Long-Term Median House Sales Price Trends –
Alameda County. Using a six-month-rolling average of Alameda County monthly median sales prices smooths out monthly fluctuations to illustrate broad, long-term appreciation trends with more clarity.

The greater Oakland-Berkeley Inner East Bay region has been out-performing Alameda County in the last year or so – with prices ticking higher – as illustrated in the second chart below.

This chart uses 4 cities as an example, but the trends apply to all 8 cities – in the region where northern Alameda County meets N.W. Contra Costa County – in our Inner East Bay market.

Sales & Median Values by City and Selected Oakland/Berkeley Neighborhoods

When looking at the median prices and median $/sq.ft. values below, remember that median house size can vary enormously between the different areas listed – and that, though other factors play big roles, all things being equal, a much smaller house will sell for a higher $/sq.ft. value. How these values apply to any particular home is unknown without a specific comparative market analysis.

Seasonal Trends in Market Activity

A dramatic illustration of the role of seasonality in the real estate market. Starting in November activity begins to plunge towards the mid-winter nadir. Remember that November sales mostly reflect October accepted-offer activity. Activity usually hits bottom in December, which then typically makes January the month with the lowest number of closed sales.

Sales vs. Listings for Sale by Price Segment

In virtually every other market in the Bay Area, there are significant imbalances in supply and demand in certain price segments, typically the highest-price ranges. But the greater Inner East Bay market remains remarkably balanced in comparison, and here the lowest price segment (under $500,000) has the somewhat weaker dynamics vis a vis the percentage of sales vs. the percentage of listings for sale. The higher price segments remain very strong.

Homes Selling for $1.5 Million+ by Month

Homes in the higher price ranges are a much better value in this region than in San Francisco across the bay, keeping demand strong.

Market Dynamics by Price Segment

All our price segments have strong dynamics relative to other Bay Area markets (or historical markets), but the demand for homes between $1 million and $2m is amazingly strong – on average, these homes are selling very, very quickly at tremendous percentages above list price.

Percentage of Sales Selling
without Prior Price Reduction

The 2 following charts illustrate comparative year-over-year market dynamics as well as market seasonality within the calendar year.

Ratio of Withdrawn (No-Sale) Listings
to Listings Sold

The ratio of listings withdrawn from the market, to sold listings – one indicator of pricing and buyer demand – ticked up in November 2018 – January 2019, but did not see the huge year-over-year jumps some other Bay Area markets experienced. Based on prevailing dynamics, we do not currently expect a large change in the inner East Bay market in the next few months.

People Moving in & out of CA in 2018

According to new census estimates, approx. 501,000 people from other states moved to CA in 2018, while 691,000 Californians relocated to other states – a net loss of 190,000. In addition, an estimated 284,000 foreign nationals moved into CA from outside the country. (Foreign out-migration numbers are not available.)

The top states for out-migration are Texas, Arizona, Washington, Nevada & Oregon, states with high-tech centers of their own and/or no state income taxes, and/or significantly lower housing costs – thus attracting working residents, local businesses, and retirees. Updated Bay Area figures are not yet available, though migration trends here have generally paralleled state trends in recent years.

The situation in our Inner East Bay region is somewhat different, affected by the migration of residents from much more expensive San Francisco (and, to a lesser degree, from San Mateo County).

Home Prices by City & Neighborhood; Migration In & Out of Alameda & Contra Costa Counties; Price Reductions; Supply & Demand Statistics.

After the heat of the spring market, activity typically slows down markedly in July and August. In September, listings start pouring on the market again to fuel the relatively short autumn selling season. What occurs in the next 2-3 months will be the next major indicator of market conditions and direction.

Median Home Price Appreciation Trends

Except for Piedmont, whose median house sales price was basically flat at about $2,300,000, all the other cities included in our Inner East Bay market have seen median sales price increases in 2019 YTD over those in 2018, though the scale of the increase varies from tiny to substantial. Full-year 2019 median prices may well vary from those for the first 8 months of the year.

Home Prices by City and City Submarkets

The way the local MLS system breaks out submarkets within Oakland and Berkeley – using zip codes and “map areas” – is not ideal, as they don’t correspond that well to specific neighborhoods. But we’ve included the submarket maps, as well as identifying, as best we can, the submarkets with their predominant neighborhoods.

