Two Cities, Two Markets: bridgeMLS Data Shows Why One Headline Can't Describe the East Bay
Berkeley and Oakland sit in different price worlds, and the numbers behind each tell a different story.
OAKLAND, Calif., [Date] – Housing headlines swing between boom, bust, and "K-shaped" split, often in the same week. BridgeMLS year-to-date 2026 data explains why: real estate is local, and in the East Bay it is often local to the price tier.
In both Oakland and Berkeley, homes in the $1M+ tier are moving faster and closing further above asking than homes under $1M.
Oakland: $1M+ homes sold at 124% of list price with a median of 13 days on market, and only 3% of listings expired unsold. Under $1M, homes sold at 104% of list with a median of 20 days, and 11% expired.
Berkeley: $1M+ homes sold at 130% of list price with a median of 14 days on market, and just 1.3% expired. Under $1M, homes sold at 106% of list with a median of 16 days, and 13% expired.
The gap between tiers is wider than a year ago. The difference in sale-to-list ratio grew from 14.6 to 20.4 points in Oakland and from 19.6 to 23.4 points in Berkeley.
The data also shows the under-$1M market is not weak. On average, those homes still sold above asking in both cities, and Oakland's median days on market in that tier improved from 27 to 20. The split is in intensity, plus a group of listings that sit and expire.
The two cities also differ in composition. About 75% of Berkeley's listings are priced at $1M+, compared with roughly 31% in Oakland. A headline about "the Berkeley market" and a headline about "the Oakland market" are largely describing different segments.
"No single headline can carry a market as varied as ours," said Tia Hunnicutt, Interim CEO of Bridge Association of REALTORS® and BridgeMLS. "A Seller in one neighborhood and a Buyer in another are living in different markets, and they deserve data that shows it. That is what BridgeMLS is here to provide."
BridgeMLS encourages Sellers, Buyers, and REALTORS® to look past regional and national averages and rely on local, tier-level data when making decisions.
About BridgeMLS BridgeMLS is a regional multiple listing serving multiple Associations of REALTORS®, providing listing data and market information to over 3400 participants and subscribers across the East Bay and greater San Francisco Bay Area. [should we add something else here?]
Media Contact Tia Hunnicutt, 510-499-9249, tiah@bridgeaor.org