Sale-to-list ratios across California cities
Sale-to-list ratio — what homes actually sell for versus asking — separates seller's
markets from buyer's markets city by city. In closed sales over the last 24 months,
South Pasadena tops our table at 104.9% of list, while
California City sits at 92.4% with 39% of
listings taking a price cut before selling.
Where homes sell over asking
| City | Sales (24mo) | Median DOM | Sale ÷ list | Listings cut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Pasadena | 305 | 16 days | 104.9% | 15% |
| Newhall | 471 | 26 days | 104.4% | 34% |
| La Crescenta | 307 | 16 days | 103.7% | 19% |
| Brea | 650 | 15 days | 103.7% | 22% |
| Monrovia | 477 | 18 days | 103% | 19% |
| Pasadena | 1,986 | 21 days | 102.7% | 19% |
| La Canada Flintridge | 329 | 18 days | 102.7% | 17% |
| San Gabriel | 449 | 17 days | 102.3% | 24% |
| Temple City | 345 | 15 days | 102.2% | 17% |
| Rosemead | 361 | 18 days | 102.2% | 22% |
Where buyers have leverage
| City | Sales (24mo) | Median DOM | Sale ÷ list | Listings cut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California City | 402 | 58 days | 92.4% | 39% |
| Joshua Tree | 516 | 57 days | 92.7% | 41% |
| Cambria | 309 | 40 days | 93.1% | 39% |
| Aguanga | 334 | 76 days | 93.3% | 43% |
| Lucerne Valley | 499 | 62 days | 93.5% | 32% |
| Clearlake | 428 | 60 days | 93.5% | 39% |
| Kelseyville | 412 | 77 days | 93.6% | 44% |
| 29 Palms | 790 | 61 days | 93.7% | 44% |
| Paradise | 1,482 | 44 days | 94.7% | 35% |
| Magalia | 392 | 59 days | 94.7% | 48% |
Cities with at least 300 closed sales in the last 24 months. Sale ÷ list uses final list price. Methodology.
How to use this
- Sellers in high-ratio cities: pricing at market is usually enough to create competition; judge agents on their local record, not promises. Each city link above goes to that city's agent hub with its own market snapshot.
- Buyers in low-ratio cities: the data supports negotiating — especially on listings that have already taken a price cut.
- Everyone: city averages hide ZIP-level variation. Drill into the ZIP pages on any city hub before setting a strategy.
Frequently asked questions
What does a sale-to-list ratio above 100% mean?
Homes in that market typically sell above the asking price — multiple-offer conditions. South Pasadena leads our data at 104.9% across 305 sales in 24 months.
Where do buyers have the most negotiating room in California?
Markets with sale-to-list well under 100% and high price-cut rates. In our data, California City closes at 92.4% of list with 39% of listings taking a price cut.
Should sellers automatically price low in a hot market?
No — but hot-market data means a market-priced listing will find competition on its own. Deliberate underpricing is a strategy decision to make with an agent whose own sale-to-list record you have checked.