Spring Market Report: San Diego County, 2026

If you've been watching the San Diego County market the way I have — closely, daily, with a spreadsheet that I update on Sunday mornings — you've noticed the same shift I have. Inventory is loosening. Not dramatically, but enough to feel.

Active listings across East County rose roughly nine percent between January and March. The median sale-to-list ratio held at 99.4 percent, which tells us pricing discipline matters more than ever. Homes priced correctly out of the gate are still moving in under two weeks. Homes that aim a hair too high are sitting, getting reductions, and eventually selling for less than they would have if they'd entered the market sharp.

For buyers, the practical takeaway is patience plus preparation. With a touch more inventory, you finally have time to walk a property twice, sleep on it, and write a strong offer rather than a frantic one. But that doesn't mean the market is soft — well-priced homes in Mount Helix, Bonita, and Rancho San Diego are still drawing multiple offers.

For sellers, the strategy is the opposite of complacency. Stage. Photograph well. Price honestly. The homes that win this spring are the ones that show up to the market ready, not the ones that test a number and adjust.

I'll publish the next county-wide update in July. Until then, if you want a tailored read on your block — not a Zestimate, an actual read — call the office and we'll walk it together.