Most San Diego homebuyers are getting discounts
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The average discount for San Diego homes that sold below their original asking price last year was 6%, according to a Redfin report.
- That's $55,500 on a median-priced home.
Why it matters: Still-high mortgage rates and home prices have sidelined many shoppers. But those who remain in the market are scoring big deals.
State of play: Nearly 60% of local homebuyers last year paid less than the listing price, Redfin data shows.
- That was about the same as the national average (62%), which was the highest share since 2019.
Yes, but: Homebuyers in most other large U.S. metros saw bigger discounts.
- The average discount nationally was about 8% last year — the largest such gap since 2012.
One exception was San Francisco, where homebuyers paid nearly 4% above asking price, on average.
The big picture: It's a homebuyer's market for people who can afford it.
- There were a record 47% more home sellers nationally than buyers in December, per Redfin, giving house hunters more options and negotiating power.
Zoom in: The median original list price in San Diego was $925,000 in 2025, per Redfin.
What they're saying: "Homebuyers in 2026 shouldn't write off homes that are slightly above their budget because there's a good chance they'll get some sort of concession from the seller, be it a price cut, money toward closing costs or funds for repairs," Redfin senior economist Asad Khan said in the report.
- That's a big reversal from the pandemic, when sellers didn't have to offer sweeteners because bidding wars sent prices soaring far above asking in many places.
What we're watching: Not all sellers have adjusted to the fact that demand has fallen since then, according to Redfin.
- Some would rather take their listings off the market than slash prices.