A buyer looking in San Francisco, on the Peninsula or in Marin can encounter very different conditions within a relatively short drive. The August figures show just how much location and property type matter to a successful purchase or sale.

Among the five counties in this comparison, San Mateo recorded the highest median detached-home price and the shortest median selling time. San Francisco had the least available supply relative to sales. Marin offered more inventory and a longer selling cycle, even as its median price rose from a year earlier.

As your real estate advisor, my job is to put those numbers into perspective for your property and your plans. A county median is useful context. The value of an individual home still depends on its neighborhood, condition, design and competition.

Five Counties, Five Different Markets

Median sale price

Source: C.A.R. county reports as compiled in the original report. January 2025–July 2026 points are estimates; August 2026 reflects the reported snapshot.

Months of supply

Source: C.A.R. county reports as compiled in the original report. January 2025–July 2026 points are estimates; August 2026 reflects the reported snapshot.

Median days on market

Source: C.A.R. county reports as compiled in the original report. January 2025–July 2026 points are estimates; August 2026 reflects the reported snapshot.

The following August 2026 figures are from the California Association of REALTORS® county reports and cover detached homes. Price changes compare August 2026 with August 2025.

County	Median price	Price change	Supply	Median days
San Francisco	$1,875,000	+25.0%	1.3 months	34
San Mateo	$2,250,000	+13.2%	1.7 months	11
Santa Clara	$1,900,000	0.0%	2.1 months	12
Alameda	$1,285,000	+1.3%	2.3 months	14
Marin	$1,650,500	+8.4%	2.7 months	56

Months of supply measures how long available inventory would last at the reported sales pace. It helps explain the balance between buyers and sellers, although that balance can vary considerably by neighborhood and price range.

San Mateo and Santa Clara Move Quickly

San Mateo’s $2.25 million median price was the highest in this five-county comparison. With a median selling time of 11 days and 1.7 months of supply, its August results suggest limited room for hesitation on competitively priced properties.

Santa Clara followed closely at 12 median days on market. Its $1.9 million median price was unchanged from August 2025. That combination is a useful reminder that a fast-moving market does not necessarily produce a rising county median every month.

Marin Offers More Time to Consider a Purchase

Marin recorded 2.7 months of supply and a median selling time of 56 days, the highest readings among these five counties. Its median price nevertheless rose 8.4% from a year earlier to $1,650,500.

For buyers, those figures suggest more time to evaluate options than in San Mateo or Santa Clara. For sellers, they underscore the importance of realistic pricing and thoughtful preparation. More inventory does not guarantee a discount, and a rising median does not guarantee a quick sale.

Alameda had the lowest median price in the comparison at $1,285,000, up 1.3% year over year. With 2.3 months of supply and 14 median days on market, it also illustrates why affordability and selling speed should be considered separately.

Marin County waterfront, with sailboats and San Francisco across the bay. Photograph supplied by Catherine Bassick. Used exactly as supplied.

Inside San Francisco, Property Type Matters

A separate set of SFAR MLS and Realtors Property Resource® reports provides a closer look at San Francisco by property type. These figures should be read within that reporting series. The source report does not reconcile its coverage and calculation methods with the CAR county series, so their medians and selling times should not be combined.

August 2026 metric	Single-family homes	Condos, townhouses, apartments
Median sold price	$1,700,000	$1,160,500
Reported sold-to-list ratio	123.3%	106%
Median days on market	30	45
Months of supply	1.29	2.38

Source: SFAR MLS / RPR Market Activity and Market Trends reports, as compiled in the accompanying August 2026 report.

The difference in supply is substantial. Single-family homes had 1.29 months of inventory, compared with 2.38 months for the combined condo, townhouse and apartment category. That supports a stronger seller position for single-family homes at the citywide level.

The reported 123.3% sold-to-list ratio for single-family homes also deserves context. Asking prices are part of a marketing strategy and may be set below expected sale prices. A sale above asking does not, by itself, establish that a buyer paid above market value or that every seller can expect the same premium.

The combined condo category recorded a $1,160,500 median sold price and 45 median days on market. Buyers had more breathing room than in the single-family segment, but each building requires its own analysis, including association finances, insurance, assessments and financing considerations.

I would draw few conclusions from the co-op figures this month. The report identifies very limited activity, making the results particularly sensitive to which individual properties traded.

What These Numbers Mean for Your Property

For buyers

For buyers, preparation matters most in the markets moving quickly. Understanding financing, reviewing available disclosures and defining your priorities early can help you act confidently when the right property becomes available.

