The Local Lowdown
Quick Take:
- Bay Area real estate markets show mixed trends in April, with some areas seeing price declines while others maintain growth.
- Inventory dynamics vary dramatically by region, with East Bay seeing substantial increases (~43%) while San Francisco continues to struggle with persistent shortages.
- The single-family home market remains largely a seller's market across most Bay Area regions, while the condo market generally favors buyers with higher months of supply.
- Despite varying inventory levels, homes are still selling relatively quickly throughout the Bay Area, with particularly fast movement in Silicon Valley (8-15 days).
Note: You can find the charts/graphs for the Local Lowdown at the end of this section.
Price Trends Vary Significantly Across Bay Area Regions
April showed considerable variation in price trends across the Bay Area. Silicon Valley presented a mixed picture, with Santa Cruz County breaking its year-long winning streak as median sale prices fell 8.57% year-over-year, while San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties continued positive growth at 1.69% and 5.50% respectively.
The East Bay saw widespread price declines, with single-family homes in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties dropping 3.21% and 4.31%, and Contra Costa condos experiencing a sharp 12% decrease. North Bay prices remained relatively flat, with minimal movement in Sonoma, Marin, Solano, and Napa Counties (ranging from +2.93% to -0.52%).
San Francisco showed contrasting trends, with single-family home prices increasing modestly by 2.12%, while condo prices reversed their five-month decline with a robust 9.13% increase, possibly signaling a turning point for the San Francisco condo market.
Inventory Levels Show Dramatic Regional Variations
Inventory trends vary dramatically across Bay Area regions in April. The East Bay experienced a substantial surge, with both single-family and condo inventories increasing by approximately 43% year-over-year, driven by a 7.47% increase in new single-family listings while sales dropped 12.21%.
Silicon Valley similarly saw inventory growth, with single-family home supply increasing nearly 30% year-over-year and condo inventory jumping an impressive 51.29%, as new listings outpaced closings. In stark contrast, North Bay inventory levels continued to fall, with a 16.61% year-over-year and 15.87% month-over-month decrease in active listings, largely due to 30% fewer new listings hitting the market compared to last year.
San Francisco's inventory situation remains particularly challenging, with single-family home listings dropping 6.29% and condo listings falling 7.52% year-over-year, with condo sales seeing a substantial 21.17% decrease, one of the most significant declines in recent times.
Homes Continue to Sell Quickly Despite Inventory Variations
Despite varying inventory levels and price trends, homes across the Bay Area are still selling relatively quickly. Silicon Valley continues to lead with the fastest market movement, the average single-family home in Santa Clara County sells in just 8 days, while San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties follow at 11 and 15 days, respectively.
The East Bay also maintains quick sales with single-family homes typically on the market for only 13 days, and condos selling in 19 days in Alameda County and 26 days in Contra Costa. North Bay is experiencing slightly longer market times compared to last year, but still maintains reasonable timeframes.
San Francisco's single-family homes are not only selling quickly but commanding substantial premiums, with the average home selling for 14.2% above asking price, though condos are selling closer to list price (just 0.4% above asking). These relatively short market times, despite increasing inventory in some regions, indicate that buyer demand remains healthy throughout much of the Bay Area.
The Single-Family Home Market Favors Sellers, While the Condo Market Favors Buyers
The months of supply inventory (MSI) metric shows a consistent pattern across the Bay Area, with single-family homes generally remaining in seller's market territory while condos favor buyers. In San Francisco, single-family homes have just 1.7 months of supply (strongly favoring sellers), while condos sit at 3.9 months (favoring buyers).
Silicon Valley shows a similar split, with San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties at 1.7 months for single-family homes, while condos range from 3.2 to 5.6 months of supply. The East Bay single-family market stands at 2.2 months in Alameda and 2.5 months in Contra Costa, suggesting sellers maintain leverage for now, though with rising inventory, this could shift toward a buyer's market this summer.
Meanwhile, East Bay condos clearly favor buyers with 4.7 and 3.9 months of supply in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, respectively. The North Bay shows more variation, with Napa County at 6.2 months (strongly favoring buyers), Sonoma at 3.1 months (balanced), and Marin and Solano at 2.6 and 2.2 months, respectively (favoring sellers). This consistent pattern of lower MSI for single-family homes versus condos appears throughout the Bay Area, highlighting the continued preference for detached housing.
