By Stephanie Johnson
Published August 2026
July closed out the heart of the summer selling season in Sonoma County, and the data shows a market that’s cooled slightly from its early-summer peak but remains firmer than it was a year ago. Prices are still up year-over-year, inventory tightened noticeably compared to last July, and homes continue to move at a steady, unhurried pace.
The Big Picture: Prices Firm Up, Supply Tightens Fast
The median sales price in Sonoma County reached $821,000 in July, up 1.6% from $808,000 a year earlier. That said, July’s number is a step down from June’s $846,000, the high point of the year so far, suggesting the market cooled slightly after an unusually strong late spring. Even with that pullback, prices remain well above the January low of $771,000, and the broader trend since late winter has been a steady march upward.
Inventory: A Sharp Swing Toward Sellers
Total inventory is much tighter than it was a year ago. Months of supply dropped from 5.4 in July 2025 to 3.2 this July, a 40.7% year-over-year decline. That’s a meaningful shift in a single year, and it points to demand absorbing available inventory considerably faster than it did last summer.
When supply decreases below roughly four to five months, conditions typically favor sellers: buyers have fewer homes to choose from and well-positioned listings attract more competition, and command higher prices.
Days on Market: A Steady, Unhurried Pace
Homes in Sonoma County spent an average of 56 days on the market in July, essentially flat compared to 57 days a year ago, and down significantly from the winter peak of 87 days in January.
While the pace of the market has picked up through the high season, on average, buyers are still taking their time on purchase decisions. Only homes that are well-prepared and priced competitively are drawing offers in the early stages of their marketing cycle.
Price Per Square Foot: Solid Year-Over-Year Gains
The average price per square foot climbed to $573 in July, up significantly from the low of $525 in November 2025. Since winter, prices have steadily climbed back into the $550 to $575 per foot range, where they have largely held since April.
How This July Compares to Seasonal Trends
July is typically a month of transition in Sonoma County: still active, but past the frenzied pace of the spring market as the year moves toward a quieter fall.
What aligns with seasonal expectations
- A modest pullback in price and pace after the late-spring/early-summer peak
- Continued, steady buyer demand rather than a sharp drop-off
What stands out this year
- Inventory tightened far more sharply than is typical for this point in summer
- Price per square foot has held steady near its yearly summer high
- Year-over-year price growth remains positive despite the month-over-month cooling
Seller Takeaways
- Inventory is now meaningfully tighter than both last month and last July, strengthening leverage for well-prepared sellers
- Homes are still taking close to two months to sell on average, and presentation and condition remain worth the investment
Buyer Takeaways
- Fewer homes are available than a month ago, so expect more competition on well-prepared and well-priced listings
- Per-square-foot values are near their highest point of the year
- A roughly two-month average time to sell means in many cases there’s still room to move thoughtfully rather than rush an offer
Looking Ahead
Sonoma County’s market enters late summer with a mixed but generally stable picture: prices remain higher than a year ago even after cooling off their spring peak, and a sharp tightening in available inventory could put renewed upward pressure on pricing if it persists into the fall.
For more information on the Sonoma market, or for data specific to your neighborhood or property type, feel free to reach out and book a call. I’m here to help you navigate it.