Market reports are full of terms that sound precise and are easy to misread. This guide explains what they mean and where the figures come from, so you can read any San Clemente report with confidence. It contains no market figures itself, because current numbers should always come from current data.
Where the data comes from
- The MLS. Agents work from the Multiple Listing Service, which records listings, prices, days on market and sale results. It is the most detailed source for current activity.
- County recorder records. Recorded deeds show that a sale closed and at what price, which makes them a useful independent check.
- Public and industry reports. Summary reports are convenient but are only as good as their definitions, so read the fine print.
The terms, defined
Median price
The middle sale price: half of the homes sold for more and half for less. It is less distorted by a few very high or very low sales than the average.
Average price
The total of all sale prices divided by the number of sales. A handful of unusual sales can move it a lot, especially in a smaller market.
Days on market
How long homes take to sell after being listed. Shorter generally signals stronger demand. It can mislead if a home was taken off the market and relisted.
Inventory and months of supply
Inventory is the number of homes for sale. Months of supply estimates how long it would take to sell them at the current pace of sales. It helps show whether conditions favor buyers or sellers.
List-to-sale price ratio
The final sale price compared with the asking price. A ratio close to or above one hundred percent suggests strong demand.
Why San Clemente needs care
San Clemente is a mid-sized coastal city with very different areas, from walkable streets near the pier to planned communities and hillside neighborhoods. A single citywide figure can hide large differences between them, so the most useful numbers are for homes like yours, in an area like yours.
Good habits when reading a report
- Check the date range and the area the figures cover.
- Look at more than one measure, not just the median.
- Compare with the same period a year earlier, since beach towns are seasonal.
- Ask what is not included, such as private sales or new construction.
Market data changes constantly. Nothing on this page is a forecast, an appraisal or a guarantee.