A new report by market analysts at Compass real estate claims that despite COVID-19 restrictions and a brutal wildfire season, Sonoma County home sales have rebounded eclipsing the number of homes sold during the same season last year.

During the three-month summer season (June, July and August) 650 homes sold on average compared to the approximately 500 home average for the same season last year. Moreover, September’s home sales report (collected from August data) revealed that home sales dipped by a modest 22%  from the second week in August, before the fires, to the fourth week when several wildfires threatened homes.

The biggest dip in home sales this year occurred during the fourth week in March when shelter-in-place orders forced Sonoma County realtors to reenvision how to do business during a pandemic. During the three week period that followed, homes that went into contract averaged around 40 per week. As fire season began in mid-August around 140 homes went into contract per week,  even while wildfires raged.

Currently, the median home price in Sonoma County is $660,000 for a three-bedroom and $740,00 for a four-bedroom which may be a bit high for those of us earning the county median household income of $76,753, but just right for our San Francisco neighbors who earn $104,552 on average per year. Although there are a number of reasons for the rebound, Sonoma County’s relative “affordability” remains a factor.

As the Glass fire currently encroaches on Sonoma County, realtors and analysts are watching the market closely to see how this latest bout of devastating fires will affect home sales.

If you need a moment to escape from it all, click through our gallery above to see what the median home price will buy in each town in Sonoma County.