A few weeks back I received an email from a recent transplant to Sonoma County who wanted to know if there were any homes in Sonoma County that cost less than $300,000. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, understanding full well the frustration that goes into looking for a new home, only to find that you are priced out of the market.
There ARE homes below $300,000 in Sonoma County, but they aren’t always three-bedroom ranches in prime locations. A quick search on Zillow today found a handful of riverfront cottages, townhomes, condos, fixer-uppers and manufactured homes. If you want more options bump your search up to $400,000 and some nicer options will populate your screen.
According to the April home sales report issued by Compass real estate, the median home price in Sonoma County is $715,000. Back in 1990, it was only $180,000, imagine that!
If you look at the median home price by region you get a better picture of where those more affordable homes are. The three least expensive markets are Northwest Santa Rosa where homes go for around $604,000, Southwest Santa Rosa where they sell for $547,500 and the Russian River area where you can find properties for around $540,000. If you are willing to settle for a condo, you can find some nice ones in the city of Sonoma for $397,500 if you want a single-family residence, expect median prices of around $892,500.
But I don’t want to dissuade you, dear reader, Sonoma County is a spectacular place to live with plenty of good food, great wine and for the most part beautiful weather (minus the fire season of course). Although, $300,000 is a little low for Sonoma County you may find something suitable for around $400,000. Just watch the market like a hawk!
Click through our gallery above to explore some of the properties priced below $400,000 currently on the market.
