Roadmap with Irina - February 2026

Single-family homes in Santa Clara County remained stable in January, with the median sales price holding at $1.8 million, unchanged from last year and still higher than 2024. Closed sales totaled 315 homes, reflecting a quieter start compared to the last two years. Homes took an average of 32 days on market, which is slower than last January, and sellers received 103% of list price, showing that demand is still present but less aggressive than we saw in early 2025. Inventory increased to 2.4 months of supply, and new listings came in at 756 homes, giving buyers more options as the market begins to build momentum heading into spring.

The condo and townhome market is showing a noticeably softer trend. The median sales price dipped to $887,000, down from both last year and 2024. Sales volume also slowed, with 156 closed sales. Homes in this segment are taking significantly longer to sell, averaging 61 days on market, and sellers are receiving 100% of list price, pointing to a market where buyers have more leverage. Inventory rose to 4.3 months of supply, and new listings climbed to 670, reinforcing the shift toward more balanced (and buyer-friendly) conditions in this portion of the market.

Overall, Santa Clara County’s real estate market is starting 2026 with a more cautious pace. Single-family homes remain steady, with stable pricing and a market that’s still competitive, though less intense than last year. Condos and townhomes continue to cool, offering buyers more time, more inventory, and greater negotiating room. As we move closer to spring, these early-year shifts will help set the tone for the months ahead.

I truly believe that every relationship happens at first sight. They might be adjusted a bit over time, but the first impression is the strongest and, most of the time, is the right one. And it is not only about people. It can be a very strong feeling for pets and any object, like a car, clothes, or a home. I should confess I fell in love with my house at first sight. When we were looking for a house, we went through probably 30–40 homes total, and when we came to this one, I instantly felt at home. I hadn’t even seen the whole house at that moment, but just standing at the entrance, I knew this was the one.

I have seen the same reactions many more times later when I became a realtor and was working with buyers. Many times, people choose a house with their heart against all logical thinking, and in my opinion, this is the best way to make sure they will be happy here. Of course, they have criteria to filter out all homes that won’t work, but out of the rest of the homes that kinda match the criteria, their hearts will tell them which one is the one.

That’s how I fell in love with our house 20 years ago. We were a family of three, and the house was huge after our 2-bed apartment, super expensive, and it was scary to take such a huge financial responsibility, but we took the risk, and it was the best decision we’ve ever made.

We were a small family in a big house, so we decided to expand to the size of the house and added two more kids. With the kids inevitably came their friends and our pets. A big house has a huge advantage: there is space for everyone, so we had relatives and friends staying with us, all kinds of parties, dance recitals, backyard tent sleepovers with stargazing, movie nights, etc. We had guinea pigs, a turtle, birds, cats, a dog, hamsters, chinchillas, a bearded dragon, rats, and fish. We built playhouses, added bookcases for our always-growing library, raised vegetables, fought squirrels and birds stealing our crops, and gophers ruined our plants and lawn. We had a sewer problem that cost us time and money, mostly because we had never faced this problem before. We painted the interior a few times, replaced the carpet with hardwood, redid our landscape a couple of times, installed a kids’ playground in the backyard, and replaced it with a hot tub when the kids grew up. During COVID, when school and work were remote, and all five of us were stuck at home, we had rooms for everyone, and the backyard was our outdoor space for badminton and table tennis games and quiet family evenings. There is always something going on in the house, and I love it!

In less than two years, our youngest one will be out of school, and we won’t need our big house anymore. I was asked a few times already if we are planning to downsize. The short answer is not right now. We love our house and our neighborhood, and we would like to be here as long as we can. I am very grateful that we didn’t just get a spacious building, but that we could create a safe place for our family to grow and become ourselves. I don’t know if I will live here for the rest of my life, but hopefully, I will be happy here as long as possible. So happy anniversary, home sweet home! Let’s make more memories together!

Love you all!
Irina