For sellers

For sellers, limited supply is an advantage only when the property is positioned well. Buyers still compare condition, location and price. I would use recent comparable sales and the homes competing with yours today to establish a pricing strategy, rather than applying a countywide percentage increase to a previous valuation.

For trustees, executors and family fiduciaries

For trustees, executors and families managing an estate, these differences also affect planning. A longer expected marketing period can change carrying costs and the timing of a distribution. Market statistics help frame that discussion, but an estate property needs an analysis appropriate to the asset and the purpose of the valuation.

What I Am Watching This Fall

Inventory is the measure I will be watching most closely. The August snapshot shows limited supply in San Francisco and San Mateo, but the next question is how much new choice buyers will have as the fall market develops.

Home sales compared with a year earlier

Original graph retained unchanged. Historical points are estimates. Its August labels differ from the report’s table: San Francisco −3.8% versus −3.2%; San Mateo +1.3% versus +1.5%; Alameda −8.9% versus −8.8%; Marin +13.5% versus +13.6%. The article uses the table figures.

I will also be watching whether new listings translate into accepted offers and completed sales. The CAR figures show that August sales volume fell 3.2% year over year in San Francisco, 13.0% in Santa Clara and 8.8% in Alameda, while rising 1.5% in San Mateo and 13.6% in Marin. Price, supply and transaction volume each tell a different part of the story.

My advice is to begin with the property and the decision you need to make. A home in Pacific Heights, a Peninsula estate and a Marin residence may require very different approaches, even when they appear under the same Bay Area headline.

Considering a sale or purchase in San Francisco, the Peninsula or the greater Bay Area? I would be pleased to discuss what these figures mean for your property and your plans. Contact Catherine Bassick

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San Francisco Luxury Defied the National Trend in August 2026

San Francisco was the only major U.S. market where the priciest August home sales closed above asking, according to Homes.com’s analysis of the most expensive publicly marketed transactions.

Three of the five sold above asking, led by a Pacific Heights Victorian that closed at $6.63 million, 66% above its $4 million list price. Homes.com attributes the result to continued competition for luxury homes, supported by AI-related growth in buyer demand and limited available inventory.

The national picture ran the other way. Across nearly two dozen markets analyzed, the top transactions averaged 6% — about $906,000 — below original asking. In Boston, Tampa, Phoenix, Denver, Atlanta, and Miami, each of the five leading sales closed below asking. Boston’s priciest August sale was $14.3 million.

What it means for your property: San Francisco luxury is a market apart. For sellers of exceptional, well-positioned homes, the data supports confident pricing — but the premium went to properties buyers competed for, not to aspirational list prices. For buyers, the takeaway is preparation: in the top tier, winning offers still need to be sharp and fast. For trustees and executors, the gap between San Francisco and the national luxury trend is a reminder that luxury value is intensely local.

Source: Homes.com analysis of August 2026 MLS transactions, via Business Wire. Based on publicly marketed sales; excludes private and off-market transactions, which are common at the highest tier.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was San Francisco’s median home price in August 2026?

CAR reported a detached-home median of $1,875,000. The separate SFAR MLS / RPR series reported a single-family median sold price of $1,700,000. Use each figure with its own source and coverage.

Which county had the highest median price?

San Mateo, at $2,250,000 for detached homes, among the five counties compared.

Where did homes sell fastest?

San Mateo recorded 11 median days on market, followed by Santa Clara at 12, in the August CAR detached-home figures.

Which county had the tightest inventory?

San Francisco recorded 1.3 months of unsold inventory in the CAR county comparison.

Was San Francisco a buyer’s or seller’s market?

The August SFAR MLS / RPR supply figures favored sellers, particularly for single-family homes. Conditions for a specific property depend on its price, location and competition.

Sources and Methodology

This article adapts Bay Area County Market Comparison — Aug 2026, compiled by Catherine Bassick. County figures are attributed in that report to California Association of REALTORS® County Market Updates, Trends At A Glance, August 2026. San Francisco property-type figures are attributed to SFAR MLS / Realtors Property Resource® Market Activity and Market Trends reports, with data as of August 2026.

The tables use the report’s exact August snapshot figures. The original graphs are retained: January 2025 through July 2026 points were estimated from C.A.R. county trend charts. Median prices reflect the mix of properties sold and are not a measure of appreciation for an individual home. Countywide statistics do not isolate the luxury segment.

Source resources: C.A.R. county reports | RPR Market Trends methodology

Links above identify the data providers and reporting tools; they are not direct links to the original August 2026 source reports.