For release: May 19, 2026

California median home price reaches record high as housing market picks up steam in April, C.A.R. reports

• Existing, single-family home sales totaled 275,580 in April on a seasonally adjusted basis, up 3.9 percent from 265,320 in March and up 4.1 percent from 264,810 in April 2025.
• The statewide median home price set a record high, rising 2.9 percent from $889,190 in March to $914,810 in April and up 0.4 percent from $911,400 in April 2025.
• Year-to-date home sales remained flat in April.

Infographic: https://www.car.org/Global/Infographics/2026-04-Sales-and-Price

SACRAMENTO (May 19) – California home sales rose in April as the statewide median home price hit a new record, fueled by lower mortgage rates early in the month and strong market activity in higher-priced segments, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported today.

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California climbed 3.9 percent from March and increased 4.1 percent on a year-over-year basis. April’s annualized sales growth pace from last year represents the largest annual increase in seven months, according to data collected by C.A.R. from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide. This annualized figure reflects the number of homes that would be sold in 2026 if April's sales pace continued throughout the year, with adjustments made for typical seasonal patterns. The jump completely erased the cumulative sales losses from the first three months of the year, leaving year-to-date sales essentially flat compared to 2025. However, overall sales remained below the 300,000 mark for the 43^rd consecutive month.

“April’s year-over-year increase in home sales is a welcome sign that buyer demand remains resilient as we move deeper into the spring homebuying season,” said C.A.R. President Tamara Suminski, a Southern California broker and REALTOR®. “While elevated mortgage rates and ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East continue to weigh on the market, California buyers and sellers are still finding opportunities, and that speaks to the underlying strength of housing demand.”

Driven by a shifting mix of sales toward high-end properties, the statewide median home price set a new record of $914,810 in April, a 2.9 percent monthly increase. April’s median home price also marks the third consecutive month of year-over-year growth and represents the first time the median price has crossed the $900,000 threshold since May 2025.

“The increase in the median price was driven in large part by the composition of sales, with a greater share of activity occurring in higher-priced segments of the market,” said C.A.R. Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Jordan Levine. “Nevertheless, housing affordability remains a significant challenge in California, particularly as the statewide median home price reached a new record high amid tight supply and continued competition in many markets.”

California home buyers remained the most active in the higher-priced sector in April. Homes priced at or above $2 million experienced the largest sales jump, increasing 8.4 percent from April 2025. New record highs in the stock market may have bolstered sales activity in the high-end segment last month, but mortgage-rate declines in the first half of April likely motivated some buyers to close deals. Consumer sentiment surveys also suggest that home-buying expectations staged a mild comeback in April, possibly due to the temporary ceasefire in the Middle East and modest improvements in consumers’ perception of the job market.

Other key points from C.A.R.’s April 2026 resale housing report include:

• At the regional level, four of the five major regions in California recorded year-over-year sales gains on a non-seasonally adjusted basis. The Far North led the state with a 24.6 percent annual surge, while the San Francisco Bay Area posted a 5.5 percent increase. The Central Valley edged up 1.6 percent, and Southern California was essentially flat at 0.1 percent. The Central Coast was the only major region to drop, down 3.0 percent from April 2025.
• At the county level, 31 of the 53 counties tracked by C.A.R. recorded annual sales gains, with 17 posting double- or triple-digit increases. Siskiyou (152.9 percent), Mariposa (88.9 percent), and Tehama (48 percent) led the gains. Conversely, 20 counties saw declines, led by steep drops in Lassen (-76.2 percent) and Tulare (-44.8 percent).
• Home prices across the regions posted mild annual growth rates. The Central Coast registered the strongest growth pace at 3.2 percent, followed by the Far North (2 percent), Southern California (1.5 percent), and the Central Valley (1 percent). The San Francisco Bay Area was the lone region to experience an annual price decline, dipping 1.3 percent.
• Thirty-four counties saw median home price gains, led by Mono (142.9 percent) and San Francisco (19.5 percent). Nineteen counties registered price drops, with Del Norte (-11.8 percent) and Amador (-10.8 percent) dropping the most. C.A.R. notes these dramatic fluctuations are largely due to small transaction sizes and shifting sales mixes rather than actual home-value depreciation.
• Competition picked up slightly as the median time on market dropped to 21 days, down from 23 days in March and unchanged from April 2025.
• The statewide sales-price-to-list-price ratio* held firm at 100.0 percent, mirroring both last month and last year’s numbers.
• The monthly average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage jumped to 6.33 percent in April, up from 6.18 percent in March, but down significantly from the 6.73 percent average recorded in April 2025.

Note:  The County MLS median price and sales data in the tables are generated from a survey of more than 90 associations of REALTORS^® throughout the state and represent statistics of existing single-family detached homes only. County sales data is not adjusted to account for seasonal factors that can influence home sales. Movements in sales prices should not be interpreted as changes in the cost of a standard home. The median price is where half sold for more and half sold for less; medians are more typical than average prices, which are skewed by a relatively small share of transactions at either the lower end or the upper end. Median prices can be influenced by changes in cost, as well as changes in the characteristics and the size of homes sold. The change in median prices should not be construed as actual price changes in specific homes.

*Sales-to-list-price ratio is an indicator that reflects the negotiation power of home buyers and home sellers under current market conditions. The ratio is calculated by dividing the final sales price of a property by its original list price and is expressed as a percentage. A sales-to-list ratio with 100 percent or above suggests that the property sold for more than the list price, and a ratio below 100 percent indicates that the price sold below the asking price.

**Price per square foot is a measure commonly used by real estate agents and brokers to determine how much a square foot of space a buyer will pay for a property. It is calculated as the sale price of the home divided by the number of finished square feet. C.A.R. currently tracks price-per-square foot statistics for 53 counties.

Leading the way…® in California real estate for 120 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^® (www.car.org) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States with nearly 190,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Sacramento.

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April 2026 County Sales and Price Activity
(and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)