Coastal Orange County Market Update: November 2025

By Missy Wiesen, Coastal Orange County Real Estate Advisor

TL;DR

Coastal Orange County is tightening twice as fast as the rest of the county. Inventory is dropping, motivated buyers are still writing offers, and strong pricing continues, creating a strategic window for both buyers and sellers heading into the holidays.

Coastal Market Overview

As we head into Thanksgiving and what the Orange County Housing Report calls “The Season’s Silent Nights,” the coastal cities of Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, and Dana Point aren’t behaving like they normally do this time of year. The broader Orange County market is clearly in holiday mode: inventory and demand are tapering off, fewer sellers are listing, and many homeowners are taking their homes off the market altogether.

But along the coast? The market is still alive and moving, quieter, yes, but with a surprising amount of meaningful activity.

Countywide, we saw a 4% drop in active inventory over the past two weeks. Coastal Orange County doubled that pace. The five key coastal cities collectively dropped from 720 active listings to just 657, a 9% decline in only fourteen days. That’s a significant tightening for late November.

At the same time, 198 coastal homes are currently in escrow, and 76 of those pendings happened within the last two weeks. For a holiday market, when buyers typically focus more on travel, family, and festivities, that’s strong engagement. It tells us something important: the people still looking right now are serious. They aren’t browsing. They are buying.

Another standout metric this season is days on market. Across the coastal cities, the average sits just over 100 days, which might sound long until you factor in the price point and the time of year. High-end markets naturally move differently, but in the midst of a holiday slowdown, triple-digit days on market is actually expected and by no means a sign of weakening demand.

And one more detail continues to define the coastal scene: cash. Almost 40% of recent coastal sales closed without financing. That’s far above the county average and it keeps prices stable even as the season cools.

How Coastal Markets Compare to the Rest of Orange County

To understand the contrast, let’s zoom out for a moment. Orange County as a whole is following the predictable holiday rhythm. Fewer new homes are hitting the market. December is historically the slowest month of the year for new listings, and November is a close second. Thousands of sellers, 6,906 so far this year, have already taken their homes off the market, a 73% jump from last year.

But the coast is telling a different story. Inventory is shrinking faster. Demand is holding stronger. And pricing is more resilient.

When you combine limited supply with a buyer pool that’s still actively writing offers, you get a market that defies the typical winter lull. Sellers who are listed now enjoy more visibility and less competition. Buyers who stay engaged often face fewer bidding wars than they will see in the spring.

Newport Beach: A Steady Luxury Leader

Newport Beach continues to set the pace for the coastal market. In the past two weeks, its inventory dropped from 216 homes to 202, that's about 6.5%, while maintaining an impressive 55 homes in escrow, the highest activity among all the coastal cities.

One detail really stands out: 24 of those recent closings were cash. Newport continues to attract one of the highest concentrations of well-capitalized buyers in Southern California.

Pricing performance sharpens the picture even more. Homes that sell within the first two weeks are closing above list price on average. Meanwhile, homes that sit linger closer to 94–96% of asking. On a $5 million home, that 4–6% spread can mean a difference of more than $200,000. It underscores what every Newport Beach seller needs to know: the first two weeks on market matter more than anything else.

Compared to the broader Orange County luxury market, where homes over $2.5 million often take 169 days to sell and typically close below asking, Newport Beach is outperforming those expectations by a wide margin for homes that come out priced and presented correctly.

Corona del Mar: Boutique, Scarce, and Stable

Corona del Mar is operating in its usual fashion, small inventory, high demand, and a buyer demographic that knows exactly what it wants. CDM’s active inventory dropped from 89 to 80 homes this month, a 10% decrease that makes it the steepest decline among all coastal cities.

With only 80 active homes, supply is extremely tight. That scarcity alone can keep prices stable when other parts of the county soften. The 22 homes currently in escrow confirm that buyer confidence hasn’t gone anywhere. And because CDM buyers are typically highly selective and often all-cash, the homes that check the “location, lifestyle, walkability, and condition” boxes continue to command strong offers.

Laguna Beach: Iconic Demand with Lifestyle at the Center

Laguna Beach saw a 7.5% decline in active inventory, dropping from 159 homes to 147. With 38 homes pending, buyer interest remains steady.

