Four-County Southern California Housing Market Update: What Sellers Should Know in 2026

A county housing report can give you useful context. It cannot tell you what your specific home is worth—or how it should be positioned against the homes competing for the same buyer.

That distinction matters across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The latest InfoSparks data for the three months ending August 1, 2026, shows meaningful differences between counties. The city-level figures reveal even more variation.

Here is what the verified numbers say—and what they do not say—about today’s Southern California real estate market.

The Four-County Market at a Glance

The four county-level median sales prices for the three months ending August 1, 2026, were:

• Los Angeles County: $1,377,956, compared with $1,395,206 during the same three months last year, a change of -1.2%.

• Orange County: $1,642,625, compared with $1,509,981 last year, a change of 8.8%.

• Riverside County: $703,727, compared with $687,923 last year, a change of 2.3%.

• San Bernardino County: $593,535, compared with $586,341 last year, a change of 1.2%.

Those figures establish broad county context. They are not valuations for an individual property.

A home’s relevant competition is usually much narrower. City, neighborhood, property type, condition, lot characteristics, price range and the homes currently available all affect how a listing should be evaluated.

Los Angeles County: A Modest Price Change, but Sharper Local Differences

Los Angeles County’s median sales price was $1,377,956 for the three months ending August 1, 2026. It was $1,395,206 during the same period last year, representing a -1.2% change.

Pending sales totaled 10249, compared with 12314 during the same three months last year—a change of -16.8%.

Months of inventory averaged 4.5, compared with 4.9 one year earlier, a change of -7.5%.

These metrics belong to different parts of the market picture. The median sales price summarizes completed transactions. Pending sales count properties that reached pending status during the reporting windows. Months of inventory measures supply using the reported InfoSparks calculation.

Taken together, they provide county-level context without determining the position of a particular Los Angeles County home.

Montebello: Days Active in MLS Changed Substantially

Montebello recorded 38 Days Active in MLS for the three months ending August 1, 2026. The year-ago figure was 17 days, representing a change of 126.0%.

That is a much larger year-over-year change than the Los Angeles County figure, which moved from 36 to 38 Days Active in MLS, a change of 3.7%.

This comparison is exactly why a county headline needs local proof points. The county result covers a vast and varied market. Montebello’s figure reflects Montebello.

Alhambra: Another Result Hidden Inside the County Headline

Alhambra recorded 52 Days Active in MLS, compared with 25 days during the same three months last year. That was a change of 103.9%.

A seller relying only on the Los Angeles County figure of 38 Days Active in MLS would miss that local difference.

The city number still does not establish the right strategy for every Alhambra property. It does, however, show why local conditions must be reviewed before making decisions about pricing, preparation and market positioning.

San Dimas: A Different Local Pattern

San Dimas recorded 31 Days Active in MLS, compared with 27 days one year earlier, a change of 13.4%.

Montebello, Alhambra and San Dimas are all within Los Angeles County, yet their reported figures were not interchangeable:

-- Montebello: 38 days versus 17, a change of 126.0%.

• Alhambra: 52 days versus 25, a change of 103.9%.

• San Dimas: 31 days versus 27, a change of 13.4%.

There is no responsible way to turn those three examples into a claim about every city—or every home—in Los Angeles County. Their value is in demonstrating how much local context can differ from the county headline.

Orange County: The Highest County Price in This Comparison

Orange County’s median sales price was $1,642,625 for the three months ending August 1, 2026. The comparable year-ago figure was $1,509,981, a change of 8.8%.

Pending sales totaled 4554, compared with 5609 during the same three months last year. That was a change of -18.8%.

Months of inventory averaged 3.4, compared with 3.8 last year, representing a change of -8.8%.

The price figure was the highest among the four counties in this report. That does not mean every Orange County property followed the county result. It also does not reveal how a particular home compares with the listings available in its immediate market.

Laguna Woods: The Required Local Proof Point

Laguna Woods recorded 51 Days Active in MLS, compared with 36 days during the same three months last year. That was a change of 40.7%.

Orange County overall recorded 34 Days Active in MLS, compared with 33 last year, a change of 3.0%.

The difference between those figures illustrates the limitation of relying on a county average for a local listing decision. Laguna Woods is the available evidence-supported city proof point in this dataset. Without a second validated city example, the remaining Orange County discussion should stay at the county overview level.

For a Laguna Woods seller, the next useful analysis is not another county headline. It is a review of the active and recently completed competition most comparable to the property.

Riverside County: Inventory Metrics Stand Out

Riverside County’s median sales price was $703,727, compared with $687,923 during the same three months last year. That was a change of 2.3%.

Active listings totaled 26240, compared with 32158 one year earlier, representing a change of -18.4%.

Months of inventory averaged 4.1, compared with 5.1 last year, a change of -19.1%.

These figures provide three distinct views: completed-sale pricing, listing supply and the reported inventory measure. They do not establish why the changes occurred, and they should not be used as a forecast.

They also cannot answer the question most sellers actually have: How does my home compare with the properties buyers can choose from right now?

