August 2026 | 8 Markets at a Glance
How is your local market behaving?
People ask me every month what’s happening in the local housing market and where it’s heading. That’s exactly what this report is designed to explore.
Each month, I ask the market a series of questions. What does today’s inventory tell us? What do pending sales suggest about buyer activity? What can price reductions and market time tell us about seller behavior? By comparing those answers month after month, patterns begin to emerge.
Those patterns help explain how the market is behaving, not just what happened. August gave us an especially important reminder: more inventory does not automatically mean a slower market, and fewer homes for sale do not automatically create stronger demand. What matters is which homes buyers are choosing, how quickly they are choosing them, and how closely seller expectations align with those choices. If you want to see my previous reports you can view all of my Markets at a Glance here.
How Did Our Foothill Community Real Estate Markets Behave in August?
August brought a noticeable slowdown in buyer activity across much of the Foothill market, but once again, there was no single story shared by all eight communities. Closed sales declined in seven of the eight markets, and pending sales declined in six. Pasadena 91104 was the exception on closed sales, while Shadow Hills held steady on pending activity.
The more revealing story may be where buyers were choosing to purchase. In Glendale 91208, Pasadena 91104, Pasadena 91103, Shadow Hills, and Sunland-Tujunga, the median price of the homes going pending sat below the median price of the active inventory. In several communities, the difference was substantial. Buyers were still participating, but they were not necessarily choosing evenly across the available price spectrum.
Market time adds another layer. La Cañada Flintridge had fewer pending sales, yet the homes buyers selected reached agreement in half the time they did in July. Sunland-Tujunga also recorded faster pending market time despite fewer transactions. Meanwhile, Glendale 91208, Pasadena 91104, and Shadow Hills saw pending homes take longer.
Price reductions continued to be closely associated with extended market exposure. Reduced listings averaged well over 100 days on the market in several communities, including La Crescenta-Montrose, La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena 91104, and Shadow Hills.
The strongest August takeaway is not simply that the market slowed. Buyers were still buying, but they were becoming more particular about which homes earned their attention. Price, market time, available competition, and the individual characteristics of a property increasingly determined which homes moved forward and which remained available.
La Crescenta-Montrose
La Crescenta-Montrose | August 2026 Market at a Glance
Inventory increased from 38 to 49 homes while closed sales declined from 20 to 16 and pending sales fell from 16 to seven. The median price of the active inventory dropped to $1,349,000, bringing it considerably closer to the $1,299,000 median price of the homes buyers were choosing. Twelve of the 49 active listings had reduced their asking price, and those homes had accumulated an average of 115 days on the market. Buyers had substantially more choices in August, but fewer homes were moving into escrow and longer market exposure continued to put pressure on seller pricing.
Glendale 91208
Glendale 91208 | August 2026 Market at a Glance
Glendale 91208 had fewer homes available, but buyer activity also slowed considerably. Closed sales fell from 11 to four and pending sales declined from seven to three, while both sold and pending homes took longer to secure a buyer. At the same time, the median price of the active inventory increased to $1,999,000, while the median price of the homes going pending dropped to $1,490,000. Only two of the 13 active listings had reduced their asking price, and those homes had been on the market an average of 98 days. August created a wider gap between what sellers were asking and the price range buyers were choosing.
La Cañada Flintridge
La Cañada Flintridge | August 2026 Market at a Glance
Inventory increased from 31 to 39 homes while both closed and pending sales declined. The average sold price climbed above $4.19 million, reflecting the mix of higher-priced properties that closed during August rather than a broad increase in home values. Pending buyers continued choosing homes at a median price of $2,995,000, exactly where they were in July, but those homes reached agreement much faster, with average pending market time falling from 32 days to 16 days. Ten of the 39 active listings had reduced their asking price after one obvious MLS price-entry error was excluded, and those reduced listings had accumulated an average of 207 days on the market. La Cañada offered buyers more choices in August, but the homes they selected reached agreement in half the time.
Lake View Terrace
Lake View Terrace | August 2026 Market at a Glance
Lake View Terrace moved from one of July’s more active markets to considerably less activity in August. Active inventory declined from 32 to 20 homes, closed sales fell from 12 to four, and only one property was pending compared with 17 in July. That single pending home had been on the market for 81 days, so its $1.1 million list price and $373 per-square-foot figure should not be viewed as representative of overall buyer behavior. Six of the 20 active listings had reduced their asking price, and those homes had accumulated an average of 89 days on the market. August represents a sharp slowdown from July, but with only one pending sale, another month of activity will help determine whether this was a temporary pause or a developing market shift.
Pasadena 91103
Pasadena 91103 | August 2026 Market at a Glance
Pasadena 91103 added inventory while both closed and pending activity remained limited. Active listings increased from 16 to 23, while only three homes closed and four were pending. The $2.74 million average sold price was heavily influenced by one sale above $5 million and should not be interpreted as a broad increase in home values. The median price of the homes going pending fell to $987,000, while pending market time improved from 84 to 62 days. Seven of the 23 active listings had reduced their asking price, and those homes had accumulated an average of 83 days on the market. Buyers had more homes to choose from in August, but current activity remained limited and the homes going pending shifted toward a considerably lower price point.
Pasadena 91104
Pasadena 91104 | August 2026 Market at a Glance
Pasadena 91104 had fewer homes available, while closed sales increased from 16 to 19 and sold homes moved faster, with average market time falling from 30 days to 23 days. Current pending activity tells a different story. Pending sales declined from 10 to eight, average pending market time increased to 32 days, and the median price of the homes going pending fell from $1,424,400 to $1,187,500. Eight of the 28 active listings had reduced their asking price, and those homes had accumulated an average of 147 days on the market. August produced stronger closed-sale results, but current pending activity shows buyers taking longer and choosing homes at a lower price point.
