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San Francisco, CA housing market

San Francisco, CA metro median sale price $1.20M in Jul–Sep 2026, up 6.1% year over year. Also days on market, price cuts, affordability and ZIP-code figures.

The median sale price in the San Francisco, CA metro is $1.20M over Jul–Sep 2026, up 6.1% from the same 3 months a year earlier. The gain is larger than in most of the 383 U.S. metros Pecan Street ranks on this measure. FHFA's repeat-sales index for the metro points the other way: down 0.3% through Q2 2026.

On median sale price, San Francisco ($1.20M) ranks 2nd of the 25 California metros Pecan Street tracks, between San Jose ($1.52M) and Santa Cruz ($1.14M). On median days on market, San Francisco (37 days) ranks 24th of the 25 California metros, between San Diego (46 days) and San Jose (35 days). On share of listings with a price cut, San Francisco (28%) ranks 23rd of the 25 California metros, between Santa Maria (29%) and Napa (26%).

Listings spent a median 37 days on market in Sep 2026, the 16th-fewest of the 385 metros. 28% of active listings carry a price cut; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is 0.2 points lower. That share is lower than in most of the 385 metros. Building permits authorized 1,638 new housing units in Sep 2026.

At the 7.12% 30-year fixed rate with 20% down, principal and interest on a median-priced home come to $6,450 a month; at 28% of gross income, that takes about $276K a year. The median sale price equals about 21 years of HUD Fair Market Rent, a ratio up 1.1% from a year earlier. That ratio is the 24th-highest of the 373 metros. Active listings ask a median $627 per square foot; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is down 4.3%.

In nine of the 12 ZIP codes in the table below, median list prices are lower than a year earlier; three are higher.

Headline

Median sale price

Jul–Sep 2026

$1.20M

+6.1% year-over-year

How it’s calculated

Average of the last three monthly median sale prices vs. the same three months a year earlier.

Mortgage rate

Nov 4, 2026

7.12%

30-year fixed

Where it comes from

National benchmark: Optimal Blue OBMMI 30-year conforming, via FRED. An average of rates borrowers have actually locked, updated daily.

The same rate appears on every market page.

Monthly payment

Principal & interest

$6,450/mo

$276K/yr income needed

How it’s calculated

Payment — this market’s median sale price with 20% down, on a 30-year fixed loan at the rate shown. Principal and interest only — no property tax, insurance, PMI or HOA.

Income needed — that payment at 28% of gross income. A rule of thumb, not a lending decision.

How San Francisco compares to other U.S. metros

Days on market↓370th of 385
Price-to-rent↑24th of 373 (top 7%)
Price cuts↓333rd of 385
Home-price growth↑66th of 383 (top 18%)

Rank across the U.S. metros Pecan Street tracks, on market data alone — a higher rank means more of that measure (more price cuts, faster price growth, a wider asking-vs-sale gap, a higher price-to-rent ratio, or more days on market). The bar shows where this metro sits within that metric’s own cohort (left is more, right is less); ↑ and ↓ mark the positions furthest from the middle, and rows are ordered the same way. Metrics without data for this metro are omitted.

Affordability

Price-to-rent ratio≈ 21 +1.1% YoY
↑24th of 373 (top 7%)
Asking price / sq ft$627 -4.3% 3-month average vs a year earlier

Price-to-rent divides the median sale price by the annual HUD Fair Market Rent (a 3-bedroom, 40th-percentile benchmark), so it is a directional rent-vs-buy read, not a cap rate; its year-over-year change is directional in the same way. Asking price per square foot is the median across active for-sale listings (Realtor.com), as of Sep 2026. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market pressure

Listings with a price cut≈ 28% -0.2 pts 3-month average vs a year earlier
↓333rd of 385
New housing units permitted1,638

Price-cut share is the portion of active for-sale listings that have taken a price reduction (Realtor.com), as of Sep 2026. New housing units authorized by residential building permits in the metro that month — new supply in the pipeline, which counts of existing listings don't capture (US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey), as of Sep 2026. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market facts

ZIPs with listing data12 shown of 170
MLS board of record—
Price methodologyRedfin vs FHFA HPI
Sale-price windowJul–Sep 2026

Recent signals

No signals flagged for this market right now.

