One Market, A Spectrum of Speeds: OC Housing by the Numbers

Not all homes in Orange County sell at the same speed. The April 27, 2026 housing report by Steven Thomas at Reports on Housing puts a fine point on something I tell clients constantly: the Orange County market is not one market. It is a spectrum of markets layered on top of each other, each moving at a completely different pace.

The Expected Market Time, the number of days it would take to sell every active listing at the current buying pace, ranges from 41 days at the fastest to 303 days at the slowest. Same county. Completely different experience.

The Sweet Spot: $750K to $1.5M Detached

Detached homes priced between $750,000 and $1.5 million are in the hottest part of the market. Expected Market Time in this range runs from 41 to 44 days. Homes that are accurately priced, in great condition, and show well are still drawing multiple offers and selling at or above asking. The March 2026 sales to list price ratio across Orange County was 100.0 percent.

Above the Sweet Spot: The Luxury Slowdown

Above $2 million, the market slows meaningfully. Here is the full breakdown as of April 27:

• Homes from $2.5 million to $4 million: 131 days
• Homes from $4 million to $6 million: 161 days
• Homes above $6 million: 303 days, nearly a year

At the ultra luxury level, there simply are not enough active buyers relative to the sellers competing for them. Patience and precision pricing are the only tools that work here. That said, year over year the luxury market is still outperforming 2025: last year's overall luxury Expected Market Time was 228 days versus today's 166 days, a meaningful improvement.

Location Matters Too

Geography plays a real role beyond price. Anaheim Hills is moving at just 37 days, while Rancho Mission Viejo sits at 104 days. Same county, same spring market, very different buyer pools. Understanding the micro market your home is actually in, not just the county average, is essential to a smart pricing strategy.

The Overall Picture

The combined Expected Market Time for detached and attached homes rose to 80 days as of April 27, up from 75 two weeks ago and 70 a month ago. The market is naturally slowing as we move through spring. But within that overall trend, the differences by price and property type are dramatic. Where your home sits on this spectrum determines everything: your pricing strategy, your timeline, and your expectations.

If you want to know exactly where your home falls, and what it would take to sell quickly, I would love to walk you through it.