Today, I have an update on the Southern California real estate market. How are trends looking for homebuyers and sellers? Let’s take a look.

There’s been a lot of discussion lately about what kind of market we’re in. Many people are saying that it’s slowing down, with some even stating that the marketplace is crashing. What do I do when I want to know what’s really going on? I look at the numbers myself, especially at the number of homes available for sale and the number sold each month.

If we take data from February to now in October, inventory has grown in most Ventura County cities. This means there are more properties available for sale that buyers can choose from. Demand has stayed fairly strong, except for a slower month in July. The only difference now is that, because there are more homes to choose from, the number of days a home is on the market is increasing. In some cases, this leads to more negotiation on a home’s price, which is again due to the number of options for homebuyers.

Before, when we were in more of a seller’s market, buyers didn’t have this same amount of choice. They had to either buy or wait. But now, most cities in Ventura County have seen an increase in inventory anywhere from 20% to 42%.

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Now is the time to price our homes competitively.


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For example, Camarillo’s inventory has grown 32%, going from 218 properties for sale to 324 since February. Oxnard has grown 26% from 302 to 410. Simi Valley increased 42% from 251 to 438, Thousand Oaks has grown 36%, and Ventura has grown 33%.

Our area’s inventory has grown tremendously, but this doesn’t mean the marketplace is crashing. Demand is still strong, but the market has just flattened out somewhat because buyers have more choices. We’re seeing multiple offers on well-priced listings, so it’s still a good time to sell. However, now would probably not be the best time to test the waters at higher prices. Now is the time to price our homes competitively.

If you have any questions about our market or need more information, my cell number is (805)-228-4672—I’d be more than happy to help. I look forward to speaking with you.