Housing Economy

San Francisco · ConstructionCOPIED

San Francisco builders pulled 8.6% more single-family permits than a year earlier

Single-family building permits in the San Francisco metro area, by month, one line per year, units

AprJulOct15020025030035020252026
AprJulOct15020025030035020252026
2024
Chart data
Month202420252026
Dec189236—
Nov227177—
Oct239277—
Sep233233256
Aug228242217
Jul247222223
Jun180243348
May321215216
Apr293221210
Mar226179210
Feb223231256
Jan236174213

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey · data through September 2026

Builders in the San Francisco metro area pulled 2,839 single-family permits in the twelve months through September 2026, 8.6% more than in the twelve months before. So far in 2026, permits are running 9.6% above the same months of 2025.

Why it matters. Permits come before starts, and starts come before new homes for sale, so this is the earliest read on how much new building is planned in the San Francisco area. When the permit pipeline shrinks, buyers see fewer new-build options later; when it grows, sellers of existing homes face more competition from builders.

San Francisco · Home pricesCOPIED

San Francisco home prices are 0.3% lower than a year ago

Home prices in the San Francisco metro area, change from a year earlier, FHFA all-transactions index, quarterly, percent; shaded bars mark recessions

19801990200020102020-15%0%15%30%45%San Francisco
19801990200020102020-15%0%15%30%45%San Francisco
No changeRecession
Chart data
DateSan Francisco
Jun 2026-0.3%
Mar 2026-0.2%
Dec 20251.4%
Sep 20250.5%
Jun 2025-0.3%
Mar 20251.5%
Dec 20242.1%
Sep 20243.3%
Jun 20244%
Mar 20247%
Dec 20231.6%
Sep 20230.1%
Jun 2023-3.8%
Mar 20231.4%
Dec 20228%
Sep 202213.1%
Jun 202218.1%
Mar 20229.9%
Dec 20216.3%
Sep 20212.2%
Jun 2021-0.2%
Mar 2021-3.1%
Dec 2020-4%
Sep 2020-3.8%
Jun 2020-1.9%
Mar 2020-1.4%
Dec 2019-0.7%
Sep 2019-2.8%
Jun 2019-1.3%
Mar 20193.4%
Dec 20187.2%
Sep 201810.7%
Jun 201810.6%
Mar 20187.7%
Dec 20174.9%
Sep 20174.4%
Jun 20174.9%
Mar 20174.4%
Dec 20165.9%
Sep 20167.6%
Jun 20169.8%
Mar 201613%
Dec 201513.5%
Sep 201512.7%
Jun 201511.1%
Mar 201511.1%
Dec 201411.3%
Sep 201412.3%
Jun 201414.2%
Mar 201414.9%
Dec 201315.3%
Sep 201316%
Jun 201313.6%
Mar 20139.8%
Dec 20126.9%
Sep 20123.6%
Jun 20121.6%
Mar 2012-1.1%
Dec 2011-3.1%
Sep 2011-3.7%
Jun 2011-3.8%
Mar 2011-2.7%
Dec 2010-0.8%
Sep 20100.3%
Jun 2010-1.4%
Mar 2010-5.1%
Dec 2009-6.3%
Sep 2009-8.1%
Jun 2009-9.9%
Mar 2009-10.1%
Dec 2008-10.7%
Sep 2008-11.4%
Jun 2008-8.5%
Mar 2008-5%
Dec 2007-2.7%
Sep 2007-1.6%
Jun 2007-0.1%
Mar 20070.4%
Dec 20061.8%
Sep 20066%
Jun 20068.3%
Mar 200614.6%
Dec 200517.7%
Sep 200517.8%
Jun 200521.8%
Mar 200519.8%
Dec 200417%
Sep 200417.5%
Jun 200410.7%
Mar 20046.8%
Dec 20035.8%
Sep 20033.4%
Jun 20034.8%
Mar 20036.9%
Dec 20027.3%
Sep 20024.8%
Jun 20023.2%
Mar 20022.6%
Dec 20014.7%
Sep 20019.6%
Jun 200114.3%
Mar 200119.8%
Dec 200022.4%
Sep 200025.4%
Jun 200024.5%
Mar 200021.4%
Dec 199917.5%
Sep 199913%
Jun 199912.3%
Mar 199911.4%
Dec 199811.8%
Sep 199812.8%
Jun 199812.3%
Mar 199811.8%
Dec 199710.5%
Sep 19979.4%
Jun 19977.2%
Mar 19974.3%
Dec 19962.6%
Sep 19961.2%
Jun 19960.7%
Mar 19960.8%
Dec 19952.1%
Sep 19950.9%
Jun 1995-0.3%
Mar 1995-1.2%
Dec 1994-2.7%
Sep 1994-1.6%
Jun 1994-1.7%
Mar 1994-1.5%
Dec 1993-2.5%
Sep 1993-3.2%
Jun 1993-2.9%
Mar 1993-3%
Dec 1992-2.8%
Sep 1992-1.3%
Jun 1992-1.4%
Mar 1992-1.4%
Dec 1991-2.3%
Sep 1991-5.2%
Jun 1991-5.7%
Mar 1991-5.8%
Dec 1990-3.5%
Sep 19900.5%
Jun 19906%
Mar 199011.4%
Dec 198915.4%
Sep 198922.2%
Jun 198923.1%
Mar 198924.7%
Dec 198826.2%
Sep 198823.2%
Jun 198823.1%
Mar 198820.5%
Dec 198718.8%
Sep 198717.5%
Jun 198716%
Mar 198715.7%
Dec 198613%
Sep 198611.4%
Jun 198610.7%
Mar 19869.7%
Dec 198510.4%
Sep 19858.5%
Jun 19857.3%
Mar 19857.3%
Dec 19846.5%
Sep 19845.1%
Jun 19843.7%
Mar 19843.4%
Dec 19837.7%
Sep 198318.3%
Jun 198323%
Mar 198310.7%
Dec 1982-0.3%
Sep 1982-8.9%
Jun 1982-13.4%
Mar 1982-3.1%
Dec 19811.9%
Sep 19811.3%
Jun 19815.9%
Mar 19816.5%
Dec 198012.3%
Sep 198020.1%
Jun 198023.9%
Mar 198025.5%
Dec 197927.6%
Sep 197923.8%
Jun 197917.5%
Mar 197915.5%
Dec 197810.1%
Sep 19788.3%
Jun 197812.8%
Mar 197820.5%
Dec 197720.8%
Sep 197728.6%
Jun 197723.5%
Mar 197720.1%
Dec 197622.9%
Sep 197617.5%

