Santa Barbara South County MLS Statistics for August 2026

August closed out summer with real momentum in the Santa Barbara and Montecito market. Single-family homes and condos both posted stronger sales activity than a year ago, and both segments are moving faster than they were earlier in the recovery.

A Market Picking Up Momentum

Local sales bottomed out in 2023, when just 507 single-family homes changed hands for the year, the lowest total since 2010. The market has climbed steadily since: 555 sales in 2024, 635 in 2025, and 681 through August of this year. Condos have traced a similar trajectory, recovering from a 2023 low of 186 sales to 245 so far in 2026. August extended that trend on both fronts, with pending sales in each segment well ahead of last August, a strong signal for what fall has in store.

Here is the Santa Barbara MLS Statistics for August 2026:  SBAOR Monthly MLS Statistics - August 2026

Single-Family Homes Kept Buyers Engaged

Ninety-three single-family homes sold in August, up from 84 a year ago, and sellers continued to see strong pricing power.

• Homes sold: 93 (up from 84 in August 2025)
• Median sold price: $2,180,000
• Average sold price: $3,237,963
• Average days on market: 45
• Sale-to-list ratio: 97.71

The gap between median and average sold price, nearly $1.1 million, is a reminder that a handful of high-end estate sales can pull the average well above what a typical buyer is actually paying. For most purposes, the median is the more honest gauge of where this market really sits.

Condos Delivered Their Strongest Month in Years

Condo sales jumped sharply in both volume and price, making August the standout month of the year for this segment.

• Condos sold: 30 (up from 22 in August 2025, a 36% increase)
• Median sold price: $1,185,000 (up from $884,950 a year ago)
• Average sold price: $1,342,896
• Average days on market: 35
• Sale-to-list ratio: 98.03

A 36% jump in sales alongside a nearly 34% jump in median price is a rare combination, one that points to real, broad-based demand rather than a one-off month. Condos sold more often in August and buyers pushed prices up in the process, a pattern that stands out after a slower 2023 and 2024 for this segment.

Where the Sales Landed

August's single-family sales ranged from $920,000 on Redwood Way to $17,950,000 on Hot Springs Road, a spread that reflects the breadth of the market well beyond any single neighborhood or price tier. Condo sales ranged from $186,400 on Via Real to $3,450,000 on Seaview Drive, with most activity clustered below the million-dollar mark even as the segment's median price crossed $1 million for the year.

Homes Are Moving Faster This Year

Single-family homes averaged 45 days to sell in August, with a cumulative days-on-market figure of 66 once relistings are factored in. Condos moved even faster, averaging 35 days to sell, a pace that reflects real buyer urgency in a segment that spent much of the past two years selling more slowly.

What Buyers Should Know

Homes are still selling close to asking price, with single-family properties fetching 97.71% of list price on average and condos even higher at 98.03%.

Waiting for significant price relief may not pay off, particularly in the condo segment, where competition has picked up noticeably.

What Sellers Should Keep in Mind

Year-to-date median prices for single-family homes are down compared to last year, but that dip largely reflects fewer high-end sales in Hope Ranch and Montecito rather than weaker demand overall. Strip those two neighborhoods out and the year-over-year decline shrinks from nearly 11% to under 5%.

Pricing a home accurately for its specific neighborhood matters more than watching the blended countywide median.

Santa Barbara South County Home Estates, and PUD Active Listings for the Last 12 Months

Santa Barbara South County Number of Homes, Estates, and PUDs Sales Year-to-Date 2009 to 2026

Santa Barbara South County Homes, Estates, and PUD Sales - Year-to-Date 2009 to 2026

Santa Barbara South County Homes, Estates, and PUD Sales - Month by Month

Santa Barbara South County Home, Estates, and PUD Median Sales Price - Month by Month

What We're Watching Next

With fall's fire season underway and California's new Zone Zero regulations recently approved, we're paying close attention to how wildfire-related questions show up in buyer conversations and days-on-market trends this season. We're also tracking how momentum in the condo segment carries through the rest of the year.

Locale Group tracks these neighborhoods closely, from Hope Ranch to the Mesa to the foothills above Montecito. Each pocket moves on its own rhythm, distinct from the countywide averages above. If you're weighing a sale this fall, or simply watching the market, we're glad to walk through what these numbers mean for your property.

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