Moving Blog

As we move through 2025, California continues to offer promising opportunities for families seeking a fresh start. Unlike past years, the current climate brings renewed momentum—with select regions leading the nation in housing market strength.

Look for these areas to hit the double-whammy: increased home values coupled with growing sales. This means that while home prices can still be expensive, you’re getting exceptionally better value than in other cities.

The Standout California Markets in 2025

According to Realtor.com, several California metro areas rank among the nation’s hottest housing markets, based on a combined forecast of home price increases sales growth.

• Oxnard–Thousand Oaks–Ventura
• San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad
• Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario
• Bakersfield
• Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim

These regions are drawing buyers with a powerful mix of rising value and growing activity, a compelling “double-whammy” for anyone looking to invest or relocate.

Why These Markets Are Thriving

• Expanding Sales & Home Values: Realtor.com’s forecast places Oxnard and San Diego among the top performers nationwide for combined sales and price growth.
• Evolving Inventory & Buyer Options: Nationally, home inventory climbed 31.5% year-over-year in May 2025, offering buyers more options—especially in the West Realtor.
• Southern California Resilience: In Q1 2025, median home prices in SoCal rose nearly 4.8% YoY, with especially strong performance in the Inland Empire, San Diego, and Orange Countyhriving

Sacramento (Roseville, Arden Arcade)

Home values held firm with a 2.0% YOY increase, averaging $580K. A slight 0.7% decline is forecast for the coming year, with rising inventory giving buyers more breathing room.

San Jose (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara)

The median price is around $1.35M, up nearly 2% YOY. Despite a 5.4% increase in listings, supply remains tight. Forecasts predict a 0.9% drop by mid-2025, deepening to a 3.8% decline by early 2026.

Oxnard (Thousand Oaks, Ventura)

Steady gains are projected, with average home prices rising to about $597K by mid-2026.

Riverside (San Bernardino, Ontario)

Forecasts point to a 2.9% appreciation by late 2025, reflecting modest but stable growth.

Other Great California Residential Areas

Some cities and surrounding suburban areas in California will also beat out other parts of the country, according to analytics.

• Fresno (17.4% combined growth)
• Los Angeles (Long Beach, Anaheim) (17.3% combined growth)
• San Diego (Carlsbad) (16.8% combined growth)
• Stockton (Lodi) (14.3% combined growth)
• Bakersfield (14.2% combined growth)
• San Francisco (Oakland, Hayward) (9.7 % combined growth)

California Moving Experts

If you’re looking to move to California to soak up the sun and enjoy life out west, make your relocation easy with an experienced moving company that knows the area. At Oakley Relocation, we have been helping people move for decades, both into the city and to areas where you can stretch your legs. If you’re interested in a relocation in San Diego County, Orange County, the Inland Empire or elsewhere, we are available to guide your moving process. Contact us today at 1-858-602-1010 to learn more about our services and receive a free moving quote.