The October real estate market is as busy as ever!
Even though rates haven’t gone down yet, sales prices are still high. In September, Carlsbad set a NEW all-time sales record for detached homes. The median final sales price was $2,025,000.
Inventory has been low all year, but it did increase slightly in the past month. Inventory went up 3% between mid-September and mid-October. You can see in the graphs below that inventory is still much lower than in 2025.
Prices are also holding steady, relative to 2025. So, even though inventory is down and buyer activity is down, the median sales prices don’t reflect a consistent downward trend.
Listings are taking about 2–4 weeks to sell: the median number of Days on Market for closed detached home sales in North County ranged from 13–27 days. This doesn’t take into account listings that are removed from the market, and possibly relisted at a lower price.
Here are September 2026 median detached home sales prices, with inventory numbers as of October 21, 2026:
Carlsbad – NEW RECORD – $2,025,000
Last all-time high: $1,972,500 – June 2025
Encinitas/Cardiff-by-the-Sea – $2,350,000
All-time high: $3,100,000 – September 2023
San Marcos – $1,190,000
All-time high: $1,340,000 – April 2025
Vista – $975,000
Last all-time high: $1,016,000 – August 2026
Oceanside – $974,725
All-time high: $1,031,000 – December 2024
Escondido – $1,005,500
All-time high: $1,044,000 – July 2025
Interest Rates
On September 16, the Fed decided to increase the rate by .25%. Today, the rate is set at a target range of 3.75-4.00%.
What’s more telling than the federal funds rate, which drives short-term rates, is the 10-year treasury bond rate, which helps determine long-term rates, including those for 30-year mortgages. The 10-year treasury bonds rate is 4.999% as of today (10/23/26). The spread is usually 1.25-2% when rates aren’t expected to cycle down. Today, 30-year mortgage rates range between 6.75–7.50%, depending on the loan program.
Your credit score also helps to determine your interest rate, and PMI premiums. If you’re thinking about buying or refinancing, start with a credit check, to make sure you can secure the best possible rates.
If you own a home, it’s probably worth more than you think. Contact me for a free personalized home valuation, or if you have any other real estate questions.
If you’re thinking about homeownership, we can work together to determine your mortgage options, your price range, and the best time for us to start shopping.
I look forward to hearing from you 🙋🏻♀️
