James Granat Real Estate

Costa Mesa is not acting like one simple market right now.

Some homes are getting attention fast. They are priced where buyers see the value, and those homes can still sell quickly and sometimes over the asking price.

Other homes are sitting. Buyers are looking, but they are not agreeing with the price. Those sellers often end up lowering the price before they find the right buyer.

That is the market I want my clients to understand. You do not need to guess. You can look at what similar homes actually did, then decide whether to compete or slow down and negotiate.

What the last 30 days show

I reviewed a Costa Mesa MLS export from the last 30 days in May 2026. Here are the numbers that matter most:

• 240 Costa Mesa records reviewed.
• 105 homes were active.
• 4 homes were coming soon.
• 45 homes had accepted offers or were in contract.
• 61 homes closed.
• The median active price was about $1.70M.
• The median closed price was about $1.53M.
• Active homes had been on the market about 25 days.
• Closed homes took about 12 days.
• About 29% of active homes had a price cut.
• About 43% of active homes had been sitting for 30 days or more.
• About 33% of closed sales sold over the asking price.
• About 49% of closed sales sold under the asking price.
• At the current sales pace, Costa Mesa had roughly 51 days of homes available.

The simple takeaway: buyers are still competing for the right homes, but they are not chasing every listing.

If you are buying in Costa Mesa

The first question is not, “How much over asking do I need to pay?”

The better question is, “What kind of listing is this?”

If a home is clean, well presented, in a strong location, and priced where buyers can see the value, it may move fast. The homes that closed recently took about 12 days, and about one out of three sold over asking.

But that is only one side of the market. A lot of homes are not moving that way. If a house has been sitting for 30 days or more, or if the seller already lowered the price, there may be room to ask for a better price or money toward closing costs.

I’ll help you figure out which situation you are in before you write an offer.

If you are selling in Costa Mesa

The good news is simple: buyers are still there.

When a home is priced where serious buyers show up, the market can still reward it. A smart starting price can create more showings, more attention, and sometimes more than one buyer trying to win the same house.

The risk is starting too high. If the price pushes away your best buyers in the first week, you may end up chasing them later with price cuts.

The goal is not to price low. The goal is to price where serious buyers show up.

I’ll help you see which price creates buyer attention, and which price risks pushing people away.

The mistake on both sides

The mistake is treating every home the same.

A buyer sees one home sell over asking and thinks every house is impossible. A seller sees one strong sale nearby and thinks their home should start even higher.

That is where people get into trouble.

Costa Mesa is too specific for broad assumptions. Eastside, Mesa Verde, Westside, South Coast Metro, College Park, and the streets inside each pocket can all behave differently. Condition matters. Layout matters. The street matters. The other homes for sale that week matter.

I’ll show you what similar homes actually did. We’ll look at where buyers are competing and where sellers are chasing the market. Then we make a practical plan from there.

How I would look at a home with a buyer

Before writing an offer, I would want to know:

• How long has the home been for sale?
• Did the seller already lower the price?
• What similar homes sold nearby?
• Did those homes sell over or under asking?
• Is this home better or worse than those homes?
• Are we competing for a strong listing, or negotiating with a seller who may need to adjust?

That helps you avoid two bad outcomes: overpaying for the wrong home, or missing the right one because you treated it like every other listing.

How I would look at a home with a seller

Before listing, I would want to know:

• Which nearby homes got attention quickly?
• Which nearby homes had to lower the price?
• What did buyers reward?
• Where did buyers push back?
• What price makes buyers want to see it right away?
• What price risks pricing out your best buyers before they ever visit?

That is the difference between guessing and making a real plan.

My take

This is still a workable market. It is just not forgiving every price.

Good homes can still get strong results. Homes that start too high can still sit. Buyers have room to negotiate in some situations and almost no room in others.

If you are buying, I’ll help you see when to compete and when to slow down.

If you are selling, I’ll help you avoid pricing out your best buyers before the home gets a fair shot.

If you want to talk through a specific Costa Mesa home, I can help you read which side of the market it is sitting on.

I’m James Granat with Anvil Real Estate. I help buyers and sellers in Costa Mesa and Orange County make practical decisions with real local data. DRE #02215385.