Which East Bay Markets Are Cooling—and Which Are Still Hot? (Fall 2025 Update)

While the East Bay housing market has broadly leveled off this fall, some local pockets are cooling faster than others—and a few are still seeing strong buyer activity. Understanding these micro-market trends is crucial whether you’re buying, selling, or investing.

Here’s a breakdown of how key East Bay cities are performing in November 2025.

📉 Markets That Are Slowing Down

These areas are showing more price reductions, longer days on market, and motivated sellers:

Oakland (Flatlands & Condo Markets)

• Median prices down ~2.8% YoY

• Condos especially soft; buyers cautious due to HOA fees and lending challenges

• DOM: 36–42 days average

Berkeley (Above $2M Segment)

• Luxury inventory is sitting longer as high rates limit buyer pool

• More sellers offering credits or furniture incentives

San Leandro & Hayward

• Previously overheated markets adjusting to affordability ceiling

• Homes over $850K seeing pushback from buyers

🔥 Markets Holding Strong

These submarkets continue to see healthy buyer demand, especially for well-maintained homes near schools and transit:

Walnut Creek & Lafayette

• Strong school districts and walkable downtowns keep demand steady

• Slight dip in DOM, with homes under $1.5M moving quickly

Alameda

• Island living remains in demand, especially for renovated craftsman-style homes

• Low inventory keeping prices relatively stable (~flat YoY)

Pleasant Hill & Concord (Entry-Level Segment)

• First-time buyer activity is still strong under $800K

• Multiple offers still happening on well-priced 3-bed homes

🧠 What This Means for Sellers

• Pricing must reflect today’s market, not last spring

• Consider pre-inspections, staging, and incentives (rate buydowns, closing credits)

• Listings in “cooler” cities should prepare for longer time on market—but buyers are still out there

🧭 What This Means for Buyers

• You have more leverage in slowing markets—ask for seller concessions or inspection credits

• Still move quickly on hot submarkets with low inventory

• Use local trends to guide where to buy now vs. wait

💬 Real Talk from the Field

“We listed a 3-bed in Berkeley for $1.7M and had just one offer after 3 weeks—this spring it would've gone in a weekend.”
“But in Pleasant Hill, our buyer was in a 4-offer situation on a $795K home.”

Local data + smart strategy = successful decisions.

Bottom Line:
Not all East Bay neighborhoods are following the same script. Want to know what your city—or even your block—is doing? Let’s dig into the data together.