East Bay Housing Market Trends

The Local Lowdown — East Bay

Quick Take:

• Single-family home prices posted modest year-over-year gains across both Alameda and Contra Costa counties, while the condo market continues to soften—especially in Contra Costa County, where prices saw double-digit declines.

• Inventory remains well below last year’s levels, with both single-family homes and condos down nearly 20% year-over-year.

• Single-family homes are still moving quickly, particularly in Alameda County, while condos are spending significantly more time on the market throughout the region.

Note: You can find the charts and graphs for the Local Lowdown at the end of this section.

Single-family homes start the year with steady momentum

The East Bay housing market is beginning 2026 with encouraging signs in the single-family home segment.

In Alameda County, the median single-family home sold for $1,150,000 in January, representing a 2.86% increase year-over-year. Contra Costa County saw similar momentum, with the median single-family home reaching $800,000, a 2.04% increase compared to last year.

After several months of relatively flat price movement, these gains suggest renewed stability in the single-family home market.

The condo market, however, is telling a different story. Condo prices declined 6.36% year-over-year in Alameda County, bringing the median price to $515,000. In Contra Costa County, the decline was even more pronounced, with condo prices dropping 14.39% to $455,000.

This widening gap between single-family homes and condos continues to be one of the defining trends shaping the East Bay market.

Inventory remains lower than last year

Housing supply in the East Bay remains constrained as we begin the year.

Across both counties, single-family home inventory stood at 1,639 units, representing an 18.58% decline compared to January of last year. The condo market saw an even steeper reduction, with inventory falling 20.03% year-over-year to 627 units.

Limited inventory continues to support pricing for single-family homes, while also making it more challenging for buyers to find the right property.

Historically, we tend to see more listings come to market as we move into the spring season. Whether those new listings will meaningfully ease the inventory shortage will be an important trend to watch in the coming months.

Condos are taking longer to sell

The pace of sales across the East Bay varies significantly depending on the property type.

In Alameda County, single-family homes continue to sell quickly, with the average home going under contract in just 19 days, roughly unchanged from last year.

In Contra Costa County, single-family homes are taking slightly longer to sell, averaging 30 days on the market, which represents a 15.38% increase year-over-year.

Condos, however, are moving at a noticeably slower pace across the region. The average condo in Alameda County is spending 51 days on the market, while Contra Costa County condos are averaging 52 days.

The slowdown is particularly noticeable in Contra Costa County, where days on market for condos jumped 67.74% compared to last year. This suggests buyers currently have more negotiating leverage in the condo segment.

The East Bay remains in seller’s market territory

To understand whether a market favors buyers or sellers, we often look at Months of Supply Inventory (MSI). Historically, California averages around three months of inventory, which represents a balanced market.

• Less than three months of inventory typically signals a seller’s market

• More than three months generally indicates a buyer’s market

At the start of 2026, the East Bay remains firmly in seller’s market territory.

For single-family homes, inventory levels remain especially tight:

• Alameda County: 1.1 months of inventory

• Contra Costa County: 1.5 months of inventory

Both figures represent year-over-year declines and indicate continued competition for single-family homes.

Even the condo market, despite weaker pricing, remains relatively tight. Alameda County ended January with 2.7 months of condo inventory, while Contra Costa County had 2.9 months—both still below the three-month threshold.

Bottom Line

The East Bay housing market is starting 2026 with mixed—but overall stable—conditions. Single-family homes continue to show steady price growth and strong demand, while the condo market is still working through softer pricing and longer selling times.

Limited inventory across both counties continues to support the market, particularly for single-family homes, where buyers are still facing meaningful competition. At the same time, the condo segment may present opportunities for buyers who are looking for more negotiating flexibility.

As we move into the spring market, the key factor to watch will be whether new listings begin to meaningfully increase inventory—and how quickly the market absorbs those homes.