Source: FHFA house price index; recession dates from NBER · data through Q2 2026

FHFA's all-transactions index for the San Francisco metro area in the second quarter of 2026 was 0.3% below its level a year earlier. Since 1976, prices have risen an average of 7.1% a year. Nationally, prices were 3.0% higher than a year earlier.

Why it matters. Long-run context shows how the latest change in San Francisco home prices compares with the market's own history, including the recessions shaded on the chart. When appreciation slows, sellers have less room for a list price to run ahead of recent sales, and buyers feel less pressure to stretch to keep up; when it speeds up, the reverse holds: list prices can run ahead of recent sales and buyers compete harder.

Price reconciliation

red · 6.4pp

Redfin (metro)

+6.1%

FHFA HPI · Q2 2026

-0.3%

Year-over-year home-price change from two independent methods — Redfin (sale prices over the last 3 months) and FHFA (quarterly repeat-sales index). When they diverge, the market is mid-shift; cite the figure with that in mind.

Market dispatches

Citable market dispatches for San Francisco → Latest dispatch: Jul 10, 2026.

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ZIP-level data

ZIPMedian list priceActive listingsNew listingsPrice reductionsDays on marketHome value
94107$933K↑78↓28↑12↓60↓$1.07M↑
94505$809K↓92↓24↑28↓66↓$774K↓
94509$541K↓86↓36↓32↓45↓$540K↓
94513$765K↓147↓48↓60↓44↓$782K↓
94531$690K↓93↑32↓32↑46↓$662K↓
94550$1.15M↑88↑32↑32↑37↓$1.20M↓
94560$1.18M↓86↑28↓24↑36↓$1.19M↓
94561$700K↓95↑28↓32↓66↑$656K↓
94565$570K↓103↑56↑36↑48↓$561K↓
94568$1.10M↓124↑56↑36↑32↑$1.23M↓
94595$499K↓106↑40↓48↓46↑$667K↑
94605$685K↑83↓3624↓43↓$667K↑

ZIP figures from Realtor.com listing data; home value from Zillow ZHVI. ZIP codes shown have the most complete listing-data history and active for-sale inventory in this metro; the latest available month is shown per ZIP. Arrows show the direction of each figure against the same three months a year earlier; no arrow means the change rounds to zero or the comparison isn't available.