2026 California Housing Outlook: The Era of "Cautious Optimism"

The 2026 housing market isn’t crashing. It isn’t booming either. It’s something more disciplined.

At the recent PV Board of Realtors breakfast, C.A.R. Chief Economist Jordan Levine described the year ahead in two words: cautious optimism. Sales are inching up. Prices are firming. But the momentum-driven, “easy” market is behind us. This is a year that rewards preparation over prediction, strategy over speculation, and education over emotion.