Migration: People Moving In & Out
of Alameda & Contra Costa Counties

Using new U.S. Census estimates released 8/29/19, this chart attempts to identify U.S. counties, states and international regions with the highest number of residents migrating to and from our county. In the Bay Area, there is a general trend outward from more expensive to more affordable places, while in-bound migration is deeply affected not only by exchanges between Bay Area counties, but people arriving from other parts of the state, country and world. Areas often have large two-way exchanges of residents, as seen between Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.

Foreign in-migration is a huge issue in the Bay Area, but it will be another year before any impact of new U.S. immigration policy on foreign in-migration in 2018 shows up in census numbers.

Longer-Term Trends in Alameda County
Median House Price Values

As illustrated at the beginning of this report, the cities in the Inner East Bay region have generally seen 2019 YTD median home value increases over 2018, as compared to the small declines seen in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties in their entireties – graphed below.

Longer-Term Trends in Alameda and Contra Costa Median Dollar per Square Foot Values

Selected County Market Statistics

The inner East Bay market has been outperforming Alameda and Contra Costa Counties as illustrated in the second chart below, in which the the percentage of listings reducing price is broken out for the 2 counties and then just for Oakland.

The first chart below compares Alameda County supply, the number of active listings on the market, with its buyer demand, as measured by the number of sales. This is a seasonally adjusted graph that smooths out normal monthly fluctuations to provide clearer historical trend lines. Again, for the most recent period, the Inner East Bay market, if broken out, would have a significantly smaller gap between listings and sales.

The percentage of listings reducing price in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties, and then just for Oakland (as an Inner East Bay indicator): For the full counties, the percentages jumped in the second half of 2018 and have remained somewhat elevated since. In Oakland, the increase was much less significant, illustrating its higher-demand market.

The next chart measuring unsold inventory in the 2 counties helps give greater context to market conditions and changes. The ups and downs since 2012 are relatively minor compared to the situation that prevailed during the 2008-2011 market recession, when monthly unsold inventory figures were highly elevated.

Oakland, Berkeley, Piedmont, city of Alameda, Albany, Kensington, El Cerrito & Richmond. Sales & Values by City, Market Seasonality, Luxury Home Sales, Market Dynamics by City & District, Foreign Homebuyers.

Inner East Bay Sales by Price Segment

Median House Sales Price Trends by City

Average Dollar per Square Foot Values

Remember that it’s not only the “quality” of a location that affects dollar per square foot value, it’s the size of the home: All things being equal (which they rarely are) smaller homes will sell for a higher dollar per square foot value than a larger one.

Piedmont’s average house size is usually over 3000 square feet, while in Central Berkeley, it is typically below 1500. However, size in only one of many factors at play in home values.

Market Seasonality

Market activity usually slows during the late summer months, then spikes back up for the relatively short autumn selling season. This typically begins with a surge of new listings coming on market in September, fueling fall sales. Come mid-November, activity commonly begins to plunge for the winter holidays, to hit its nadir in December. Of course, homes continue to sell in every season of the year.

Luxury Home Sales

Market Indicators by City & Neighborhood

Q2 is commonly the most active market of the year, and the statistics below reflect how strong the demand was this past spring.

It is interesting that some of our highest priced markets experienced some of the strongest buyer demand, as illustrated by these standard statistics – something also seen in San Francisco in Q2. This is a switch from recent years, when the heat of the market shifted to more affordable segments.

The overbidding percentages illustrated below were the highest in the Bay Area, and perhaps in the country.

Foreign National Home Buying Tumbles

According to a new report by the National Association of Realtors – based on a survey of its member agents – the purchase of U.S. homes by foreign nationals plunged in the 12 months through March 2019. California, and the Bay Area in particular, have been top destinations for international homebuyers.

Financial Markets Hit New High

The last 12 months have been an extremely dramatic time for financial markets as illustrated below. The alternating confidence and fear generated by its swings have been considerable factors in real estate markets. A parallel dynamic has occurred with the swings in interest rates.