Spring 2026 Housing Market Update for North Orange County

By Philip Kang

Philip Kang is the visionary team leader of the HomeReady Team, based in Orange County, California. Since founding the team, Philip has driven rapid growth year after year, with the team on track to close over $150 million in real estate volume in 2025.

If you’re looking at real estate headlines this month, you might see words like “decline” or “slow start.” On paper, it’s true: transactions naturally dipped from December to January as everyone settled back in from the holidays.

But there is a major difference between what you see on a lagging data chart and what we are seeing in the streets of North Orange County right now.

Homes sold and market activity. While the online data shows 35 homes sold in Fullerton and 15 in Buena Park for January, those numbers represent deals that went into contract back in November and December. If you want to know where the market is actually going, you have to look at the open houses we’re hosting today.

Take our recent Parkhurst listing in Fullerton, for example. In a neighborhood where homes average $2 million, we saw over 300 people through the door in a single weekend. It resulted in 13 offers and a closing price nearly $500,000 over the list price. We’re seeing similar stories in Anaheim, where listings are going into contract before the first open house even begins.

Inventory. The number of homes in our market has returned to historic lows, creating a pressure cooker for buyers:

● Fullerton: 1.4 months of inventory

● Yorba Linda: 2.1 months of inventory

● Brea: 1.7 months of inventory

For context, inventory levels last summer were nearly double what they are right now. When supply is this tight and a home is “turnkey” and well-priced, it doesn’t just sell, it sparks a bidding war.

What’s the best time to sell your home for the best price? Historically, sales prices in Southern California tend to peak around May and June. In 2025, we saw the median sales price in Fullerton hit $1.25 million in June, compared to $1.1 million this past January.

Because those record-breaking June closings usually go under contract in April or May, the clock is already ticking for sellers. If you want to capture that peak spring pricing, you shouldn’t wait until the flowers bloom to start your prep.

What does this mean for home sellers? February is a short month. Between Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day, the window to prepare your home is smaller than you think. Here’s what we recommend:

● Start the conversation now: Talk to a professional in February to set your strategy.

● Prepare in March: Use this time for renovations and staging.

● Launch in late March/early April: Hit the market just as buyer demand reaches its fever pitch.

If you want to schedule a free, no-obligation personalized strategy session, feel free to call or message me directly at (714) 451-4543 or email phil@homereadyteam.com.

You can also contact Caroline Lee at ** ** (213) 505-5141 or email her at caroline@homereadyteam.com. We’re here to help you find the best move for your situation.