Orange County Housing Market
Orange County still favors sellers on supply, but buyers have not had this much room to negotiate in years.
The median asking price in Orange County is $1,299,000, 7.1% lower than a year ago. There are 4,874 homes on the market, 0.9% fewer than last year, and they are taking 51 days to go under contract. Roughly 1 in 5 sellers has cut their asking price. Measured against this market's own last ten years, buyers have more negotiating room than they have had in 74% of that period. Supply is still tight at 2.7 months, so this is not a soft market. What changed is that sellers are cutting prices and waiting longer than they are used to.
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Orange County housing market: quick answers
Is it a buyer's or a seller's market in Orange County right now?
On supply it is a seller's market, with 2.7 months of homes for sale as of August 2026. Under about three months usually favors sellers. Measured against this county's own last ten years, buyers have more room to negotiate than in most of the past decade (a buyer leverage reading of 74 out of 100).
What is the median home price in Orange County?
The median asking price in Orange County is $1,299,000, 7.1% lower than a year ago. Asking prices are down 7.1% year over year. Price per square foot is rising faster than the headline median, which means smaller homes are making up more of what is for sale. The 12 month trend line is falling about $1,176 per month, which agrees with the year over year direction.
How long does it take to sell a home in Orange County?
The typical home goes under contract in 51 days, the same pace as last year. 19.8% of active listings have taken a price cut, higher than a year ago. Homes are closing essentially at asking price.
How much income do you need to buy a home in Orange County?
On the typical home value of $1,178,889 with 20% down, a 30 year fixed loan at the 6.95% Freddie Mac weekly average (September 17, 2026) comes to about $7,766 a month including property tax and insurance. At the common 28% guideline that takes roughly $332,829 of household income. This is an illustration, not a loan offer. Your rate and payment depend on your lender, your credit and your down payment.
When is the best month to sell a home in Orange County?
Over the last 11 years, April has been the strongest month to list in this market, with asking prices running about 5.3% above the annual average. December is typically the slowest month, which is when buyers get the most patience out of a seller.
Which parts of Orange County are moving fastest?
Fountain Valley is moving fastest right now at 11 days on market. Laguna Beach is the slowest at 55 days, which is where buyers will find the most patience. This table covers 87 ZIP codes with enough listing volume to report. 92707 in Santa Ana is the tightest, with homes going under contract in 25 days. 92637 in Laguna Woods carries the lowest median asking price at $483,500.