Data Insights

With higher interest rates weighing on housing activity, the U.S. real estate market is often described as being in a slowdown. In real estate, you’ll frequently hear people say that the market is “slow.” Even in Irvine—a market known for its resilient home values—you hear that more and more these days. But is Irvine’s housing market really that slow? Overall, Irvine Has Definitely Slowed Down Let’s start with Months of Supply, a measure of housing inventory relative to the c

California real estate is known for its high prices, but the market looks very different depending on where you look. “Which areas are the most expensive, and which have appreciated the most?” We all know Newport Beach is expensive, and Irvine certainly isn’t cheap. But once you look at the actual numbers, the picture gets more interesting. Using actual home sales data through August 2026, we took a closer look at the Southern California housing market. Orange County: Souther

In real estate, negotiating power is constantly shifting between buyers and sellers. Inventory, competition, and how quickly homes sell can reveal which side currently has the advantage—and by how much. Understanding that balance can help buyers and sellers make smarter decisions about timing, pricing, and negotiation. Months of Supply: A Measure of Market Balance There are many ways to measure the housing market. One of the simplest and most intuitive is Months of Supply, a

Irvine and Seoul are both known for their high housing costs. But the answer to “Which is more expensive?” isn’t as simple as it might seem. A closer look at actual sales data reveals some interesting differences between the two housing markets. Irvine Homes Cost Much More First, let’s compare the median sale price of homes sold through August 2026. Irvine comes in at approximately $1.49 million, compared with about $694,745 in Seoul. Simply looking at home prices, Irvine is