What Is My Los Angeles Home Worth Right Now? A 2026 Guide for LA County Sellers

by Ian Ferguson

If you’ve caught yourself Googling “what is my home worth” lately, you’re not alone. The California housing market has been shifting from the extremes of the past few years into something that feels more normal, but it's still changing quickly enough that yesterday’s assumptions can lead to today’s pricing mistakes. In its 2025 outlook, the California Association of Realtors projected existing single-family sales would rebound in 2025 and forecast the statewide median price to move higher, even as the market remained sensitive to rates and affordability.

For Los Angeles homeowners thinking about selling a home, your next best step is not guessing the number. It's getting a clear, current read on value, so you can decide whether it makes sense to list in 2026, hold, or plan for a later window.

Overview

How home value is really determined in Los Angeles
What the California market did in 2024–2025 (and why it matters for your value)
Where LA County home prices sit heading into 2026
Why online home value estimators in LA can be off
A simple step-by-step way to get a more accurate LA County home value estimate
Is now a good time to sell in Los Angeles?
How LA neighborhoods can differ

How home value is really determined in Los Angeles

The 4 biggest factors that drive your home’s value

In most of LA County, your home value comes down to four things buyers consistently pay for:

Recent comparable sales (closed sales, not list prices)
Condition and upgrades (kitchen, baths, systems, roof, windows, deferred maintenance)
Size and functional layout (bed/bath count, usable square footage, lot utility, parking)
Micro-location (street feel, school zones, view corridors, noise, walkability, commute patterns)

Why two similar homes can have very different prices

LA is a collection of micro-markets. A “similar” home half a mile away can trade differently because of a school boundary, a busier cut-through street, a hillside vs. flat lot, or whether a remodel was permitted and well executed. That's why your search for “how much is my house worth in Los Angeles” is rarely answered well by one national number.

What the California market did in 2024–2025 (and why it matters for your value)

California prices are up again, but the pace has cooled

Statewide forecasts heading into 2025 pointed to continued price growth, but at a more moderate pace than the peak years. That moderation matters for sellers because it raises the cost of overpricing: buyers still show up, but they can be less forgiving if the home doesn't clearly justify the number.

Sales are rebounding after a slowdown

In early 2025, statewide sales showed a measurable bounce. For example, C.A.R. reported February 2025 sales were up month over month and year over year, describing it as the strongest pace in more than two years. That statewide rebound set the stage for the market we’re seeing now: more active buyers than the slowdown period, but more payment sensitivity and more emphasis on value.

Where LA County home prices sit heading into 2026

If you want a reality check that isn't based on a guess, start with what is actually closing. In the most recently reported closed-month data (December 2025), the median sold price for existing single-family homes was $890,910. Year over year, that was down about 2.4%, which is consistent with a market that is stabilizing instead of surging.

At the same time, affordability remains tight in a way that shapes buyer behavior. A USC Neighborhood Data report notes that by 2023, LA County’s median home value was nearly ten times the median household income, and the gap is even more pronounced in the City of Los Angeles. That is one reason buyers tend to scrutinize condition, layout, and monthly payment math more carefully than they did during the frenzy.

Why online home value estimators in LA can be off

When online numbers break down in LA

Online estimators can be helpful as a starting point, but they struggle in Los Angeles because:

Public data often lags what is happening right now in a specific pocket.
Views, lot characteristics, and unique layouts are hard to quantify consistently.
Two “same model” homes can trade differently based on renovation quality and permits.
Micro-location factors, including traffic patterns and school boundaries, can outweigh square footage.

If you are trying to find out what your home is worth without an online estimate, your best alternative is a comp-based approach that mirrors how buyers and appraisers evaluate value.

A simple step-by-step way to get a more accurate LA County home value estimate

Step 1: Look at the right recent sales

Pull closed sales from the last 3–6 months that are truly comparable: similar property type, similar square footage band, similar lot utility, and ideally within the same neighborhood or school area. Prioritize what closed, not what is currently listed.

Step 2: Adjust for condition, layout, and upgrades

Make specific adjustments. A fully updated home with a functional layout will often command a different buyer response than a similar-size home that needs work, even if the online estimate groups them together.

Step 3: Factor in today’s market, not last year’s

Market conditions change the “range” buyers will tolerate. Mortgage rates are one of the biggest levers here. Freddie Mac’s weekly average 30-year fixed rate was 6.06% in mid-January 2026, which is meaningfully different from the highest points buyers were dealing with, and it can expand the buyer pool for well-priced listings.

Also, watch supply. On the inventory side, Los Angeles County active listings were up year over year in late 2025, which can reduce bidding pressure and raise the importance of being the best value in your immediate competitive set.

Is now a good time to sell in Los Angeles?

The honest answer is: it depends on your plan and your alternatives, but the current setup can be favorable for sellers who price correctly and prepare well.

Demand: statewide sales showed signs of life in early 2025, which is a helpful signal that buyers are still moving forward when the numbers make sense.
Supply: inventory has been higher year over year, which can mean more buyer choice and less room for “test the market” pricing.
Expectations: forecasts are generally pointing toward modest, not explosive, appreciation. For example, C.A.R.’s 2026 forecast called for a 3.6% rise in the statewide median price and projected the average 30-year fixed rate to ease in 2026.

If your goal is to upsize, downsize, relocate, or unlock equity, the practical play is usually to focus less on timing a perfect peak and more on controlling what you can: pricing, preparation, and negotiation strategy.

How LA neighborhoods can differ

One reason Los Angeles home prices 2026 headlines can feel confusing is that LA County is not one market. A move-in-ready home in a high-demand school pocket can behave very differently from a similar home that needs work in a nearby area, even in the same ZIP code. Condos and townhomes can also follow different rhythms than single-family homes, especially when monthly payment sensitivity is high.

The takeaway: compare your home to the closest true substitutes, then use the broader California housing market 2025 context to sanity-check the direction of travel.

Get a personalized LA home value review

If you want a clear, realistic answer to “what is my home worth,” the fastest path is a local comp-based review that accounts for condition, layout, and your exact micro-market, not just an automated estimate.

If you’re in Los Angeles County, I can put together a free, no-obligation home value estimate using recent closed comps and a pricing range tied to today’s buyer behavior. Contact me with your address and any key upgrades (or what you think needs work), and I’ll send back a clear range and the comps that support it