Norco: City Conditions Do Not Mirror the Entire County

Norco recorded 39 Days Active in MLS for the three months ending August 1, 2026. The figure was 24 days during the same period last year, a change of 66.2%.

Riverside County overall recorded 49 Days Active in MLS, compared with 51 last year, a change of -3.3%.

Norco’s current figure was lower than the county figure, while its year-over-year percentage change was positive and the county’s was negative. That is a factual comparison of the reported results—not a conclusion about future pricing or buyer behavior.

Norco is the available evidence-supported city proof point for Riverside County in this dataset. The responsible approach is to keep the rest of the discussion at the county level until additional validated city evidence is available.

San Bernardino County: County Context Meets a Distinct Mountain Market

San Bernardino County’s median sales price was $593,535, compared with $586,341 during the same three months last year. That represented a change of 1.2%.

Pending sales totaled 3952, compared with 4666 last year, a change of -15.3%.

Months of inventory averaged 4.8, compared with 5.6 during the same period last year. That was a change of -14.8%.

Those county metrics summarize a large geographic area containing many different local markets. They should not be treated as a pricing formula for an individual home.

Big Bear Lake: A Local Figure the County Headline Cannot Capture

Big Bear Lake recorded 84 Days Active in MLS, compared with 66 days during the same three months last year. That was a change of 27.8%.

San Bernardino County overall recorded 46 Days Active in MLS, compared with 46 last year, a change of 1.5%.

Big Bear Lake’s current figure was substantially different from the county figure. That difference does not explain why a particular property remained active for a given period, but it clearly demonstrates the risk of applying a countywide number to a local listing without further analysis.

Big Bear Lake is the available evidence-supported city proof point for San Bernardino County in this dataset. Additional city comparisons would require additional validated evidence.

Mortgage Rate and Application Check

The local market figures should be read alongside the national financing backdrop, but the rate series should not be treated as interchangeable. Freddie Mac’s 30-year fixed-rate mortgage survey, carried in FRED series `MORTGAGE30US`, averaged 6.71% for the week ending September 3, 2026, up from 6.66% the prior week.

The Mortgage Bankers Association’s separate survey for the week ending August 28 reported a 6.79% average contract rate for conforming 30-year fixed loans, up from 6.78%. In that same MBA release, the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index rose 2.0% week over week while the Refinance Index fell 1.0%; refinance applications were 19% below the same week a year earlier. These are national weekly financing measures, not Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, or Los Angeles County housing metrics.

What These County Numbers Can—and Cannot—Tell a Seller

County reports are useful for understanding scale, broad comparisons and the direction of specific reported metrics. In this dataset, they allow us to compare median sales price, transaction counts, listing counts, Days Active in MLS and months of inventory across the same three-month windows.

They cannot tell you:

• The value of a specific home.

• Which active listings are its true competition.

• How condition, location or property type affect its position.

• Which listing strategy fits the property.

• What will happen next in the market.

That is not a weakness in the data. It is a matter of using the data for the right job.

County statistics describe counties. A listing strategy must address a property.

Why Active Competition Matters

A seller does not compete with a county median. The property competes with the homes a prospective buyer can compare with it.

That comparison needs to be specific. It should consider the most relevant active listings, appropriate completed transactions and local market metrics supported by the available evidence.

The six proof-point cities make the issue clear. During the same reporting window, Days Active in MLS ranged from 31 in San Dimas to 84 in Big Bear Lake. That observation comes directly from the cited city figures; it is not a forecast or an explanation of behavior.

Even within Los Angeles County, Montebello, Alhambra and San Dimas produced meaningfully different results. A countywide figure alone could not show those distinctions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the county median sales price an estimate of my home’s value?

No. A county median is the midpoint of the county’s reported sales-price distribution for the stated period. It does not account for the specific features, condition, location or competition relevant to your home.

Which county had the highest median sales price?

Orange County had the highest reported median sales price in this four-county comparison at $1,642,625 for the three months ending August 1, 2026.

Which county had the lowest median sales price?

San Bernardino County had the lowest reported median sales price in this comparison at $593,535.

Do city figures always follow county figures?

No. The city proof points in this report show that local Days Active in MLS results can differ materially from their county figures. Montebello, Alhambra, San Dimas, Laguna Woods, Norco and Big Bear Lake each had their own reported result.

Does a change in pending sales predict future prices?

This article does not use pending-sales changes to forecast prices. The figures report what occurred in the stated current and year-ago windows. They do not establish future price direction or causality.

What is the most useful next step for a seller?

Move from broad county context to a property-specific review. That means evaluating the home alongside its relevant active competition and the most applicable local data.

The Bottom Line

Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties did not produce one uniform market story.

Their median sales prices differed. Their pending-sales, active-listing and inventory figures differed. The city proof points showed another layer of variation that county summaries could not capture.

The practical takeaway is simple: start with the county data, then narrow the analysis until it matches the property.

If you are considering selling and want to understand the competition around your home, request a free 15-minute consultation. We can review the relevant local data, examine the active competition and identify the questions that should be answered before a listing strategy is set.

Paul Fernandez Sold With Paul CA DRE #01835505