Where Los Angeles Home Price Data Comes From, and How to Read It
Figures and rules in this post are as of November 6, 2026, from the sources linked below. Check the source for any later update.
Market news uses several data sources, and each measures something different. These are the main ones this blog cites.
- C.A.R. monthly reports: Median prices and sales of existing single-family homes, by county and region, released around the middle of the following month. LA County’s September 2026 median was $994,670.
- Freddie Mac PMMS: Weekly national average mortgage rates, published Thursdays. The 30-year was 7.18% on November 5, 2026.
- LA County Assessor: Assessed values for property tax. Under Proposition 13 these can be far below market value for long-held homes.
- MLS closed sales: Individual sold prices and details, the basis of a comparative market analysis.
Reading a median correctly
- A median reflects which homes sold that month, not a change in any one home’s value.
- Month-to-month changes can swing because of seasonality and the mix of homes sold. Year-over-year comparisons smooth out the seasons.
- County medians combine very different neighborhoods. A single neighborhood or street can move differently.
For a figure about a specific property, a comparative market analysis based on nearby closed sales is the most direct measure.
Sources
- C.A.R. September 2026 home sales and price report
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey
- LA County Office of the Assessor
Questions about a home in Los Angeles or the Valley?
Lianna Danielyan, REALTOR® · Equity Union · CA DRE #02142653 · 13400 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 · (818) 669-6245
Listing information is provided through Equity Union’s IDX/BoldTrail service, is deemed reliable but not guaranteed, and should be independently verified. Information on this page is general and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Equal Housing Opportunity.