If you own a home in San Jose and you are thinking about selling this fall or early next year, the latest September figures give you a market that rewards preparation. Prices are holding steady, well priced homes are still selling above asking, buyers have more homes to choose from than last fall, and mortgage rates just eased to their lowest level this month. If you are thinking about selling or buying in San Jose, Santa Clara County, or Palo Alto, here is what the latest numbers mean for you.
San Jose at a glance, steady prices, more competition
In San Jose, the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors September 2026 report put the single family median sale price at $1,568,888, down just 0.4 percent from $1,575,000 in August. That is steady, not sliding. There were 367 closed single family sales, 471 new listings, and 606 single family homes in inventory. Single family homes averaged 28 days on market, and closed sales averaged 102 percent of the original list price.
For condos and townhomes in San Jose, the median sale price was $729,000 in September, up 4.1 percent from $700,000 in August, with 471 units in inventory and 127 closed sales, averaging 44 days on market. Sellers in that part of the market face buyers who have more time to compare, so a sharp price and a move in ready home matter even more there.
The weekly data adds context for sellers. Redfin, in its update released October 29 for the four weeks ending October 25, 2026, put San Jose at the top of the large metros for new listings, up 17.9 percent from a year earlier, while the San Jose metro median sale price was down 4.9 percent from a year earlier in that four week window. More neighbors are listing, and buyers are choosing carefully among them, which is exactly why your first two weeks on market matter so much.
Santa Clara County, more choice for buyers, clear rules for sellers
Across Santa Clara County, the California Association of Realtors reported a median sold price of $1,920,000 for existing single family homes in September 2026, up 1.1 percent from August, and down 4.0 percent from September 2025. Sales rose 15.3 percent from August and 1.5 percent from a year earlier. The MLSListings county summary for September put the county median at $1,880,000 on 726 sales, with homes selling for 103 percent of list price and a median of 12 days on market, the two reports count sales a little differently, so their medians differ slightly.
The biggest change is choice. C.A.R. reported active listings in Santa Clara County up 26.4 percent from a year earlier, one of the largest increases among the counties it highlighted. For county condos and townhomes, the September median was $852,500 on 262 sales, averaging 42 days on market and selling at 100 percent of list. For a seller, the message is simple, your home will be compared with real alternatives, and the homes that are priced from recent local sold sales and presented well are the ones still landing at 102 to 103 percent of list.
Palo Alto, still fast and still premium
Palo Alto remains the premium end of the county, and the September only figures are strong. On Santa Clara County Association of Realtors data via MLSListings, 40 single family homes sold in Palo Alto in September 2026 at a median sale price of $4,168,500, selling at 109 percent of list price and averaging 16 days on market. Supply stayed tight, with 51 homes for sale and just 1.3 months of supply, down from 1.6 months a year earlier.
The longer view matches. From January through September 2026, 316 single family homes sold in Palo Alto at a median price of $4.13 million, up 6 percent from a year earlier. Those homes sold for 107.8 percent of asking on average, in a median of just 8 days, at $2,236 per square foot, up 9 percent from a year earlier. A San Jose seller cannot copy a Palo Alto result, but the lesson travels, tight supply is not your advantage in San Jose right now, preparation and pricing are.
The Bay Area overall
Across the San Francisco Bay Area, C.A.R. reported a median sold price of $1,325,000 for existing single family homes in September 2026, up 4.2 percent from August, the only regional increase in the state that month, and up 1.9 percent from September 2025. Sales rose 4.9 percent from August, and were down 3.1 percent from a year earlier. The median time on market for the region was 19 days, faster than the 24 days of a year earlier.
Statewide, the California median was $899,720 in September, down 0.2 percent from August and up 1.7 percent from a year earlier. Nationally, Redfin reported a median sale price of $389,601 for the four weeks ending October 25, 2026, down 0.1 percent from a year earlier, and pending sales at their lowest level in Redfin records. Our local market is holding its value far better than the national picture, which is good news for a San Jose seller who prices with local, recent sold sales, not national headlines.
