The Orange County Housing Market: What Buyers and Sellers Should Know
By Brett Hickman, NMLS #2010859, DRE #01843823 · Numbers updated October 16, 2026
Market numbers
Orange County home sales, September 2026
In September 2026, 1,639 homes sold in Orange County. The median sold price was $1,230,000, 2% more than in September 2025. Half of them were on the market 21 days or less.
What the numbers say
- At September's pace, the 4,646 homes for sale would sell in about 2.8 months. That favors sellers: there are more buyers than homes. Good homes get offers fast, so buyers do best with a pre-approval in hand before they tour.
- The middle home sold for about 1% under its last asking price.
- Homes are selling about as fast as in September 2025.
- A condo or townhome sold for a median of $792,000, about 45% less than a house at $1,450,000.
- The median house sold for $1,450,000. Orange County's 2026 loan limit is $1,249,125, and a loan above it is a jumbo loan.
Based on information from California Regional MLS (CRMLS) as of October 16, 2026, all of Orange County. Houses, condos and townhomes. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
These numbers cover all of Orange County. The county has 34 cities plus unincorporated areas, and prices vary a lot between them. Use these numbers for the big picture, then check the page for your city below.
If you're buying
Start with the trend. Are homes selling fast or slow? Closer to asking or further from it? Then look at your city, because a county-wide median mixes beach towns with inland neighborhoods.
In any market, the buyers who get the house are the ones who are ready first: pre-approved, with a payment they're comfortable with, before they tour.
If you're selling
County trends show the direction. Your price comes from recent sales near you. If days on market is climbing county-wide, price a little sharper from day one.
The loan side
Orange County has a higher loan limit than most of the country, so more buyers here can use a standard loan. Above that limit is a jumbo loan, with its own rules. I'll show you which one fits your price.
Text me the city and price range you're looking at. I'll run the payment, so you can shop with confidence.