Realtors think housing prices are set to skyrocket in 1 California beach town

Just when you thought the cost of living couldn’t go any higher.

In a newly released ranking highlighting coastal hot spots where pros predict property values are set to keep aiming for the stratosphere, one very expensive, sun-drenched California city made the unwelcome cut.

San Diego was singled out as one of the beachy markets across the US where home prices are poised to surge — despite median single-family home prices in the region already hovering around $1 million.

America’s Finest City was the lone Golden State entry on the new FinanceBuzz list — joining other seaside destinations in Texas, Delaware, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, and more.

“I think if people are looking to buy homes in an upcoming beach town area, invest when you feel you have a strong opportunity,” realtor Phil Green, CEO of I Buy SD, told FinanceBuzz.

Despite the Golden State’s crushing taxes and notorious exodus, the future in one corner of the state looks bright.

“We will be seeing a rise in housing prices,” Green said. “There is, and continues to be, such a strong demand.”

The local expert tapped an uptick in interest in coastal living for the surge — even amid natural disasters and homeowner battles with coastal authorities and insurance companies making the headlines in 2026.

In other words: if you were already experiencing sticker shock and were hoping for a beach bargain in SoCal sometime soon — don’t hold your breath.

The median sale price in the city of San Diego stood at about $990,000 over the three months ending in July, according to Redfin — up 2.8% from a year earlier and a whopping 145% above the national average.

Meanwhile, inventory in San Diego County in August fell by 5.6%, leaving buyers fighting over a shrinking pool of available properties.

More than a third of homes reportedly sold above asking price, while the typical home spent just 28 days on the market.

Some houses in areas highlighted with high potential for growth already command eye-watering prices.

Homes in formerly affordable Oceanside sold for a median of about $889,000 during the June-August period — while Imperial Beach, hard by the polluted Tijuana River Valley and its water issues, clocked in at an eye-watering median of $845,690.

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San Diego was ranked seven on FinanceBuzz’s list, joining Rockport, Texas; Rehoboth Beach, Delaware; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Kure Beach, North Carolina; Carolina Beach, North Carolina; Cape May, New Jersey; Port Townsend, Washington; Destin, Florida; and Panama City Beach, Florida.

Realtors cited everything from tourism and infrastructure improvements to remote work and demand for second homes as reasons that these coastal communities could become even pricier.