2026 San Diego Luxury Real Estate Trend Report Download Global Luxury Study

San Diego Shines In The 2026 Luxury Trend Report

Coldwell Banker Global Luxury just released the 2026 Trend Report, and there is some very good news for San Diego. The report looks at wealthy households with at least $5 million in net worth and tracks how they are investing, where they are buying, and what they want in a home.

Big picture, luxury real estate has stayed strong while other parts of the market have been a bit choppy. But when you zoom in, a handful of cities really stand out for their resilience. San Diego is one of them.

This article is a plain language overview of the report with a focus on what it says about San Diego. You will be able to download the full report on this page, but here is the story in human terms first.

What the report says about luxury overall

A few key themes from the Trend Report:

• Wealthy households have seen their wealth grow sharply since 2020, and they have continued to put a meaningful share of that wealth into real estate.

• In the U.S., luxury home sales grew faster than the overall market, with luxury sales up about 2.9 percent vs 1.7 percent for traditional housing in 2025. Prices for luxury homes also ticked up a few percent year over year.

• High net worth buyers still see real estate as a stabilizing part of their financial life. It is not just about a nice house. It is about wealth preservation, diversification, and lifestyle.

So luxury is not behaving like a bubble that popped. It is behaving like a long term asset class that people with options continue to choose.

San Diego named as one of the “resilient wealth havens”

One of the most important sections of the Trend Report is about what they call Resilient Wealth Havens 2.0. These are markets that have:

• Rising median sold prices over time

• Consistent sales activity

• A steady flow of new inventory coming to market

When the authors ran the numbers, six U.S. cities stood out for strong and steady performance. San Diego made that short list alongside Minneapolis St. Paul, Greater Atlanta, Dallas Fort Worth, Nashville, and Salt Lake City.

Across these markets, median luxury prices from 2020 to 2025 grew from the mid 40 percent range to well over 90 percent, and sales activity stayed positive even while the national picture was more uneven.

For San Diego, the report points to two big drivers:

• Geographic scarcity - there is only so much coastal land and we are largely built out.

• Exceptional quality of life - climate, outdoor lifestyle, and amenity rich neighborhoods continue to pull in affluent buyers.

If you own a home anywhere from downtown to the coastal communities up through Encinitas, you are sitting in a market that the data now labels as structurally resilient, not just “hot for now.”

The San Diego numbers in the Trend Report

In the San Diego section, the report looks at year over year changes in three things:

• Sold price

• Number of sales

• New inventory

Here is how the last two years shake out for our luxury segment:

2024 (luxury San Diego)

• Sold price: up 6 percent

• Sales: up 5 percent

• New inventory: up 23 percent

2025 (luxury San Diego)

• Sold price: up 2 percent

• Sales: down 4 percent

• New inventory: up 16 percent

What does that mean in plain English?

• Prices are still moving higher, just at a more normal pace.

• Sales cooled a bit in 2025, but we are not seeing a collapse.

• More inventory has been coming onto the market, which is healthy and gives buyers more choice.

Put together, that is exactly the pattern you want to see in a mature coastal luxury market. You have long term price growth, periods of catch up and breathing room, and enough new listings to keep activity going. Sellers still have the wind at their backs, and buyers are getting a bit more room to be selective.

What luxury buyers are looking for now

The Trend Report also digs into how high net worth buyers are thinking about their homes. A few patterns line up very well with what we are seeing in coastal San Diego:

• More space and flexibility
  The average luxury single family home in the data set is about 4,250 square feet, compared with about 2,364 square feet for a traditional single family home. Buyers want more bedrooms, more privacy, and more outdoor living space.

• “Informed abundance”
  Many buyers are not chasing size just to show off. The report calls it “informed abundance” - they want extra space because it lets them work from home, host family, and live multi generationally if needed.

• Turnkey plus lifestyle
  Buyers still value properties that are move in ready and dialed in, but they will also consider homes with good bones in great locations if they can create the lifestyle they want with some thoughtful updates.

In our coastal neighborhoods, that translates to strong demand for:

• 4+ bedroom homes that can flex as office, gym, guest space, or ADU

• Walkable locations near the beach, village, or neighborhood hubs

• Outdoor spaces that live like another room of the house

• Homes that feel like a retreat, not just a house with a view

The coming wave of inherited property

Another major theme is the wealth and property that will change hands in the next decade.

