Some parts of the Buy Box are still moving fast despite 7.40% mortgage rates
Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.40% as of October 8, 2026. That is real money on a monthly payment. Yet the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 45.8% of homes going under contract within two weeks in ZIP 92610 and ZIP 92672 during the three months ending August 31, 2026. Speed still exists here. It just depends on where you are.
The rate reality
Freddie Mac also reported a 15-year fixed rate of 6.73% as of October 8, 2026. Nationally, Realtor.com noted that mortgage rates surged above 7% for the first time since January 2025. That context matters. Buyers in this market are paying more to borrow than they were a year ago.
Even so, not every part of Orange County slowed down. The Real Estate Data Aggregator data shows a clear split across ZIP codes in this Buy Box.
Which ZIPs moved fastest
ZIP 92610 and ZIP 92672 tied at the top. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 45.8% of homes going under contract within two weeks in each, for the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is a jump of 29.1 points year over year in 92610, and up 21.7 points in 92672. Both are moving faster than a year ago, not slower.
- 19261045.8%
- 29267245.8%
- 39262640.5%
- 49260434.9%
- 59261433.3%
- 69262027.8%
- 79266025.2%
- 89263024.2%
- 99261220.2%
- 109266320%
The tightest ZIP: 92626 (Costa Mesa)
The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted just 2 months of supply in ZIP 92626 for the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is the lowest in this Buy Box. Homes sold in 38 days at the median. The sale to list ratio came in at 99.1%, and nearly 3 in 10 homes sold above list price.
The fastest-improving ZIP: 92610 (Foothill Ranch)
ZIP 92610 saw the biggest swing in speed. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows the two-week contract rate jumped 29.1 points year over year, to 45.8%. Median days on market fell 26 days compared with the same period in 2025, landing at 35 days. The sale to list ratio reached 99.9%. That said, the median sale price dipped 7.5% to $1,202,000, and homes sold fell 17.1%. Fewer homes traded, but the ones that did moved quickly.
92672 (San Clemente): fast and tightening
The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 2.7 months of supply in ZIP 92672, down 1 month from a year ago. The median sale price rose 6.5% to $1,800,000. Homes for sale fell 29.1%. Fewer choices, quicker decisions. The two-week contract rate jumped 21.7 points year over year to 45.8%.
Where it is softer
Not every ZIP is tight. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 5.8 months of supply in ZIP 92618 and 5 months in ZIP 92676 for the same period. ZIP 92676 had a median of 116 days on market, and not one home sold above list price. ZIP 92618 saw the median sale price dip 4.5% to $1,475,000. More supply and longer days mean buyers have more room to negotiate in those areas.
The national picture adds context
The National Association of Realtors reported that existing-home sales fell 2.0% in August 2026. Nationally, months of supply stood at 4.9 months. Realtor.com reported that price cuts hit 20.8% of listings in September 2026, the highest share since October 2022. Orange County's tightest ZIPs are holding up better than that national picture suggests.
What this means for sellers
In ZIP 92606, the Real Estate Data Aggregator showed an average sale to list ratio of exactly 100% for the three months ending August 31, 2026. That means sellers there got every dollar they asked for, on average. In ZIP 92603, the median sale price rose 27.9% year over year to $2,750,000. Strong prep and sharp pricing still produce results, even at 7.40% rates.
| 92606 | 92626 | 92610 | 92672 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $1,460,000 | $1,575,000 | $1,202,000 | $1,800,000 |
| Sale to list | 100% | 99.1% | 99.9% | 98.9% |
| Median days on market | 43 | 38 | 35 | 40 |
| Months of supply | 3.8 | 2 | 3.6 | 2.7 |
What this means for buyers
In the tightest parts of this Buy Box, waiting costs you. ZIP 92626 had 89 pending sales in the three months ending August 31, 2026, matching the number of homes sold exactly. That is a busy pipeline. ZIP 92672 had 90 homes for sale and 96 pending sales. Demand is outrunning supply there. Come in prepared, or you may come in second.
- Freddie Mac put the 30-year rate at 7.40% as of October 8, 2026. That is real pressure on buyers.
- But the Real Estate Data Aggregator shows that ZIP 92610, 92672, and 92626 are still moving quickly, with low supply and fast contract rates.
- Other ZIPs, like 92618 and 92676, give buyers more time and more room.
- One street can tell a very different story from the ZIP code around it.
Your next step
(949) 777-5607Text me your address and I will send back how your Orange County home compares on days to sell and contract speed against what actually closed near you. Takes a day, costs nothing.
Text me- Real Estate Data Aggregator numbers for ZIPs 92603, 92626, 92610, 92614, 92630, 92672, 92676, 92602, 92620, 92782, 92606, 92612, 92604, 92618, 92660 and 92663, the three months ending August 31, 2026, compared with the same months of 2025. Real Estate Data Aggregator last updated them on Oct 7, 2026.
- Freddie Mac: Mortgage Rates, read Oct 10, 2026
- National Association of Realtors: Existing-Home Sales, read Oct 10, 2026
- Redfin: Mortgage Rates Tick Up Even as the Odds of a Fed Rate Hike Decline, Oct 5, 2026
- Realtor.com: September 2026 Monthly Housing Trends: Price Cuts Hit 4-Year Highs as Mortgage Rates Top 7%, Sep 30, 2026
- Realtor.com: August 2026 Rental Report: Rents Fall for 37th Straight Month as Concessions Give Renters More Leverage, Sep 17, 2026
- No Real Estate Data Aggregator numbers for 92678, so this part is from websites alone.
- No Real Estate Data Aggregator numbers for 92617, so this part is from websites alone.