Mortgage rates, easing in a helpful direction
There is welcome news on rates as November begins, and it helps sellers too. Freddie Mac’s weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey put the average 30 year fixed rate at 7.24 percent for the week ending October 29, 2026, down from 7.32 percent the week before. The 15 year fixed averaged 6.60 percent, down from 6.68 percent. That is the second weekly decline in a row, and Freddie Mac’s chief economist noted the rate reached its lowest level this month, modestly boosting purchasing power for prospective buyers.
When rates ease, even a little, more buyers can qualify and more buyers feel ready to write an offer. For a seller, that is an opportunity to be ready for, a home that is priced, photographed, and fully prepared when a good rate week arrives is the home that prepared buyers compete for. Getting ready early is how you turn a small rate dip into a stronger opening week for your listing.
Seller tips for San Jose right now
First, price from recent local sold sales on your street and in your neighborhood, not from a city median and not from hope. With 606 single family homes in inventory in San Jose in September and new listings still coming on strongly, buyers can compare your home with real alternatives, and a fair starting price is what brings offers at 102 percent of list. Second, win the first two weeks. Have the home clean, repaired, staged, and photographed before day one, because that is when the most serious buyers are watching. Third, make the home easy to say yes to. Clear disclosures, a pre inspection if it fits your home, and flexible showing times remove the little doubts that slow an offer down. Fourth, treat a longer sit as information. Single family homes averaged 28 days on market in San Jose in September, and condos and townhomes averaged 44 days, so if showings are strong but offers are not coming, the market is usually talking about price or condition, and a small, early adjustment works better than a large, late one. Fifth, do not wait for a perfect headline. Rates just eased, local prices are holding, and prepared sellers are still getting strong results this fall.
What this means if you are buying in San Jose
Buyers, you have more choice than last fall, and that is a real opening. Use it to compare neighborhoods across San Jose, Santa Clara County, and, if your budget allows, Palo Alto, ask good questions, and still be fully prepared when the right home appears. Well priced homes are still selling above asking, so a full preapproval and a clean plan remain your best tools, especially in a week when rates have just eased.
Common questions
1. What is the median home price in San Jose right now?
The latest September 2026 figures from the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors put the San Jose single family median sale price at $1,568,888, down 0.4 percent from August. For condos and townhomes, the median was $729,000. October monthly figures have not been released yet.
2. Is now a good time to sell in San Jose?
Well priced homes are still selling well. San Jose single family homes averaged 102 percent of the original list price in September 2026, Santa Clara County homes sold for 103 percent of list on the MLSListings summary, and mortgage rates just eased to their lowest level this month. With more listings on market, pricing and presentation in the first two weeks are the key.
3. What is the current mortgage rate?
Freddie Mac’s latest weekly survey, for the week ending October 29, 2026, put the average 30 year fixed rate at 7.24 percent, down from 7.32 percent the week before, and the 15 year fixed at 6.60 percent. It was the lowest level this month. Rates move weekly, so a current quote from your lender is always the right next step.
4. How fast are homes selling in San Jose, Santa Clara County, and Palo Alto?
San Jose single family homes averaged 28 days on market in September 2026, and condos and townhomes averaged 44 days. The Santa Clara County median was 12 days on market on the MLSListings September summary, the Bay Area median was 19 days, and Palo Alto homes averaged 16 days in September, with a median of 8 days from January through September.
5. How does Palo Alto compare with San Jose right now?
Palo Alto’s September 2026 median was $4,168,500 on 40 sales, at 109 percent of list. San Jose’s single family median was $1,568,888 in September, at 102 percent of list, with 606 homes in inventory and much more choice for buyers.
Thinking about selling or buying in San Jose, Santa Clara County, or Palo Alto? I would love to help you make a clear plan with the latest local numbers. Call or text me at 408-477-6262, or visit NajwaRealEstate.com to get started.
Najwa Khoury, Real Brokerage, DRE #02026194