Laguna Beach is a very specific market. Buyers consider not just the home itself but the village lifestyle, the views, the architecture, the proximity to the beach, and the feel of the neighborhood. That kind of demand doesn’t behave like broader county metrics.

It’s also why days on market tend to run longer here. Luxury homes above $4 million across Orange County have Expected Market Times ranging from 147 to 188 days. Laguna fits right into that pattern, not because the market is weak, but because buyers searching here are deeply intentional about what they want. And that’s exactly why, even with longer marketing periods, qualified buyers are still writing offers.

Laguna Niguel: Coastal Value and the Hottest Market of the Season

Laguna Niguel is the breakout star of Coastal Orange County right now. Its inventory dropped from 145 active homes to only 121, a dramatic 16.5% decline in just two weeks. With 53 homes in escrow, it’s neck-and-neck with Newport Beach despite much more accessible price points.

This is where buyers see real value: coastal proximity, excellent schools, easy access to Dana Point Harbor, and pricing that’s far more approachable than Newport or Laguna Beach. Well-priced, well-presented homes are routinely selling in under 15 days and often closing above list price.

If there’s one market that’s truly “hot” heading into the holidays, it’s Laguna Niguel.

Dana Point: Rising, Balanced, and Steady

Dana Point is showing the most balanced movement among the coastal cities. Its inventory dipped slightly from 111 to 107 homes, while 30 properties are currently in escrow. It’s not cooling, it’s holding.

One of the most encouraging signs in Dana Point is pricing performance. Homes that sell within 15 days are still closing over asking, while the overall market is holding a strong 96.8% of list. For buyers and sellers alike, this signals a stable, confident market where both sides can be successful with the right strategy.

The harbor lifestyle continues to be a huge draw, especially as revitalization projects take shape and new amenities improve the overall coastal experience. For many buyers, Dana Point offers the perfect balance between lifestyle, value, and opportunity.

Mortgage Rates: A Rare Moment of Stability

The mortgage rate environment has been surprisingly calm. Rates are sitting around 6.32%, and they’ve barely moved in the past two weeks.

Typically, mortgage rates swing based on economic data, especially jobs reports. But because of the government shutdown earlier this season, November’s jobs report didn’t come out. Without that data, the bond market doesn’t have much new information to respond to, keeping rates in a narrow, predictable band.

This stability won’t last forever. Once December’s economic data comes out, rates could move again. Strong job numbers may push them higher; softer numbers could bring them down slightly. For now, though, buyers are enjoying an unusual stretch of predictability.

Cash Buyers: A Defining Force This Season

Cash offers have become a signature part of the coastal market this year. Nearly 40% of coastal sales are closing with cash, and that plays a major role in how negotiations unfold.

But one common myth deserves correction: cash buyers do not automatically get deals.

When cash buyers make offers on fresh listings, homes that have been available less than 15 days, they’re paying full price or even a little above. The only time cash creates negotiating power is when a home has been sitting 30 days or more. That’s where cash buyers see more movement, closing around 93–94% of list.

For sellers, this means launching your home correctly is more important than ever. For buyers, it means your strategy shifts depending on whether you’re targeting fresh inventory or seasoned listings.

What This Market Means for Sellers

If you’re considering selling, you have a strategic opportunity in front of you. Coastal inventory has dropped much faster than countywide inventory, and the homes that are listed now are getting more individualized attention.

Holiday buyers tend to be more motivated. They’re not shopping for fun. They’re on a mission.

But success still hinges on strategy. On the coast, the difference between a home that sells in under 15 days and one that sits 100+ days is significant, both in timeline and in price. And every week on market diminishes perceived value.

If your home is fully ready, repairs done, staging complete, photography scheduled, and pricing aligned with recent sales, you can perform extremely well in this environment. If not, the smarter move is to prepare now and launch in early January rather than entering the market half-ready during the slowest days of the year.

What This Market Means for Buyers

For buyers who stay active through the holidays, the opportunity is real. There are fewer competing buyers right now, motivated sellers on homes that have been sitting, and a stable rate environment that makes budgeting easier.

The tradeoff is that inventory is low, and tightening quickly. So when the right property appears, moving decisively becomes critical.

