SDAR President Karen Van Ness recently spoke with The San Diego Union-Tribune about changing buyer behavior and the current pace of San Diego’s housing market.
San Diego’s housing market continues to adjust as buyers take a closer look at home prices and affordability before making a move.
In a recent San Diego Union-Tribune report examining the region’s sluggish housing market, Karen Van Ness, 2026 President of the Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS® (SDAR), shared her perspective on what is influencing today’s buyers.
“Buyers have decided prices went up too much too fast,” Van Ness told the Union-Tribune.
Her comments highlight an important shift in the market: buyers are paying close attention to value and are becoming increasingly thoughtful about their real estate decisions.
Buyers Are Reassessing the Market
San Diego has experienced significant changes in its housing market in recent years, and buyer expectations are evolving along with it.
Van Ness’s comments to the Union-Tribune point to growing resistance among buyers to rapidly rising home prices.
Rather than feeling pressure to make an immediate purchase, today’s buyers may be taking additional time to determine whether a property and its price make sense for their individual circumstances.
That change in sentiment is contributing to a housing market that remains slower than the pace San Diego experienced during periods of intense buyer competition.
A Changing Market Requires Local Expertise
For both buyers and sellers, shifts in market conditions reinforce the importance of understanding what is happening at the local level.
Real estate is highly localized, and conditions can vary by community, property type and price range. Broader housing headlines may not always reflect what an individual buyer or seller is experiencing.
REALTORS® can help consumers understand current conditions, evaluate their options and make informed decisions based on their individual goals.
For sellers, changing buyer expectations also underscore the importance of understanding how a property is positioned within the current market.
For buyers, a changing environment provides an opportunity to carefully evaluate available properties, affordability and long-term goals before moving forward.
SDAR Providing a Local Voice on Housing
Van Ness’s appearance in the Union-Tribune is part of SDAR’s continued effort to provide a local REALTOR® perspective on the housing issues affecting San Diego County.
As market conditions evolve, SDAR will continue to serve as a resource for its members and the public by providing real estate insights, professional education, advocacy and resources that help REALTORS® better serve San Diego consumers.
Read the full San Diego Union-Tribune article featuring SDAR President Karen Van Ness.
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