Published October 18, 2026 in Market Update

Some parts of South Orange County still move fast despite 7% mortgage rates

By Chris Robertson

Real estate, South Orange County

Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates topped 7% in September 2026. That is a real headwind. But in ZIP 92673, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 54.5% of homes going under contract within two weeks. That means more than half of homes there found a buyer before most buyers even had a chance to look twice. Price your home right and prepare it well, and the rate environment matters less than you might think.

These numbers cover the three months ending August 31, 2026. They are real counts of homes in this market, not national averages.

Where homes moved fastest

The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows ZIP 92673 led every ZIP code tracked here. More than half of homes went under contract within two weeks. That share jumped 22.1 points from the same period in 2025. Median days on market there was just 25 days, down 21 days from a year before. Homes sold in 92673 rose 39.7% year over year to 88 sales.

ZIP 92672 was close behind. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 45.8% of homes there going under contract within two weeks, up 21.7 points from a year before. Median days on market dropped 18 days to 40 days. Supply fell to 2.7 months. Median sale price rose 6.5% to $1,800,000.

ZIP 92691 also moved quickly. The Real Estate Data Aggregator put 39.2% of homes under contract within two weeks, up 6.7 points year over year. Supply there was just 2.1 months. Median sale price was $1,330,000, up 4.5%.

Speed by the numbers across South Orange County

Prices held firm in most ZIPs

Prices did not move the same way everywhere. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows ZIP 92653 saw a median sale price of $1,475,000, up 15% from a year before. Homes there sold in a median of 32 days, 23 days shorter than the year before. Nearly 34.3% of homes sold above list price, up 5 points.

ZIP 92694 saw its median sale price rise 11.7% to $1,312,500. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 160 homes sold there, up 9.6% year over year. Supply held at 3.4 months.

A few ZIPs did see prices dip a little. ZIP 92688 median sale price fell 7.1% to $842,500. ZIP 92677 slipped 1.9% to $1,422,500. ZIP 92692 edged down 0.9% to $1,090,000. Not every part of the market moved up.

What the rate picture means here

Realtor.com reported rates topping 7% in September 2026. CNBC reported that Fannie Mae forecast the 30-year fixed rate at 7.4% for the fourth quarter of 2026 and 7.5% through 2027. Nationally, CNBC also noted that pending home sales were down 8.5% year over year in September, according to Zillow.

South Orange County is not immune to those pressures. But the Real Estate Data Aggregator shows pending sales rising in several ZIPs here. ZIP 92624 saw pending sales jump 76.5% year over year to 30. ZIP 92661 saw pending sales rise 40% to 21. ZIP 92673 saw pending sales climb 36.5% to 101.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. house prices rose 2.6% from July 2025 to July 2026. Several ZIPs in South Orange County outpaced that national figure by a wide margin.

Where supply is tightest

The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows months of supply at 2.1 months in both ZIP 92691 and ZIP 92673. ZIP 92653 was at 2.4 months, down 1.4 months from a year before. ZIP 92692 sat at 2.2 months. Tighter supply tends to support firmer pricing when a home is well prepared.

The luxury end moves differently

ZIP 92657 had a median sale price of $8,800,000, up 100.3% from a year before. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 27 homes sold there. Only 22.2% went under contract within two weeks, and median days on market was 64 days, 5 days longer than a year before. Fewer homes sell above list price at that level: just 7.4%.

ZIP 92625 had a median sale price of $4,250,000, up 9.1%. Median days on market was 65 days, 11 days longer than a year before. ZIP 92662 had a median sale price of $3,667,500 and a median of 83 days on market. The Real Estate Data Aggregator has no year-over-year change figures for 92662.

At the luxury level, homes can still sell. But they take more time, and buyers negotiate harder. Sale to list in 92657 was 94.4%, and in 92662 it was 96.8%.

A note on 92698

The Real Estate Data Aggregator has no counts for ZIP 92698. The story for that part of the market comes from the websites alone. Nationally, Realtor.com reported rates above 7% and Fannie Mae's forecast points to rates staying elevated into 2027.