North Bay Housing Market Insights

The Local Lowdown

Quick Take:
Home prices across the North Bay ended the year with mixed results, led by strong appreciation in Napa County, while other areas experienced modest softening.
Inventory dropped sharply across all property types, with single-family home supply down nearly 39% year-over-year.
Even with fewer homes available, listings are taking longer to sell in several counties as buyers move more thoughtfully and selectively.

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

A mixed close to the year across the North Bay
December brought a varied set of outcomes across the North Bay housing market. Napa County stood out with strong performance, as the median single-family home price rose 7.34% year-over-year to $944,624. Marin County also saw modest growth, with prices increasing 0.83% to a median of $1,512,500. Meanwhile, Sonoma and Solano Counties experienced slight price adjustments, with median values declining by 1.18% and 0.61%, respectively.

The condo market showed even greater variability. Marin County condos saw a significant 33.59% year-over-year decline in median price, while Sonoma County recorded a 5.86% increase. Napa County condos also posted notable gains, with prices rising 13.13% compared to last year. These contrasting trends highlight how hyper-local conditions continue to shape pricing across the North Bay.

Inventory levels drop sharply to close out the year
After much of 2025 saw elevated inventory levels, December marked a clear shift. Single-family home inventory fell dramatically, down 43.56% month-over-month and 38.85% year-over-year, leaving just 1,407 homes available across the region. Condo inventory followed suit, declining 36.83% from the previous month and 27.99% year-over-year to just 211 available units.

This sharp pullback goes beyond typical seasonal slowdowns and reflects both fewer new listings and stronger buyer activity toward the end of the year. New listings declined significantly as well, down more than 50% year-over-year for both single-family homes and condos. With supply tightening on multiple fronts, the inventory squeeze is likely to remain a defining factor as we move into the new year.

Homes are taking longer to sell despite the limited supply
Interestingly, even as inventory has tightened, many listings are spending more time on the market than they did last year. In Sonoma County, single-family homes averaged 61 days on market — a 35.56% increase year-over-year — while Solano County saw the most notable shift, with homes averaging 50 days on market, up 42.86%. Marin County remained more stable, with only a slight 2.04% increase in selling timelines.

The condo market presented a mixed picture. Marin County condos are now taking significantly longer to sell, with days on market up 46.34% year-over-year. In contrast, Napa County condos moved more quickly, with days on market decreasing by 22.06%. Buyers remain active, but they are approaching decisions more deliberately, balancing limited inventory with careful evaluation.

Seller’s market conditions strengthen heading into the new year
Market balance is often measured through Months of Supply Inventory (MSI), with roughly three months considered a balanced market. Anything below that level indicates a seller’s market, while a higher supply tends to favor buyers.

As December closed, the North Bay shifted more decisively toward seller’s market territory. Marin County leads the way with just 0.8 months of single-family inventory, followed by Sonoma County at 1.5 months and Solano County at 1.8 months. Even Napa County, which leaned more toward buyers earlier in the year, has tightened to four months of supply.

The condo market has also contracted, with Sonoma at 2.2 months of inventory, Marin at two months, Solano at 3.5 months, and Napa at 3.7 months. With inventory continuing to shrink and buyer demand still present, the new year may offer a strong opportunity for sellers as competition intensifies for a limited pool of available homes.

Local Lowdown Data