Shadow Hills
Shadow Hills | August 2026 Market at a Glance
Shadow Hills had fewer homes available and slightly fewer closed sales, while pending activity remained unchanged at four homes. The median price of the active inventory declined from $1,595,000 to $1,472,000, while the median price of the homes going pending fell to $1,032,000. Those pending homes also took longer to secure a buyer, with average market time increasing from 42 to 57 days. Seven of the 18 active listings had reduced their asking price, and those homes had accumulated an average of 123 days on the market. August’s buyers continued participating in Shadow Hills, but their selections were concentrated at a lower price point while longer market exposure continued to create pricing pressure for sellers.
Sunland-Tujunga
Sunland-Tujunga | August 2026 Market at a Glance
Sunland-Tujunga had fewer homes available and considerably fewer closed and pending sales following July’s unusually high transaction activity. Active inventory declined from 80 to 71 homes, closed sales fell from 55 to 19, and pending sales declined from 23 to 13. The median price of the active inventory dropped below $1 million, while the median price of the homes going pending increased to $849,000 and pending homes reached agreement somewhat faster. Twenty-six of the 71 active listings had reduced their asking price, and those homes had accumulated an average of 83 days on the market. August activity slowed substantially from July, but buyers continued moving forward, particularly among homes priced below the median of the available inventory.
Questions I’d Be Asking if I Were Watching This Real Estate Market
Was the Real Estate Market in August 2026 Simply Slower, or Are Home Buyers Becoming More Selective?
One month cannot establish a long-term trend, but the pattern deserves attention. Closed sales declined in seven of the eight communities and pending sales declined in six. At the same time, home buyers continued purchasing properties and, in some markets, acted quickly once they found the right home. September’s pending activity will help show whether August was a temporary slowdown or part of a broader change in buyer behavior.
Are Home Buyers Rejecting Higher Prices?
Not across the board. La Cañada Flintridge provides an important counterexample, where the median pending price remained at $2,995,000 and pending homes moved into escrow twice as quickly. However, several other communities showed home buyers selecting properties below the median price of the active inventory. The better question for a home seller may be whether their particular property is positioned where today’s buyers see enough value to act.
Why Does the Gap Between Active List Price and Pending List Price Matter?
Active listings show what home sellers are asking. Pending listings show which asking-price ranges are actually attracting home buyers. In Glendale 91208, Shadow Hills, Pasadena 91104, Pasadena 91103, and Sunland-Tujunga, August’s median pending list price was below the median list price of the available inventory. That does not mean every higher-priced home is overpriced, but it does show where current buyer activity is concentrated.
What Are Longer Market Times Telling Home Sellers?
The price-reduction data provides one of August’s clearest messages. Reduced listings averaged 115 days on the market in La Crescenta-Montrose, 207 days in La Cañada Flintridge, 147 days in Pasadena 91104, and 123 days in Shadow Hills. Price reductions were not randomly distributed throughout the inventory. They were heavily concentrated among properties with extended market exposure.
Does a Price Reduction Automatically Mean a Home Was Overpriced?
Not necessarily. A property’s market time can be affected by condition, location, price range, competition, presentation, accessibility, insurance considerations, and changes in buyer demand. However, when a home remains available substantially longer than competing properties and eventually requires a reduction, the market is providing information a home seller should not ignore.
Why Should Homeowners Watch Pending Sales Before Closed Sales?
Closed sales tell us what home buyers agreed to purchase several weeks earlier. Pending sales provide a more immediate view of today’s decisions. Pasadena 91104 illustrates the difference particularly well. August closings increased and sold homes moved faster, while current pending activity declined, took longer, and shifted toward a lower median price.
What Should Home Sellers Take Away From August 2026?
More than ever, pricing cannot be based only on what another home sold for months ago or what a neighboring seller is currently asking. Home sellers should study the homes buyers are choosing now, their price ranges, their market times, and the competition buyers can choose instead. A home can be desirable and still lose buyer attention when another property offers a stronger combination of price, condition, location, and perceived value.
What Opportunities Could the Fall 2026 Real Estate Market Create for Home Buyers?
A slower pace can give home buyers more time to compare properties and pay closer attention to homes with longer market exposure or price reductions. That does not mean every home seller will negotiate or that every well-positioned home will sit on the market. August showed both sides: some homes required considerable time and price adjustments, while others still reached agreement quickly.
It Starts With a Conversation
August is a good reminder that there is no single “Foothill housing market.” La Cañada buyers behaved differently from Glendale buyers. Pasadena 91104 told a different story from Pasadena 91103. La Crescenta added inventory while Lake View Terrace lost inventory, yet both recorded fewer pending sales.
For homeowners, the most important number may not be how many homes are for sale. It may be how many homes buyers are actually choosing, what those homes cost, and how long buyers took to choose them. A neighbor’s asking price tells you what another seller hopes to receive. A pending sale begins to tell you what today’s buyer is willing to pursue.
For home buyers, slower activity does not necessarily mean every seller is ready to negotiate. Some homes are still reaching agreement quickly, while others are accumulating market time and adjusting their prices. Understanding the difference can be far more useful than trying to label the entire market as either a buyer’s market or a seller’s market.
August’s strongest message is about alignment. When price, condition, location, competition, and buyer expectations line up, homes can still move. When they do not, market time begins to tell the story.
If you have questions about your home, your neighborhood, or what August’s patterns may mean for a future move, reach out anytime. No agenda. Just a conversation.
Robbyn Battles, The House Agent
Call or Text 818-388-1631