Yes. Healdsburg is a buyer's market right now, and it's the only major town in Sonoma County that is. In Q3 2026, Healdsburg's absorption rate fell to 13.2%, down from 19.0% a year ago, while the county held at 32.6%. Buyers here have more choice and more room to negotiate than anywhere else in the county.
It's an odd twist in an odd fall. Nationally, pending sales fell 8.6% in September from a year earlier, the lowest level since spring 2014 if you set aside the pandemic freeze, as mortgage rates hit a three-year weekly high of 7.28%. Sonoma County went the other way: 499 homes went pending countywide, up 28% on last year, and homes sold at 96% of original list price. Healdsburg is the exception inside the exception. It's the county's most famous town and where our team does more business than anyone, so I'd rather you hear the numbers from us.
What the data shows
I track absorption rate because it's the best single read on market temperature: the share of homes for sale that sell in a month. Under 15% is a strong buyer's market, 20-25% is balanced, and over 25% favours sellers.
| Q3 average | Healdsburg Q3 2025 | Healdsburg Q3 2026 | Sonoma County Q3 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes for sale | 111 | 135 (+21%) | 1,161 (-10%) |
| Sales in the quarter | 64 | 53 (-17%) | 1,133 (-7%) |
| Absorption rate | 19.0% | 13.2% | 32.6% |
| Months of inventory | 5.6 | 8.0 | 3.1 |
| Sold to original list | 93.0% | 92.3% | 96.0% |
| Days on market | 78 | 81 | 59 |
| Median sold price | $976k | $1.17m | $796k |
Healdsburg now has 8.0 months of supply, against 3.1 months countywide. Homes for sale rose 21% from Q3 2025 while the county's fell 10%. Healdsburg holds about 12% of the county's homes for sale but closed only 5% of its sales last quarter.
Where buyers have the most leverage
The biggest change came at the entry level. A year ago, Healdsburg homes under $1 million were in a frenzy, with 53.9% absorption and 2.1 months of supply. In Q3 2026, absorption was 24.3% and supply was 4.9 months. Sales in that band fell from 35 to 22.
Above $3 million, inventory rose from 38 to 44 homes, even as luxury supply fell 22% across the county. Healdsburg now holds 34% of Sonoma County's $3 million-plus listings, and days on market there nearly doubled, from 60 to 115.
Across all price points, Healdsburg sellers kept 92.3% of their original list price, against 96.0% countywide. On a $1.5 million home, that gap is $55,500 more negotiating room than the county average. If you've been thinking about buying a home in Healdsburg, buyers haven't had this much leverage at any point in the past 15 months.
Why the median price rose 20%
Here's the catch. Healdsburg's median sold price rose 20%, to $1.17 million. That sounds like a hot market, but it isn't appreciation. The median rose because cheaper homes stopped selling. Under-$1 million sales fell from 55% of Healdsburg closings to 42%, so the mix shifted toward pricier homes.
Price per square foot is the more reliable measure, and it rose a modest 5%, from $735 to $771. If you see a headline saying Healdsburg prices jumped 20%, read it with care. Homes didn't get 20% more expensive, and price per square foot is the better number to work from whether you're making an offer or setting a list price.
The good news for sellers
One segment is turning. Healdsburg homes between $1 million and $3 million had 17 pending sales in September, against 6 a year earlier. Days on market in that band fell from 82 to 66, and sellers got 94.7% of original list price. This is where Bay Area move-up and second-home buyers shop, and they're coming back.
For sellers, the lesson is pricing. Homes priced to today's market are selling; homes priced on last year's hopes are sitting. If you're selling your Healdsburg home, start with a realistic number and you'll still find buyers, especially between $1 million and $3 million.
What to expect this fall
Don't count on an October repeat. Mortgage rates kept climbing after September's contracts were signed, and buyers across the rest of the country have already hit the brakes. I expect a cooler month for new contracts in Sonoma County, with entry-level buyers feeling it first. In Healdsburg, that means even more leverage for buyers. For sellers, it means pricing off the per-foot number, not the headline median.
How Healdsburg compares to the rest of the county
Most of Sonoma County is moving the other way. Absorption is 60% in Petaluma, 48% in Windsor and 35% in Santa Rosa, and all three have less inventory than a year ago. Healdsburg is the only market in the county where homes for sale went up and absorption went down. If you're weighing towns, our guide to the top-ranked cities in Sonoma County is a good place to start.
Sonoma County and Healdsburg figures are Q3 averages from BAREIS MLS via TrendGraphix, All Residential, July 2025 to September 2026. September 2026 data is preliminary.
Have questions about buying or selling in Healdsburg right now? Email me directly at david@bruingtonhargreaves.com.
About the Author
David Hargreaves is the co-founder of BruingtonHargreaves, one of Sonoma County's top-ranked real estate teams and part of W Real Estate. Originally from the UK and an Oxford University graduate, David built and ran a digital marketing agency serving Google, Facebook, and other major brands before becoming one of Sonoma County's top agents within three years of entering real estate.
Today he and business partner Jonathan Bruington have sold more than $250 million in Sonoma County homes over the past three years, earning recognition as a RealTrends No. 2 team in the county and the No. 1 team in Healdsburg. David specialises in helping Bay Area buyers and sellers with luxury properties and vacation rentals across Healdsburg, Windsor, Santa Rosa, and the Russian River communities.
He lives in Sonoma County with his wife Nancy and is happiest cycling the back roads, exploring local wineries, or behind a camera. Have a question about buying, selling, or building in Wine Country? Book a free call.