In August 2026, San Francisco's five biggest home sales closed an average of 26.8% above asking, according to Homes.com. Sonoma County's five biggest sales closed an average of 8.6% below their original list price. Same month, same Bay Area wealth, opposite results, and if you are shopping for a luxury home in Wine Country, that gap is your leverage.
We pulled every residential sale in Sonoma County from August 3 to August 31, 2026 (345 sales across 22 towns) and ranked the top five in each town. Here is what we found.
August 2026: top sales vs asking price
Average for each market's biggest sales
26.8% over
about 6% under
8.6% under
Orange = premium over asking; gray and purple = discount. Sources: Homes.com (San Francisco and U.S., vs asking price); BruingtonHargreaves analysis of Sonoma County MLS data (vs original list price)
The national picture
Homes.com analysed top sales in nearly two dozen US markets. Nationally, the typical luxury home sold about 6% below asking, roughly $905,660 under the list price. Every top sale in Tampa, Phoenix, Denver, Atlanta, Boston, and Miami went under list. San Francisco was the only market where top sales averaged a premium, and Homes.com credits the artificial intelligence boom for the difference. One Pacific Heights Victorian sold for $6,625,000, 66% above its $3,995,000 asking price.
Sonoma County just set a record, and the buyer still got a discount
The biggest sale of the month, and reportedly the biggest residential sale ever recorded in Sonoma County, was The Summit at 3100 Sonoma Mountain Road. It closed on August 21 for $38.5 million after listing at $39.995 million.
- 1,100+ acres, with nearly 15,000 square feet of buildings
- 10 bedrooms, three commercial greenhouses, and a 12-car underground garage
- Off-grid power from solar arrays, generators, and deep wells
- The seller bought the raw land in 2014 for $12 million and reportedly put about $33 million into it over 12 years
The Summit, 3100 Sonoma Mountain Road, at a glance
Source: Sonoma County MLS, August 2026
That price is almost 10 times the next-biggest sale in the county in August, and nearly six times San Francisco's top sale (a $6.65 million condo inside a converted church). Even so, the buyer paid about $1.5 million less than the asking price.
The top of the market is negotiating
Sonoma County's five biggest August sales:
| Address | Sale price | % of original list | Days on market |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3100 Sonoma Mountain Rd, Sonoma | $38,500,000 | 96.3% | 66 |
| 10533 Westside Rd, Healdsburg | $3,958,090 | 99.1% | 29 |
| 7225 Wilton Ave, Sebastopol | $3,438,165 | 98.2% | 43 |
| 1315 W Dry Creek Rd, Healdsburg | $3,400,000 | 75.6% | 376 |
| 88 Cypress Loop, Bodega Bay | $2,988,888 | 87.9% | 126 |
Source: Sonoma County MLS residential sales, August 3-31, 2026
Not one went over asking. Looking wider, 24 homes sold for $2 million or more in August. Only one sold over its original list price: 2425 Sobre Vista Road in Sonoma, which went for $2,505,000 (104.6% of list) with three offers in nine days. The group as a whole averaged 93.2% of original list, spent a median of about 70 days on market, and 15 of the 24 buyers paid cash.
Sonoma County's 24 sales at $2 million and up, August 2026
Source: Sonoma County MLS residential sales, August 3-31, 2026
Healdsburg shows the pattern clearly. None of its top five sales went over list, and they averaged 92.2% of original list. The best-priced home, on Westside Road, sold in 29 days at 99% of asking. The homes that sat took real cuts: 1315 W Dry Creek Road came off a $4,495,000 list to $3,400,000 after 376 days, and 801 Dry Creek Road closed at about 76% of its original list price. If you are buying a home in Healdsburg at the high end, patience pays. If you are selling, pricing right on day one pays more.
Town-by-town scorecard
Average sale price vs original list price for each town's five biggest August sales:
101.8%
97.4%
96.7%
96.4%
95.5%
93.4%
92.2%
91.1%
88.8%
Bars start at 85% of list; 100% means the home sold at its original list price. Source: Sonoma County MLS, August 3-31, 2026
Petaluma's strength came from homes priced between $1.2 million and $1.65 million: 408 Cherry Street sold for $1,650,000 on a $1,485,000 list in 11 days, and 413 Redrock Way drew four offers and closed 10% over list.
Meanwhile, at the lower end, bidding wars are alive
The discount story flips below $2 million. Of the 249 homes that sold under $1 million in August, about a third (32.5%) went over list price, with a median of 37 days on market. Only 23% of those buyers paid cash, so these are mostly financed buyers competing for well-priced homes.
Some of the month's biggest premiums in Sonoma County would stand out even in San Francisco:
| Address | Sale price | List price | % of list | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2520 Farrier Ct, Santa Rosa | $1,675,000 | $1,075,000 | 155.8% | Four offers, 14 days |
| 7480 Poplar Dr, Forestville | $1,600,000 | $1,100,000 | 145.5% | Three offers, 10 days |
| 6370 Lone Pine Rd, Sebastopol | $1,325,000 | $1,079,000 | 122.8% | Five days |
| 1079 Odell Ln, Santa Rosa | $535,000 | $450,000 | 118.9% | Eight offers |
| 128 Brush St, Graton | $665,000 | $599,000 | 111% | Eight offers |
Source: Sonoma County MLS residential sales, August 3-31, 2026
Some of these were likely priced low on purpose to draw a crowd, but the offer counts tell you the demand was real.
What it means for Bay Area buyers and sellers
The wealth pushing San Francisco prices above asking has not yet carried over into Sonoma County's luxury market. For a Bay Area buyer who keeps losing bidding wars in the city, that is the opening: the same budget buys acreage, a pool, and room to negotiate. It is worth knowing where the wealthy live in Sonoma County before you start touring, because the discounts are not spread evenly. Healdsburg, Glen Ellen, and Bodega Bay gave buyers the most room in August; Petaluma and Windsor gave the least.
For sellers, the lesson is the same at every price point. The homes that sold fast and close to list were priced right from the start. The ones that chased a number sat for months and sold for less. If you are still deciding which Sonoma County town fits your lifestyle, the scorecard above is a good snapshot of where buyers have the upper hand right now.
How we ran the numbers
Sonoma County figures come from MLS residential sales that closed August 3-31, 2026. We compare the final sale price to the original list price, so homes that had price cuts show their full discount. San Francisco and national figures come from Homes.com (September 18, 2026), which compares to asking price. One month is a small sample, especially in smaller towns, so treat this as a snapshot rather than a trend.
Want to know what the top of the market looks like in your price range or your town? 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 the RealTrends No. 1 team in Healdsburg and No. 2 team in Sonoma County (2025). 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.