Brentwood — the East Contra Costa one, 60 miles east of San Francisco — enters mid-2026 with a market that has cooled meaningfully off its 2022 peak. The citywide median sale price sits at roughly $775,000 as of March 2026, down 3.0% year-over-year, with the median estimated value at $792,000 and Zillow's home value index at $805,478. Homes are now taking 57–63 days to sell on average, compared with mid-30-day pending times during the 2021–2022 frenzy. Apple Hill is at $754K. Garin Ranch is at $725K. The market has moved from "list it and it sells" to "price it right or sit."
For sellers, the slowdown changes the commission math. When the market is hot and a 6% commission is one weekend's worth of work, the structure feels acceptable. When the market is cool and a $775K home takes 60 days to clear, paying $46,500 in commission for that 60 days starts to look very different. With LOQOL's Charlie AI flat fee, the same Brentwood median sale costs $4,399 — a $42,101 swing that goes back to the seller.
| Metric | 2026 Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $775,000 (March 2026, −3.0% YoY) | Redfin Brentwood Housing Market |
| Median sale price (alternate) | $800,000 (−4.76% YoY) | Houzeo Brentwood |
| Zillow average home value | $805,478 (−7.3% YoY) | Zillow Home Value Index, 2026 |
| Median estimated home value | $792,000 | Realtytrac Brentwood market trends |
| Price per sq. ft. | ~$345–$348 | Multiple market trackers, 2026 |
| Days on market | 57–63 days (vs ~35 day peak) | Homes of Brentwood 2026 market report |
Sources: Redfin Brentwood Housing Market, Houzeo Brentwood, Zillow Brentwood Home Values, Homes of Brentwood market trends, Realtytrac Brentwood market.
The story behind the 3% slide
Brentwood is the canonical "outer East Bay growth town" — newer master-planned communities, family buyers, strong schools, and a 60-mile commute to San Francisco that always trades against gas prices and remote-work norms. Between 2020 and 2022 the city's prices ran up roughly 30–40% on the back of the great work-from-home migration. The 2023–2025 reversal has been steady but not violent: a 3–7% YoY slide depending on which index you trust, with the heaviest givebacks in the entry-level $600K–$700K segment.
The price-per-square-foot story is the cleaner read. At $345–$348/sqft, Brentwood is priced like the late-2020 market — meaningfully off the 2022 peak but well above pre-pandemic levels. Days-on-market roughly doubled from peak (35-day median) to trough (57–63 days now), which is the single biggest behavioral signal a Brentwood seller needs to absorb. The market has not collapsed. It has slowed. Pricing discipline at list is now mandatory.
Brentwood neighborhood-by-neighborhood data
Brentwood's neighborhoods are master-planned, which means they price like portfolios rather than blocks. Here's the 2026 read.
| Neighborhood | Median Sale Price (TTM) | Days on Market | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Hill | $754,375 (−6% YoY) | 42 days | Mediterranean-influence, craftsman, and custom homes 2 miles from downtown. Strong schools (Ron Nunn / Adams / Heritage). |
| Garin Ranch | $725,000 (−5% YoY) | 41 days | Newer master-planned, parks + trails. Schools rate Garin Elementary B+, Edna Hill A−, Liberty A−. |
| Trilogy at the Vineyards | Luxury 55+ tier | Variable | Active-adult community with spa, dining, golf; vineyard views. HOA-driven; buyer pool is age-restricted. |
| Citywide median | $775,000 | 57–63 days | The neighborhood-level numbers are faster than the city as a whole — well-marketed homes still clear in 6 weeks. |
Sources: Homes.com Apple Hill, Homes.com Garin Ranch, Rick Fuller Realtors — Top Brentwood Neighborhoods, Redfin Apple Hill Estates.
The school district question
Brentwood's school story is two districts. Brentwood Union School District (BUSD) handles K-8; Liberty Union High School District (LUHSD) handles 9-12. LUHSD operates five high schools — Liberty, Freedom, Heritage, Independence, and La Paloma — serves 8,241 students, runs a 21:1 student-teacher ratio, and posts 24% math proficiency and 58% reading proficiency on state tests. Liberty High School is the standout (Niche rates it A−) and its attendance area drives a measurable premium on Apple Hill and Garin Ranch homes. For sellers, naming the assigned elementary and high school in the listing converts buyer interest faster than generic "great schools."
Source: GreatSchools — Liberty Union High School District, Liberty Union HSD official site.
What sellers actually pay in commission
The commission table tells the same story in Brentwood as it does in every other Bay Area city: the 6% structure is a fixed-percentage cost that scales linearly with sale price, and the LOQOL flat-fee structure is decoupled from sale price entirely.
| Sale Price | Traditional 5% | Traditional 6% | LOQOL Charlie AI | LOQOL White Glove | You Keep vs 6% (Charlie AI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $600,000 (entry-level) | $30,000 | $36,000 | $4,399 | $8,500 | +$31,601 |
| $725,000 (Garin Ranch) | $36,250 | $43,500 | $4,399 | $10,500 | +$39,101 |
| $775,000 (Brentwood median) | $38,750 | $46,500 | $4,399 | $11,500 | +$42,101 |
| $900,000 (upper Apple Hill) | $45,000 | $54,000 | $4,399 | $13,500 | +$49,601 |
| $1,100,000 (Trilogy / luxury) | $55,000 | $66,000 | $7,999 | $15,500 | +$58,001 |
LOQOL Charlie AI tiered flat fee: $4,399 (up to $1M) / $7,999 ($1M–$2M) / $12,999 ($2M–$3M) / $19,999 ($3M+). White Glove is full-service with a dedicated California-licensed agent, Charlie AI back-office, paint, staging, photography, in-person showings, and end-to-end negotiation. See LOQOL pricing.