Globally, about $38.3 trillion in wealth is expected to be transferred, and roughly $4.6 trillion of that is in real estate. In the U.S. alone, an estimated $2.4 trillion in real estate is projected to change hands, with about two thirds of that tied to households with $5 to $30 million in net worth.

For markets like San Diego, that means:

• More inherited homes coming to market as heirs sell, consolidate, or reposition assets

• More next generation buyers using inheritance to enter or move up in the luxury segment

• A strong incentive for current owners to think about legacy, tax planning, and the story they want their property to tell

If you own a high value home along the coast, this is a good time to have conversations with your advisors about estate planning and exit strategy, even if you have no plans to sell soon.

What this means if you are a San Diego homeowner

Here is how I would sum it up for local owners from downtown to La Jolla, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas and the surrounding communities:

• Your market is now officially categorized as resilient in a global data set, not just based on gut feeling.

• Prices have grown meaningfully since 2020 and continue to trend higher, even as sales volumes bounce around.

• There is steady demand from affluent buyers who are thinking long term about lifestyle, stability, and legacy.

If you are considering selling in the next 1 to 3 years, this report is a useful reminder that:

• Presentation and lifestyle story matter as much as square footage.

• Turnkey, well maintained properties still command a premium.

• Smart, targeted updates can help a “good bones” property compete with newer or fully remodeled homes.

If you are holding for the long term, it reinforces that high quality coastal property in San Diego continues to behave like what it is for many wealthy households - a core piece of their balance sheet and a place they love to live.

If you are thinking about buying

For buyers, the takeaway is not "wait for a crash." The data suggests:

• Luxury buyers with options are still choosing real estate.

• San Diego is attracting a steady flow of high net worth households who value our quality of life.

• Inventory has improved compared with the tightest pandemic years, which creates more opportunity to find the right fit.

It is a market where having a clear strategy and a local advisor really matters.

Want the full Trend Report and a local breakdown?

On this page you can download the full Coldwell Banker Global Luxury 2026 Trend Report to dive into all of the charts, maps, and data.

If you would like a custom breakdown of how these trends show up in your specific neighborhood or price point from downtown San Diego to Encinitas, I am happy to walk you through it and pair the national data with what we are seeing on the ground here.

Reach out any time if you would like:

• A confidential pricing and positioning review of your home

• A strategy session about buying or upgrading along the coast

• Help thinking through an inherited or soon to be inherited property

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 2026 San Diego Luxury Real Estate Trend Report?
It is a data driven breakdown of how San Diego’s luxury market is performing, based on the latest Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Trend Report. I have pulled out the most important insights for local homeowners, buyers, and investors from downtown San Diego to Encinitas.

Who is this report for?
This report is ideal for coastal San Diego homeowners, potential sellers, move up buyers, investors, and anyone curious about how the high end market is really doing compared with what you see in the headlines.

What will I learn from this report?
You will see how luxury prices and sales are trending in San Diego, why our city is now labeled a “resilient wealth haven,” what today’s affluent buyers are looking for, and how factors like inventory, cash buyers, and inheritance are shaping the next few years of our market.

Is the report focused only on San Diego?
The full Trend Report covers luxury markets around the world, but this download and landing page focus specifically on what the data means for San Diego’s coastal communities, including places like downtown, Point Loma, Pacific Beach, La Jolla, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Cardiff, and Encinitas.

How much does the report cost?
The report is completely free. Just enter your name and email address to receive instant access to the download.

Why do I need to provide my contact information?
I ask for your name and email so I can send you the download link and, if you choose, follow up with occasional local market updates. Your information will not be shared or sold, and you can opt out of updates at any time.

Will this help me decide if it is a good time to sell my home?
Yes. The report gives you a clear picture of price trends, buyer demand, and inventory in the luxury segment. Paired with a custom valuation for your property, it is a strong starting point for deciding whether to hold, improve, or bring your home to market.

I am not ready to buy or sell. Is it still worth downloading?
Absolutely. Even if you are 1 to 3 years away from a move, understanding where the market is today and where high net worth buyers are heading helps you make smarter decisions about upgrades, financing, and timing.

Can I get help interpreting the report for my specific situation?
Yes. After you download the report, you can reply to the email or reach out directly and I will walk you through what the data means for your neighborhood, price range, or property type in plain language.