If you are hoping to buy a home in Santa Clara County this fall, the latest September figures give you something you have not had in a while, more choice, and a little more time to use it well. Prices are holding close to last month, well priced homes are still selling above asking, and mortgage rates just eased to their lowest level this month. If you are thinking about buying or selling in Santa Clara County, San Jose, or Palo Alto, here is what the latest numbers mean for you.
Santa Clara County at a glance, more choice for buyers
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 condos and townhomes, the September county median was $852,500 on 262 sales, averaging 42 days on market and selling at 100 percent of list. For a buyer, that mix matters, single family homes still move fast when they are priced well, while condos and townhomes give you more time to compare and ask questions.
San Jose, steady prices and strong new listings
San Jose is where much of that new choice is showing up. The Santa Clara County Association of Realtors September 2026 report put the San Jose single family median sale price at $1,568,888, down just 0.4 percent from $1,575,000 in August, with 367 closed 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. The weekly data adds the same signal. 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 listings and a little more time mean San Jose buyers can compare neighborhoods properly this fall.
Palo Alto, still fast and still premium
Palo Alto remains the premium end of the county, and buyers there need a different plan. 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. If Palo Alto is your goal, preparation and speed matter most. If it stretches your budget, the wider county and San Jose are offering more options to consider this fall.
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 why county by county, and city by city, guidance matters so much here.
Mortgage rates, easing in a helpful direction
There is welcome news on rates as November begins, and it is a good reason to get ready. 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.
Think of a move like this as an opening. A small dip can lower your monthly payment a little, help a few more buyers qualify, and give you more confidence to write the offer when the right home appears. The buyers who benefit most are the ones who are already preapproved, who know their payment at a few different price points, and who stay in close touch with their lender, so a good rate week and a good home can line up.
Buyer tips for Santa Clara County right now
First, use the extra choice well. With active listings up 26.4 percent in the county and San Jose new listings up 17.9 percent in the four weeks ending October 25, compare homes by neighborhood, condition, and price per square foot, not just by the headline price. Second, stay ready for well priced homes. County homes sold for 103 percent of list on the MLSListings September summary, at a median of 12 days on market, and Palo Alto homes sold at 109 percent of list in September, so a full preapproval and a clean plan remain your best tools. Third, give condos and townhomes a fair look. The county median was $852,500 in September, averaging 42 days on market, which can mean more time and more room to talk about timing or repairs. Fourth, watch homes that sit past the first two weeks. San Jose single family homes averaged 28 days on market in September, and homes that sit a little longer can offer a buyer more room to negotiate, even in a fast county. Fifth, ask your lender what the latest rate move does to your payment this week, so you know your true budget before you tour, not after you fall in love with a home.
What this means if you are selling in Santa Clara County
Sellers, buyers have more alternatives this fall, so your first two weeks matter even more. Price from recent local sold sales on your street and in your neighborhood, have the home clean, repaired, and photographed before day one, and make disclosures easy to review. Well priced homes are still selling above asking in San Jose, across the county, and especially in Palo Alto, and prepared sellers are the ones getting those results.
Common questions
1. What is the median home price in Santa Clara County right now?
The latest September 2026 figures put Santa Clara County at $1,920,000 on the California Association of Realtors report, up 1.1 percent from August and down 4.0 percent from a year earlier. The MLSListings county summary for September put the median at $1,880,000 on 726 sales, the two reports count sales a little differently. October monthly figures have not been released yet.
2. Is now a good time to buy in Santa Clara County?
Buyers have more choice than last fall, county active listings were up 26.4 percent in September 2026, San Jose new listings were up 17.9 percent in the four weeks ending October 25, and mortgage rates just eased to their lowest level this month. Prepared buyers can compare more homes and move with confidence when the right one appears.
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 Santa Clara County, San Jose, and Palo Alto?
The Santa Clara County median was 12 days on market on the MLSListings September summary. San Jose single family homes averaged 28 days on market in September 2026, and condos and townhomes averaged 44 days. 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 buying or selling in Santa Clara County, San Jose, 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