The May 2025 MarketTracker from CharlieBrownSF outlines national and local real estate trends. Nationally, median home prices rose 2.75% year-over-year, while average 30-year mortgage rates declined slightly to 6.63%. However, despite more listings—inventory up nearly 20%—sales dropped by 2.43% compared to last year, reflecting buyer hesitation, possibly due to recent economic uncertainties like the trade war. Many sellers who waited for lower rates are now listing, despite rates remaining relatively high. The Federal Reserve has held rates steady but anticipates future cuts, potentially creating a favorable environment for buyers.

Locally in San Francisco, the condo market shows signs of rebound, with median sale prices rising 9.13% year-over-year after months of decline. Single-family homes saw a smaller 2.12% increase. Inventory remains a major issue: listings for single-family homes and condos dropped 6.29% and 7.52% respectively, with condo sales down a significant 21.17%. Despite tighter inventory, single-family homes are selling at 14.2% above asking, while condos are at 0.4% over asking. The MSI (Months of Supply Inventory) indicates a seller's market for single-family homes (1.7 MSI), but a buyer’s market for condos (3.9 MSI). Overall, San Francisco remains competitive, with limited discounts and rising prices—especially in the recovering condo segment.

This Market tracker reveals key national and local real estate trends that buyers and sellers should watch closely. Nationally, the median home price rose 2.75% year-over-year, while mortgage rates dipped slightly to 6.63%. Inventory levels have surged nearly 20%, indicating a shift in seller behavior as more homeowners list despite fewer buyers. Although sales have slowed slightly, these conditions may open up unique opportunities for buyers in the near future.

In the North Bay, market activity is more nuanced. Median home prices remain relatively flat, with small increases in Sonoma and Marin Counties and slight declines in Solano and Napa. Inventory has dropped sharply—down over 16% year-over-year—largely due to fewer new listings. Despite this, homes are spending more time on the market, signaling a cautious buyer base. Currently, Marin and Solano Counties lean toward seller’s markets, while Napa remains a buyer’s market, and Sonoma holds steady in the middle.

If you're thinking about buying or selling, understanding these trends is essential. Each county has its own market dynamics, and having local expertise on your side makes all the difference. Click here to learn more and let Charlie Brown guide you through your next real estate move with confidence.

San Francisco Real Estate Market Update – May 2025

In May 2025, San Francisco's real estate market showed signs of subtle momentum, with closed sales up 2.2% month-over-month. The median sales price increased slightly to $1.35M—a 1.6% rise from April and a 2.1% annual gain—signaling slow but steady growth. Homes are selling faster, with days on market dropping to 27, down from 32 last year, suggesting heightened buyer activity.

Despite economic headwinds and ongoing affordability challenges, new listings rose by 7.8%, while active inventory also ticked up by 4.9%. However, pending sales declined by 4.5%, showing that many buyers are still on the fence. The market remains moderately competitive, with 60.3% of homes selling over asking, though average sales price dropped slightly to $1.629M.

The condo and TIC market experienced softer growth, with a median price of $1.085M, representing a 5.3% increase year-over-year. Condos are taking longer to sell than single-family homes but still show signs of resilience.

In summary, San Francisco's market is balancing cautious optimism with ongoing affordability and economic concerns. Inventory is increasing, but competition remains—making it a good time for both buyers and sellers to stay informed and act strategically.

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The May 2025 MarketTracker reveals a dynamic real estate landscape shaped by national and local shifts. Nationally, home prices continue to rise, with a 2.75% year-over-year increase in median purchase prices. Mortgage rates are slowly decreasing, with 30-year averages at 6.63%. However, inventory levels are surging—up nearly 20%—while sales have slightly declined, reflecting consumer uncertainty amid economic events like the trade war.

Locally, Santa Cruz County saw a break in its upward streak, with median home prices falling by 8.57% compared to last year, while San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties saw price increases of 1.69% and 5.50% respectively. Inventory across Silicon Valley is up, with single-family home and condo listings rising sharply, leading to a 30% and 51.29% year-over-year jump in active inventory. Despite this, homes are still selling quickly—within 8 days in Santa Clara and around two weeks elsewhere.

The market remains competitive: San Mateo and Santa Clara stay in seller’s territory with only 1.7 months of supply, while Santa Cruz leans towards a buyer’s market at 3.5 months. Condos are now considered a buyer’s market across the board.

📍 Whether you’re buying, selling, or observing, understanding these trends is crucial.

🏡 May 2025 Market Snapshot - Bay Area Real Estate Trends

This month’s Markettracker reveals a dynamic and shifting landscape in both national and Bay Area real estate markets. Nationally, inventory levels have surged by 20% year-over-year, while existing home sales have slightly declined, reflecting growing uncertainty among buyers. Despite this, mortgage rates have slowly dipped to 6.63%, nudging median home prices upward and slightly lowering monthly payments—potentially signaling opportunity for buyers.

Locally, the Bay Area tells a more complex story. Inventory growth varies widely—East Bay listings jumped by 43%, while San Francisco faces a shortage. Pricing trends are equally diverse: Santa Cruz saw an 8.57% drop in single-family home prices, but San Francisco condo prices spiked 9.13%, breaking a five-month decline. Across most of the region, single-family homes remain in seller’s market territory, while the condo market increasingly favors buyers.

Despite growing inventory, homes continue to sell quickly—often within 8 to 15 days—showing sustained buyer demand. With potential rate drops on the horizon and new listings surging, this could be the window for savvy buyers to act.

