How Fast You Can Expect To Sell Your Home in These 19 California Housing Markets

Many potential homeowners dream of the California real estate market, as it is one of the most dynamic and sought-after in the country. The Golden State is one of contrasts — its vast geography includes coastal cities, desert communities, rural farmland and urban hot spots. This makes the housing market in numerous cities both competitive and potentially lucrative.

GOBankingRates recently conducted a study to examine the best housing markets in cities across the country based on such factors as 1-year and 2-year changes in home value, the share of listings with a price cut, mean list-to-sale ratio and pending days to close.

To better compare to California’s housing market, here are the national statistics:

• The national average home value in the U.S. in August 2023 was $350,979 and increased to $361,282 by August 2024.
• This is a 2.94% 1-year increase in home value and a 3.35% 2-year difference.
• The national mean days to close on a house is 34 days.
• The share of listings with a price cut is about 25.52%

In general, California’s market is filled with prime real estate at premium price tags, particularly in high-demand areas like Silicon Valley, Los Angeles and San Francisco. However, it’s important to note that while demand is high in many parts of the state, inventory constraints and pricing can play a major role in determining the length of time your home will sit on the market.

Here are 19 housing markets in California where you can potentially sell your house for a profit, and quickly.

• August 2022 home value: $1,494,018
• August 2023 home value: $1,411,721
• August 2024 home value: $1,562,939
• 1-year home value change: 10.71%
• 2-year home value change: 4.61%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 106.63%
• Mean days to close: 24

• August 2022 home value: $885,011
• August 2023 home value: $872,580
• August 2024 home value: $942,645
• 1-year home value change: 8.03%
• 2-year home value change: 6.51%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 100.40%
• Mean days to close: 26

• August 2022 home value: $337,637
• August 2023 home value: $337,839
• August 2024 home value: $356,225
• 1-year home value change: 5.44%
• 2-year home value change: 5.51%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 98.99%
• Mean days to close: 33

• August 2022 home value: $900,195
• August 2023 home value: $887,336
• August 2024 home value: $945,636
• 1-year home value change: 6.57%
• 2-year home value change: 5.05%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 101.60%
• Mean days to close: 29

• August 2022 home value: $836,108
• August 2023 home value: $821,155
• August 2024 home value: $868,446
• 1-year home value change: 5.76%
• 2-year home value change: 3.87%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 100.02%
• Mean days to close: 30

• August 2022 home value: $418,543
• August 2023 home value: $396,528
• August 2024 home value: $415,354
• 1-year home value change: 4.75%
• 2-year home value change: -0.76%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 99.42%
• Mean days to close: 29

• August 2022 home value: $338,118
• August 2023 home value: $334,124
• August 2024 home value: $347,073
• 1-year home value change: 3.88%
• 2-year home value change: 2.65%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 98.71%
• Mean days to close: 33

• August 2022 home value: $388,586
• August 2023 home value: $380,442
• August 2024 home value: $396,738
• 1-year home value change: 4.28%
• 2-year home value change: 2.10%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 99.45%
• Mean days to close: 31

• August 2022 home value: $568,506
• August 2023 home value: $553,330
• August 2024 home value: $582,073
• 1-year home value change: 5.19%
• 2-year home value change: 2.39%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 99.70%
• Mean days to close: 31

• August 2022 home value: $467,339
• August 2023 home value: $444,866
• August 2024 home value: $464,705
• 1-year home value change: 4.46%
• 2-year home value change: -0.56%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 99.67%
• Mean days to close: 29

• August 2022 home value: $846,070
• August 2023 home value: $852,507
• August 2024 home value: $883,708
• 1-year home value change: 3.66%
• 2-year home value change: 4.45%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 99.31%
• Mean days to close: 31

• August 2022 home value: $910,819
• August 2023 home value: $913,095
• August 2024 home value: $968,859
• 1-year home value change: 6.11%
• 2-year home value change: 6.37%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 99.81%
• Mean days to close: 31

• August 2022 home value: $554,789
• August 2023 home value: $521,376
• August 2024 home value: $535,826
• 1-year home value change: 2.77%
• 2-year home value change: -3.42%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 99.86%
• Mean days to close: 28

• August 2022 home value: $1,200,758
• August 2023 home value: $1,106,616
• August 2024 home value: $1,147,690
• 1-year home value change: 3.71%
• 2-year home value change: -4.42%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 105.41%
• Mean days to close: 24

• August 2022 home value: $608,236
• August 2023 home value: $577,588
• August 2024 home value: $588,013
• 1-year home value change: 1.80%
• 2-year home value change: -3.32%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 100.44%
• Mean days to close: 27

• August 2022 home value: $802,682
• August 2023 home value: $790,909
• August 2024 home value: $827,339
• 1-year home value change: 4.61%
• 2-year home value change: 3.07%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 99.09%
• Mean days to close: 30

• August 2022 home value: $794,355
• August 2023 home value: $789,130
• August 2024 home value: $799,735
• 1-year home value change: 1.34%
• 2-year home value change: 0.68%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 100.96%
• Mean days to close: 24

• August 2022 home value: $603,363
• August 2023 home value: $563,471
• August 2024 home value: $578,312
• 1-year home value change: 2.63%
• 2-year home value change: -4.15%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 100.39%
• Mean days to close: 26

• August 2022 home value: $1,186,372
• August 2023 home value: $1,131,828
• August 2024 home value: $1,151,917
• 1-year home value change: 1.77%
• 2-year home value change: -2.90%
• Mean sale-to-list ratio: 99.90%
• Mean days to close: 26

Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates looked at the 200 largest Metro Statistical Areas (MSA) according to real estate market and found the following ten factors. For each MSA, GOBankingRates found: (1) 1-year percent change in home value; (2) 1-year change in home value in USD; (3) 2-year percent change in home value; (4) 2-year change in home value in USD; (5) for-sale inventory; (6) mean days from listing to pending; (7) mean list to sale ratio; (8) mean days from pending to close; (9) share of listings with a price cut; and (10) mean price cut. All data was sourced from Zillow’s June 2024 data. All ten factors were then scored and combined with the highest score being the worst housing markets. In final calculations, factors (1), (2), (9) and (10) were weighted 2x and factor (5) was weighted 0.5x. All data was collected and is up to date as of Sept. 26, 2024.