on an average home (Redfin, as of June 2026).
- San Francisco inventory: active listings are down more than 40% year over year, with under 700 homes for sale citywide (Redfin, as of June 2026).
- Alameda County median sale price: $1.2M for the 3 months ending May 2026, up 5.4% year over year, with homes selling in about 17 days versus 16 a year ago (Redfin).
The California Association of Realtors projects a more balanced 2026 statewide: the median price up 3.6% to $905,000, sales up 2%, and active listings rising about 10% as rates ease (C.A.R. 2026 California Housing Market Forecast).
What This Means If You're Buying
If you are buying, the number that matters most this month is competition. When an average San Francisco home draws about 4 offers, three of those buyers walk away each time, so being ready is what separates an accepted offer from a near miss. Before you tour anything serious, get a full mortgage pre-approval (a lender's written confirmation of how much you can borrow), settle on clear criteria so you can recognize the right home quickly, and be prepared to move within days rather than weeks. I am not going to tell you this is the moment to jump, because that depends entirely on your finances and your timeline. What I will do is make sure that when the right home shows up, you are in a position to act on it. If you want to get ready before you start touring, send me a message.
What This Means If You're Selling
If you are selling, a fast market is working in your favor, but speed does not replace pricing. Homes are moving in about two weeks because the ones that sell quickly are priced where buyers and appraisers agree they belong, not simply listed high in a strong month. Overprice it and you can still sit while similar homes down the street close, which is why the honest first step is a realistic read on what your home is actually worth today. I would rather show you the comparable sales and set a number that sells than talk you into a headline price that stalls. If you want a grounded home-value read before you list, reach out and we will look at your numbers together.
This Month's Homework
This month's reading is the just-upgraded Mello-Roos guide, because in a fast market you often have to commit before you have time to dig. Mello-Roos is a special annual property tax on some newer East Bay and Central Valley homes that never shows up in the listing price, and buyers moving quickly on new construction are exactly the ones who get surprised by it after the offer is accepted. The guide now has a cost-by-city table and a step-by-step way to check any home before you write, so read it before you tour new construction: it is at the Mello-Roos guide.
Market Note FAQ
What is the Bay Area housing market doing in July 2026?
As of June 2026, San Francisco's median sale price is $1.7M over the last 3 months, up 16.1% year over year, with homes selling in about 14 days and drawing roughly 4 offers each, according to Redfin. Inventory is the tight spot: active listings are down more than 40% year over year, under 700 homes citywide. In Alameda County, the median is $1.2M for the 3 months ending May 2026, up 5.4% year over year (Redfin). The short version: prices are up and homes sell fast, but there is very little to choose from.
Is now a good time to buy in the Bay Area?
It depends on your situation, and anyone who answers that without asking about yours is guessing. The honest test is not the calendar, it is whether three things line up: a full mortgage pre-approval in hand, monthly numbers that work with your income and savings, and a plan to stay in the home long enough that a shifting market does not force a sale. With inventory down more than 40% year over year (Redfin, as of June 2026), the harder part right now is finding the right home, not the timing of the decision itself. If you want to run your actual numbers instead of a general rule, send me a message and we will work through them together.
Past issues will be listed here as the archive grows. This is issue #1, July 2026.
Sources: Redfin (as of June 2026; Alameda County figures cover the 3 months ending May 2026) and the California Association of Realtors 2026 Housing Market Forecast. Market figures change every month and vary by neighbourhood and property, so treat these as a snapshot and verify current data before you act.
