Orange County Housing Market Update: April 2026 by the Numbers

Each month I read through the Orange County Housing Report from Steven Thomas carefully. It is one of the best data sources we have for understanding where the local market is headed. The April 13, 2026 report just dropped, and I want to break it down in plain English so you know exactly what is happening in our market right now.

Inventory: More Homes, But Still Below Historic Norms

Active listings rose by 113 homes over the past two weeks to 3,979 homes, a 3 percent increase. That is almost identical to this time last year at 3,945 homes. But here is the perspective check: the pre COVID three year average from 2017 to 2019 was 5,780 homes, 45 percent more than today. We are still operating in a low inventory environment by historical standards, which continues to support home values.

From January through March, 24 percent fewer homes came on the market than the pre COVID average, about 2,433 fewer homes. That supply constraint is a big reason why prices have held up as well as they have.

Demand: At or Near Its Annual Peak

Buyer demand, measured by new pending sales over the prior month, stands at 1,599, down 55 in the past two weeks, a 3 percent drop. Last year at this time it was 1,594. Nearly identical. The data suggests we may have just passed the annual demand peak, which typically arrives between mid March and early May.

For context, the pre COVID demand average was 2,777 pending sales, 74 percent higher than today. Buyer demand remains structurally subdued compared to pre pandemic norms, primarily due to mortgage rate sensitivity.

Expected Market Time: 75 Days and Climbing

The Expected Market Time, the number of days to sell all Orange County listings at the current pace, rose from 70 to 75 days, its highest since late January. Last year it was 74 days. The pre COVID average was 62 days, faster than today.

Condominiums and townhomes are slower at 77 days, up from 74, while detached homes are faster at 67 days, down from 72 last year. If you own a detached home, the market is in your favor relative to last year.

Market Time by Price Range

Here is the full breakdown as of April 13, 2026, with this year compared to last year:

• Under $750K: 85 days this year, 57 days last year
• $750K to $1M: 48 days this year, 45 days last year
• $1M to $1.25M: 53 days this year, 51 days last year
• $1.25M to $1.5M: 59 days this year, 54 days last year
• $1.5M to $2M: 64 days this year, 87 days last year, faster
• $2M to $2.5M: 103 days this year, 93 days last year
• $2.5M to $4M: 114 days this year, 155 days last year, much faster
• $4M to $6M: 158 days this year, 200 days last year, much faster
• Above $6M: 293 days this year, 446 days last year, much faster

The big story is in the luxury tiers. Every price range above $1.5 million is moving significantly faster than it did a year ago, in some cases dramatically so. The $2.5 million to $4 million range is 41 days faster, and the segment above $6 million is 153 days faster. That is a remarkable shift.

Closed Sales and Distress: A Healthy Market

March 2026 saw 1,851 closed residential resales, up 3 percent from March 2025. The sales to list price ratio was exactly 100.0 percent. Distressed sales, short sales and foreclosures, made up just 0.3 percent of all listings, only 10 homes total. That means 99.9 percent of sellers have equity. This is a fundamentally healthy market.

My Bottom Line

The Orange County market is balanced and healthy, with elevated but plateauing demand and gently rising inventory. Sellers who price precisely are still getting full asking price. Buyers have more choices than they did in winter, and mortgage rates are lower than last year. It is a good time for both sides of the transaction, if you approach it with the right strategy.

Have questions about your specific neighborhood or price range? I am always happy to dig into the local data with you.