Different coastal cities also offer different strengths right now. Laguna Niguel is the value leader with fast-moving homes. Dana Point is balanced and offers negotiation opportunities. Newport Beach and Corona del Mar reward strong financed buyers and cash buyers with very specific goals. Laguna Beach remains an excellent option for buyers seeking long-term lifestyle or view value and are willing to be patient.

Looking Ahead: The Spring 2026 Setup

We’re entering the final stretch of the year, and the holiday market is already doing what it always does: slowing down. But spring is a different story.

By January and February, inventory typically rises 20–30% as sellers who waited through the holidays finally list. At the same time, buyer demand also accelerates. Historically, the spring market brings more competing offers and more competition for the best homes.

Rates are expected to hover in the 6.25–6.50% range through early 2026, assuming no major economic surprises. Even at that level, the coastal market is likely to remain active, especially for homes that are well priced and beautifully presented.

For sellers, that means more competition in the spring. For buyers, it likely means fewer negotiation opportunities.

The Bottom Line

Coastal Orange County is quietly outperforming broader county trends as we move into the holidays. Inventory is down almost twice as much as the county as a whole. Buyers are still writing offers. Cash remains a powerful force. And mortgage rates are holding steady, for now.

For sellers, the message is clear: well-prepared homes are still commanding excellent prices, and competition is at its lowest point of the year.

For buyers, the shift toward fewer competing offers and more negotiable seasoned listings creates a window that may not exist once the spring market kicks in.

If you’d like to talk through what this means for your home or your search in Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, or Dana Point, I’m here to help you evaluate your options and make a confident, informed decision.

FAQs About This Blog

Q: How is the Coastal Orange County market performing right now compared to the rest of Orange County?

A: Coastal Orange County is tightening faster than the broader county. While Orange County inventory declined about 4% in the last two weeks, the coastal cities saw a 9% drop over the same period. Buyer demand along the coast also remained stronger, with 76 newly pending sales across Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, and Dana Point. This combination of faster-declining inventory and steady buyer activity is why pricing remains firm, even heading into the Holiday Market.

Q: Is late November a good time to list my coastal home, or should I wait until spring?

A: Listing now can give sellers a real advantage because coastal inventory is shrinking and many competing homes have already been delisted for the holidays. Serious buyers are still active, and well-prepared homes are achieving strong prices, especially when they sell within the first 15 days. If your home is ready, staged, repaired, and priced correctly, listing before the spring rush can give you more visibility and less competition. If you'd like help determining timing or preparing your home to maximize value, I’m happy to walk you through the best strategy for your specific property.

Q: What does the current 6.32% mortgage rate mean for buyers in Coastal Orange County?

A: A rate around 6.32% offers more stability than we’ve seen in recent months, especially with the absence of November jobs data keeping markets in a holding pattern. At coastal price points, even a small rate shift can impact purchasing power, so this steady environment gives buyers more clarity when evaluating their budget. Once December’s jobs report is released, rates may move again, so this current window gives buyers a chance to act with more predictability.

Q: How do cash buyers impact my strategy in this market as a buyer or a seller?

A: Cash continues to play a major role along the coast, making up roughly 40% of recent sales. For sellers, cash doesn’t automatically mean a discount—well-priced homes that sell quickly are still closing at or above list price, even with cash offers. For financed buyers, it’s important to present strong terms, full pre-approval, and flexibility. I can help you structure your offer so you remain competitive even in segments with heavier cash activity.

Q: Which coastal city is the best fit for me—Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, or Corona del Mar?

A: Each coastal city offers a different mix of lifestyle, amenities, and price points. Newport Beach and Corona del Mar draw luxury and ultra-luxury buyers who want proximity to beaches, dining, and marinas. Laguna Beach appeals to those who prioritize views, art culture, and a village lifestyle. Laguna Niguel offers excellent coastal-adjacent value with strong schools, while Dana Point blends harbor living with a balanced, steady market. If you share your goals and budget, I can help you compare neighborhoods and identify the best fit.

Missy Wiesen, Realtor® – Coastal Orange County Real Estate Advisor eXp Realty | DRE #01745112 | Serving Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel & Dana Point. | Phone: 949-887-6644 | Email: missy@thepughgroup.com | Website: www.MissySellsOC.com