San Diego, CA
Balanced's marketSoftening prices and 54% of homes selling below list — San Diego is one of the cleaner buyer markets in the country right now.
DATA · Zillow Research (via scrape.do) · AS OF APRIL 2026
| Detail | Value | Detail | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median list price | $881,667 | Median sale price | $929,083 |
| Sale-to-list ratio | 0.995 | % sold below list | +53.8% |
| Active inventory | 2,963 | New listings | 1,123 |
How San Diego has moved.
San Diego sits at a median home value of $1,006,261 as of the latest Zillow read, down 2.9% year-over-year — a meaningful softening that’s putting deal flow back on the table for cash buyers.
The sale-to-list ratio of 0.995 signals a balanced market — neither bid wars nor fire sales dominate. 53.8% of closings land below list, leaving room to negotiate on the right deal but no broad discount across the board.
Rents are the weak side of this market. ZORI is $2,942/mo against a $1006k median — a 3.51% gross yield isn’t enough to make most BRRRRs cash-flow at today’s debt costs. Plan to exit, not hold.
Median days-on-market is running around 16 days against 2,963.333 active listings — that’s a fast-moving market. Speed is the moat; pre-arranged proof of funds and a tight buyers list are the difference between getting under contract and getting outbid.
MDR’s composite investor score for San Diego is 40/100 based on rent yield, sale-to-list discount, motivated-seller proxies, and DOM. Lower tier this quarter. Watch list, not deploy list — re-evaluate next read.
The same data, five operator lenses.
Lead lists, sourcing channels, and disposition strategies tuned to the local market.
ARV math, rehab scope, and exit timing for the local buyer profile.
Buy-rehab-rent-refi-repeat math tuned to local rents, prices, and DSCR.
Buy-and-hold rental analysis tuned to local rents, taxes, and tenant mix.
Subject-to, seller financing, wraps, and lease-options sized for the local market.
San Diego for investors.
Is San Diego a good market for real estate investors in 2026?
Metro Deal Report's composite investor score for San Diego is 40/100, based on rent yield, sale-to-list ratio, motivated-seller proxies, and days on market. San Diego is a lower-tier market right now. Watch list, not deploy list, until the numbers shift.
What is the median home price in San Diego?
The typical home value in San Diego as of the most recent Zillow read is $1,006,261. Median list price is $881,667 and median sale price is $929,083. Year-over-year change: -2.9%.
What can a landlord expect to rent a property for in San Diego?
Zillow's Observed Rent Index for San Diego is $2,942/mo. Against the typical home value of $1.0M, that produces a gross annual rent yield of 3.51% — below the national 4-5% baseline, which makes BRRRR difficult at today's debt costs.
Is San Diego a buyer's or seller's market?
San Diego's current sale-to-list ratio is 0.995 with 53.8% of homes closing below list. That's a balanced market — neither side dominates. Median days on market: 16 days. Active inventory: 2,963 listings.
Which investment strategy works best in San Diego?
San Diego's data favors a mixed approach — no single strategy dominates, so selective deal sourcing wins. See the per-strategy breakdowns at /wholesaling/san-diego, /brrrr/san-diego, and /flipping/san-diego.
Loan options for San Diego properties.
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