How long does it actually take to sell in Brentwood?
The 57–63 day citywide median masks meaningful variation by neighborhood and price tier:
- Apple Hill and Garin Ranch master-planned tracts: 41–42 days when priced correctly. The newer-stock, school-driven buyer pool is consistent.
- Older south Brentwood / off-Sand Creek: 60–75 days. The buyer pool is smaller and the comp set is messier.
- Trilogy at the Vineyards (55+): Highly variable — sometimes 30 days, sometimes 90+. The age-restricted buyer pool depends heavily on national retiree migration patterns.
- $1M+ luxury / vineyard-edge: 60–90 days is normal. This is the segment where the listing strategy matters most.
The single biggest controllable variable is list price discipline. A 5% overprice in 2026 Brentwood costs you 30 days of carrying cost and forces a price-cut that future buyers see in the listing history.
Employer + commute reality
Brentwood is a commute town for SF, the East Bay tech corridor (Dublin/Pleasanton/Livermore), and the growing Antioch/Pittsburg employer base. The 60-mile commute to SF is the single largest external variable for the Brentwood market — gas prices, BART/eBART extensions, and remote-work norms move buyer demand more than local employer hiring does. The eBART extension to Antioch (operational since 2018) gives Brentwood buyers a public-transit option for the first time in the city's history. Sellers in Apple Hill and Garin Ranch who target the eBART-accessible buyer get faster offers than sellers who pitch to the gas-pump-only buyer.
Is now a good time to sell your Brentwood home?
Mixed answer:
- If your home is in marketable condition and priced right: yes. The 41-day pending time in Apple Hill and Garin Ranch is solid. The market is functional. A clean, well-photographed listing at the right price clears in 6 weeks.
- If you're at the top of the market ($1M+) and not motivated: wait. Days-on-market here is 60–90, and you'll spend the equivalent of two mortgage payments waiting for the right buyer. Consider repositioning to a lower price band or going off-market with a White Glove agent.
- If you're in a 55+ Trilogy unit: think nationally. Your buyer pool is migrating from Bay Area employer-relocations to national retirees. Marketing reach matters more than local agent network.
Whichever bucket you're in, the commission line is the same conversation. A $775K Brentwood median sale at 6% is $46,500. At LOQOL Charlie AI's $4,399 flat fee, it's a different transaction entirely.
Run the math for your specific Brentwood address using the LOQOL savings calculator.
What this means for Brentwood sellers in 2026
Three takeaways:
- Days-on-market matters more than YoY price change. Brentwood's −3% YoY price slide is meaningful but the bigger story is the doubling of pending times. Carrying cost is now a material line item in your sale economics.
- Neighborhood-level data beats citywide. Apple Hill ($754K, 42 DOM) and Garin Ranch ($725K, 41 DOM) tell a different story than the citywide 57–63 day median. Pull comps for your tract, not the city.
- Commission compounds the slowdown. A 6% commission on a slower sale isn't just $46,500 of fee — it's $46,500 plus the carrying cost of a 60+ day market. LOQOL Charlie AI's flat fee neutralizes the percentage problem entirely.
For the agent side of the Brentwood market — who's actually selling Brentwood right now, what their listings look like, and how the traditional model compares — see LOQOL's companion piece on the best real estate agents in Brentwood for 2026.
FAQ — Brentwood Housing Market 2026
What is the median home price in Brentwood, California in 2026?
The Brentwood (Contra Costa County) median sale price is approximately $775,000 as of March 2026, down 3.0% year-over-year per Redfin. Houzeo reports $800,000 and Zillow's home value index reads $805,478. The honest range is $775K–$805K depending on which index and which week you sample.
How long does it take to sell a home in Brentwood?
The citywide median time on market is 57–63 days in 2026, roughly double the 2021–2022 peak pace. Master-planned neighborhoods like Apple Hill and Garin Ranch sell faster (41–42 days). Older off-Sand Creek inventory takes 60–75 days.
Which Brentwood neighborhood has the strongest market?
Garin Ranch and Apple Hill are the most consistent performers, both backed by the Liberty Union High School District attendance area (Liberty High School A− on Niche). Garin Elementary B+, Edna Hill Middle A−, and Liberty High A− are the rating triple that buyers target.
How much does a Brentwood seller pay in real estate commission?
At a traditional 6% commission, a $775,000 Brentwood home costs $46,500 in commission. With LOQOL Charlie AI, the same sale is a flat $4,399. White Glove full-service for this price band is approximately $11,500.
Is the Brentwood market expected to recover in 2026?
Forecasters are split. Wallet Investor's long-term model projects gradual recovery toward $793,726 by late 2027. Local realtors note that a Federal Reserve rate-cut cycle would re-accelerate the commute-from-SF buyer pool, which is Brentwood's structural demand engine. Any forecast should be treated as a scenario, not a guarantee.
Should I sell my Brentwood home FSBO?
FSBO is harder in a 60-day market than in a 30-day market — buyers expect more polished marketing when they have more options. LOQOL's flat-fee model captures the FSBO savings (75–90% off 6% commission) while preserving professional photography, MLS listing, and licensed-agent representation.
LOQOL is a California flat-fee real estate brokerage (DRE #02261474). Charlie is LOQOL's AI agent — the first AI agent built into a licensed California flat-fee brokerage. Market data sourced from Redfin, Zillow, Houzeo, Realtytrac, and Homes of Brentwood; verify any specific street, listing, or sale before relying on it for a transaction.
Companion read: Best Real Estate Agents in Brentwood (2026) — Garin Ranch at $725K and a $46,500 Commission Question.