A family-favorite neighborhood around Lake Murray and Cowles Mountain: single-story homes, good schools, and an outdoorsy, tight-knit feel in the hills of East County.
San Carlos is a steady, largely single-family market with strong, consistent demand.
Houses are running near $1.1M (about 1.1 months of supply, selling near 97.9% of original price in roughly 12 days), while condos and townhomes sit near $525,000 (4.1 months, roughly 96.6% of original, about 58 days).
Over five years the median sale price in San Carlos houses is up about 19% and the price per square foot is up about 22%. The two agree, which is what you want to see. It means the gain reflects prices rising rather than a shift in the kind of home selling, so the headline number is a fair read on what an owner gained.
Price per square foot is the sale price divided by the home's interior square footage.
Both figures use the same smoothed five year comparison: the average of the last twelve monthly medians against the average of the first twelve. A gap of eight points or more is treated as a mix shift. That threshold was set by testing, not picked: an earlier version flagged nine of nineteen areas, which is noise. It now flags eight of forty.
Over five years the median sale price in San Carlos condos is up about 14% and the price per square foot is up about 19%. The two are close, with the price per square foot a few points ahead, so values rose a little more than the headline median shows.
Price per square foot is the sale price divided by the home's interior square footage.
Both figures use the same smoothed five year comparison: the average of the last twelve monthly medians against the average of the first twelve. A gap of eight points or more is treated as a mix shift. That threshold was set by testing, not picked: an earlier version flagged nine of nineteen areas, which is noise. It now flags eight of forty.
San Carlos suits two kinds of buyer: those after a detached mid-century home near Cowles Mountain and Lake Murray, and those wanting one of East County's better condo values close to trails and schools. Both segments are competitive, so come pre-approved.
Detached homes are selling right around ask, and condos are moving fast and often above original price. Know which market your home sits in and price to that segment's trend.
Supply is running around 1.1 months for houses. As long as listings stay scarce, prices hold firm; a meaningful rise in inventory would be the first sign of easing.
Rates sit higher than they were a couple of years ago, the main headwind on demand. A meaningful drop would likely bring buyers off the sidelines quickly.
Get Pre-Approved →Houses favor sellers on very tight supply while condos sit closer to balanced and take longer to sell; houses hold the premium, condos are the more affordable way in. Track each on its own rather than one blended figure.
This is a focused market, so a single month's median can spike or dip. Weigh the multi-year trajectory, the bold trend line above, over any one data point.
What is the median home price in San Carlos?
The median sale price in San Carlos is $1.1M on a trailing three month basis, using closed sales through September 2026. That is the houses figure. Condos and townhomes are reported separately on this page.
How long do homes take to sell in San Carlos?
Houses in San Carlos are selling in a median of about 12 days.
Is San Carlos a buyer's or a seller's market?
Houses in San Carlos have about 1.1 months of supply, which reads as a seller market. Under three months favors sellers, three to six is balanced, and above six favors buyers.
How much have home prices risen in San Carlos?
The median in San Carlos is up about 19% over the past five years, measured as the average of the last twelve monthly medians against the first twelve.
Are homes in San Carlos selling for asking price?
Houses in San Carlos are closing at about 97.9% of original list price.
What is the median condo price in San Carlos?
The median sale price for condos and townhomes in San Carlos is $525,000 on the same trailing three month basis, up about 14% over the past five years.
Is the condo market in San Carlos different from houses?
Yes. Condos and townhomes in San Carlos are selling in a median of about 58 days with about 4.1 months of supply, closing at about 96.6% of original list price. Houses are at about 12 days and 1.1 months. Houses are the tighter of the two segments here.
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Inherited a home in San Carlos? Here is what to know before you sell, from probate and trust timelines to the tax questions families ask first.
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