Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Housing Market
Median List Price
$962,450
Updated August 2026
Today, Rancho Santa Margarita has 95 homes for sale at a median list price of $962,450, typically selling in about 41 days.
Rancho Santa Margarita Market Analysis
Homes in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA carry a median list price of $962,450. Median pricing works out to $642 per square foot. The median price moved from $1.1M in February to $915,000 in July, a 16.4% decrease over six months.
The typical listing reaches pending status in about 15 days. Homes move quickly at that pace, which favors sellers and rewards buyers who come prepared. Right now 95 homes are on the market in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. 36 new listings came on the market in the last 30 days.
Five bedroom homes carry the highest medians at $1.8M, with one bedroom homes starting the range at $465,000. Condos make up about 48.4% of current inventory, with single family homes accounting for another 41.1%. The area spans the 92688 and 92679 ZIP codes.
Rancho Santa Margarita Rental Market
Rentals in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA carry a median asking rent of $4,900. The median rent moved from $3,300 in February to $4,900 in July, a 48.5% increase over six months. Right now 26 rentals are on the market in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA.
Rancho Santa Margarita Market Pulse
Topfind Market Read
Sellers hold the edge right now. There is only 2.6 months of supply, and selling times have improved 45% versus six months ago. At the same time, 45% of sellers have trimmed their asking price, so the market is not running away from buyers. Sellers have the stronger hand, though prepared buyers can still negotiate on the right home.
Median Home Price
$962K
↓ 0% over the past yearChart shows the median closed sale price by month
Months of Supply
Estimated time to sell all listings at the current sales pace
2.6 months of supply
Tight Supply95 active listings against the current sales pace works out to about 2.6 months of supply.
What this means for buyers
Inventory is tight relative to how many homes sell each month, so buyers have fewer options and well-priced homes draw competition. Listings typically sell in ~41 days.
Sales Velocity
How fast homes are selling
Homes are selling at a steady pace, so buyers have some time, though competition still exists. Homes are moving 45% faster than six months ago.
Inventory Distribution
A solid share of current listings is under 30 days old, while a meaningful share has been up longer.
About 52% of current listings are under 30 days old, while the rest have been up longer.
Housing Tenure in Rancho Santa Margarita
Homeownership is significantly higher than average, making this a homeowner-dominated market with more long-term residents.
73%
Homeowners
27%
Renters
Homeownership is 17.5 points higher than the California average (55.5%)
17,042 households (2023)
Affordability Snapshot
Typical home cost
$6,486/mo
Actual housing expense
Affordable budget (28%)
$3,426/mo
Based on median income
Median household income
$12,236/mo
Rancho Santa Margarita
A typical home costs about 53% of the median household's income.
For reference, lenders typically recommend spending ≤28%.
Income needed to afford a typical home comfortably
$278K/year
Assumes housing costs ≤28% of income
View cost breakdown
20% down, 7% rate, 30-yr fixed. CA averages for tax/insurance.
Median Price by Bedroom
Larger homes command significantly higher prices, with sharp increases beyond 3 bedrooms.
Each additional bedroom adds about $338K in value on average, with larger homes seeing bigger price jumps.
Largest increase: 4 → 5 bedrooms (+$519K)
Price Reductions
43 listings have reduced their price
45% of active listings
Average reduction: 4.5% (~$43K)
Browse Rancho Santa Margarita Listings
Frequently Asked Questions about the Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Housing Market
What is the median home price in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA?
The median list price in Rancho Santa Margarita is $962,450 as of August 2026, based on 95 active listings.
Is Rancho Santa Margarita a buyer's market or a seller's market?
Rancho Santa Margarita currently reads as a seller's market. Active inventory works out to about 2.6 months of supply at the recent sales pace.
How fast do homes sell in Rancho Santa Margarita?
Homes that closed in the last 90 days typically went under contract in about 15 days. The average home currently for sale has been on the market for 41 days.
Are home prices in Rancho Santa Margarita going up or down?
The median sale price in Rancho Santa Margarita is roughly flat compared with a year ago.
How many homes are for sale in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA?
There are 95 homes for sale in Rancho Santa Margarita right now, including 4 listed within the last week.
What is the median rent in Rancho Santa Margarita?
The median asking rent in Rancho Santa Margarita is $4,900 per month, across 26 active rental listings.