CharlieBrownSF MarketTracker – April 2025

Charlie Brown and team continue to prioritize client service while ensuring safety. Mortgage rates slightly rose to 6.62%, yet median sale prices and affordability improved: median monthly principal and interest payments fell by over $100 year-over-year. Home sales remained steady, while inventory increased, giving buyers more options.

A 10% rise in new listings suggests sellers are accepting that low mortgage rates aren’t returning soon. Buyers benefit from slight market shifts, although the Federal Reserve remains firm on current rates with no major cuts anticipated.

Locally, San Francisco's single-family homes maintain strong value, with prices increasing 6.63% over four years, while condos dropped 12.52%. Single-family homes are selling at 114.7% of their original asking price — a level not seen since mid-2022. Inventory remains a major challenge; sold listings surpass new listings, tightening supply.

The single-family market favors sellers with only 1.5 months of supply, whereas the condo market favors buyers with 3.7 months of supply. Overall, single-family homes remain a hot commodity, while condo buyers can find opportunities in a slightly softer market.

In the April 2025 MarketTracker by CharlieBrownSF, the real estate market shows a blend of resilience and evolving trends both nationally and locally. Nationally, mortgage rates have slightly risen to 6.62%, yet median monthly principal and interest payments have dropped by over $100 year-over-year, offering improved affordability even amid higher home prices. While home sales have remained relatively stagnant, the inventory has grown, giving buyers more choices and slightly shifting leverage in their favor. Sellers are increasingly accepting that lower mortgage rates may not return soon, prompting more listings.

Locally, the Bay Area housing market displays mixed signals. Single-family homes continue to dominate, keeping most areas firmly in a seller’s market, especially in Silicon Valley and San Francisco. In contrast, condos present a buyer’s market across the region. Inventory levels are growing in Silicon Valley and the East Bay, while San Francisco and the North Bay struggle with shortages. Homes in Silicon Valley sell extremely quickly, often within 8-16 days, and San Francisco single-family homes are achieving above asking prices. Meanwhile, the East Bay shows cooling trends, with modest year-over-year price declines but healthy monthly gains. Overall, despite economic uncertainty and Fed policies remaining steady, the Bay Area market shows strength, offering opportunities for both buyers and sellers depending on property type and location.

MarketTracker Silicon Valley – April 2025
In the latest MarketTracker, Charlie Brown reports a dynamic real estate landscape. Nationally, mortgage rates rose slightly to 6.62%, yet median monthly P&I payments fell by over $100 compared to last year, offering some financial relief to buyers. Inventory has notably increased, with over 10% more listings added in March 2025 than a year prior, suggesting a slow shift in market power from sellers to buyers. Locally, Silicon Valley remains strong, with home prices continuing to rise: San Mateo (+3.75%), Santa Cruz (+7.27%), and Santa Clara (+11.58%) year-over-year. Despite the surge in inventory — single-family homes saw a 40.05% increase — buyer demand remains robust, with homes in Santa Clara and San Mateo selling in just 8-10 days on average. While single-family homes remain a hot commodity, the condo market is more balanced, offering better opportunities for buyers. Overall, Silicon Valley real estate continues to present excellent investment opportunities even amid shifting national trends.

Mortgage rates have continued their gradual upward trend, with the average 30-year fixed rate sitting at 6.62% as of April 10, according to Freddie Mac. Despite the rising rates, the median sale price of a home in the U.S. has also increased, contributing to ongoing affordability challenges across the nation. However, there’s a silver lining: the median monthly principal and interest (P&I) payment has decreased by over $100 year-over-year, signaling potential relief for homeowners—possibly due to refinancing when rates momentarily dipped.

Home sales have remained relatively stagnant compared to last year, with February 2025 seeing 4.26 million sales, a modest dip from 4.38 million in February 2024. The real shift has been in inventory, which has grown significantly. Over 1.24 million homes were on the market in February, up from 1.06 million the previous year, giving buyers more options and increasing the average time listings remain active.

There’s also been a 10% increase in new listings in March compared to the same period last year. This suggests that sellers are starting to adjust their expectations—many are no longer holding out for lower mortgage rates, as the Federal Reserve has indicated no major rate cuts are expected soon. The Fed has opted to maintain the federal funds rate and continues to reduce its holdings of mortgage-backed securities, reinforcing the current rate environment.

The combination of increasing inventory, stable but high rates, and slight relief in monthly mortgage costs could be a sign of power beginning to shift from sellers to buyers, though real estate remains highly local in nature.

April 2025 Market Overview
Nationally, mortgage rates rose to 6.62%, but median monthly principal & interest payments dropped by over $100 year-over-year, offering slight affordability relief. Home sales remained stable with a dip in sales but an increase in inventory and listings—giving buyers more options. Sellers are increasingly listing homes, accepting that low mortgage rates won’t return soon.

Locally in the North Bay, median home prices held steady, with Marin County seeing a 9.32% drop and Napa a 10.4% gain YoY. Inventory has declined sharply, with a 14.28% MoM drop and nearly 21% fewer new listings YoY in March. Despite this, homes in Sonoma and Solano are sitting ~15% longer on the market, while Napa homes are selling faster.

Market dynamics vary: Sonoma, Marin, and Solano have entered a seller’s market with inventory below 3 months. Napa remains a buyer’s market, holding 5.6 months of supply. The data suggests an upcoming shift as low supply could spark bidding wars and push prices up in the coming months.