Market Update | August 2026

Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, Oak Park, Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park

My Quick Take: Buyer activity surprised me in July. Even though mortgage rates haven’t really improved, buyers are still willing to wait for the right home…and move quickly when it comes on the market. 

Here’s a quick look at where we are today.

My View From Inside

Normally by this point in the summer, the market starts to quiet down a bit. It’s vacation time followed by getting ready for the upcoming school year. Home searches often hit the pause button.

That wasn’t the case this July.

Pending sales jumped 21% in July, even though mortgage rates stayed in the same general range. At the same time, inventory was down about 17% compared to this time last year indicating buyers were coming back to the market, but only if the home was worth it.

Here’s What I’m Seeing

What’s been surprising this year is how often buyers have had to compete with other buyers, even though the market isn’t what it was.

There’s a reason for that.

The buyers I’m working with are being more selective than they were a few years ago. They’re willing to wait for the right house, and when it finally comes on the market, they’re ready to act. And so are other buyers.

The homes getting the most attention tend to have a few things in common:

• They’re priced realistically.
• They’re move-in ready or need very little work.
• They’re in neighborhoods buyers have been waiting for.
• They offer good value compared to the other homes available.

On the other hand, homes that miss the mark on price or condition are still taking longer to sell and are forced to make price adjustments to meet buyers where the are.

That’s why today’s market can feel confusing. You hear one person say homes are flying off the market, while someone else says nothing is selling. Depending on which homes they’re talking about, they could both be right.

Buyers and sellers aren’t the only ones feeling confused. It can be confusing to us agents too. It’s not always easy to predict how the market will embrace a home.

What to Expect for the Rest of the Year

August usually brings a bit of a slowdown as vacations wrap up and kids head back to school. That’s pretty normal.

But after seeing how active July was, I wouldn’t be surprised if things picked back up fairly quickly. Inventory is still lower than it was this time last year, and buyers are willing to move when the right home comes on the market.

Of course, one month doesn’t make a trend, so we’ll see what happens. But based on what I’m seeing today, I think the second half of the year will look a lot like the first: good homes will continue to attract strong interest, while homes that miss the mark on price or condition will have a tougher time.

Bottom Line

For Buyers: You don’t need to rush into buying the next house you see. Today’s market gives you the opportunity to be selective. But don’t assume every great home will sit on the market just because mortgage rates are above 6%. If you find a home that truly checks your boxes, be prepared to move.

For Sellers:There are still plenty of buyers in the market, but they’re much more selective than they were a few years ago. If your home is priced well, shows well, and offers good value, there’s a good chance you’ll attract strong interest. If not, buyers have enough choices that they’ll likely keep looking.

As always, if you want to talk through what any of this means for your situation, I’m happy to do that. Just reach out.

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