Condo vs House
Condo vs House: What Buyers Pay in 10 California and Texas Cities (2026)
Updated November 10, 2026
Reviewed by:
Head of Growth at TurboHome
Head Agent, California · CalDRE #01997822
Across 10 California and Texas cities, condo space cost anywhere from 62% of the house price per square foot in San Jose to 119% in Austin, where condos cost more per square foot than houses. Condos took 5 to 27 more days to sell than houses, and the median condo paid $382 to $1,315 a month in HOA dues, from Austin to Walnut Creek, where Rossmoor lifts the median. The figures come from closed sales in our MLS feed from November 2025 to October 2026.
TurboHome Market Analysis · 10 cities in California and Texas · Closings Nov 2025 to Oct 2026 · Published November 2026
Condo vs house prices in 10 cities
| City | Median condo price | Median house price | Condo price per sq ft as a share of house | Median condo HOA dues (monthly) | Condo vs house median days on market | Condo price, year over year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $1,250,000 | $2,050,000 | 95% | $800 | 17 vs 12 days | +13.6% |
| Oakland, CA | $496,500 | $950,000 | 80% | $655 | 35 vs 14 days | -0.7% |
| Walnut Creek, CA | $585,000 | $1,585,000 | 66% | $1,315 (Rossmoor-weighted) | 20 vs 11 days | +7.9% |
| San Jose, CA | $650,000 | $1,650,000 | 62% | $593 | 29 vs 11 days | -8.5% |
| Los Angeles, CA | $795,000 | $1,350,000 | 81% | $676 | 39 vs 21 days | -4.8% |
| Irvine, CA | $1,250,000 | $2,100,000 | 85% | $420 | 29 vs 23 days | -3.8% |
| San Diego, CA | $595,000 | $1,220,000 | 84% | $521 | 26 vs 12 days | -3.1% |
| Dallas, TX | $270,000 | $515,000 | 100% | $454 | 48.5 vs 28 days | -1.3% |
| Houston, TX | $219,000 | $325,000 | 94% | $409 | 38 vs 25 days | -0.5% |
| Austin, TX | $356,750 | $599,000 | 119% | $382 | 76 vs 49 days (cumulative) | n/a (no prior window) |
Days on market for Austin are cumulative, and Austin has no prior-year window in our feed. Walnut Creek's condo HOA median is lifted by Rossmoor, a 55+ community that accounts for 429 of the city's 616 condo sales.
Where condos are gaining and losing ground
Condo prices rose in two California cities: San Francisco, up 13.6% year over year, and Walnut Creek, up 7.9%. They fell in San Jose (down 8.5%), Los Angeles (down 4.8%), Irvine (down 3.8%) and San Diego (down 3.1%), and were close to flat in Oakland (down 0.7%).
Texas follows a different pattern. In Dallas, condos and houses sold for the same median $248 a square foot, so a Dallas condo is cheaper only because it is smaller. Houston condos and attached homes cost 94% of the house price per square foot. In Austin, condos cost more per square foot than houses ($335 against $281). Condo prices slipped in Dallas (down 1.3%) and Houston (down 0.5%).
Bay Area
Los Angeles and Orange County
Dallas-Fort Worth
Condo buyers and the national market
Redfin reported on October 6, 2025: "There were an estimated 72.3% more condo sellers than buyers (108,945 more) nationwide in August." The same release noted that California has instituted new balcony inspection requirements that can increase HOA fees and trigger special assessments, which is one more reason to read an HOA's budget and reserve study before you offer on a condo.
Methodology
We looked at closed sales in each city from our MLS feed, closed November 1, 2025 through October 31, 2026, compared with November 1, 2024 through October 31, 2025. A condo is a home listed as a condominium, a house is a home listed as a single-family residence, and townhouses are shown on the city pages only where there were 50 or more closings. Sales under $50,000 are excluded, and days on market counts only values from 0 to 730 days. Figures are medians; HOA dues are the monthly figure on the listing.
San Francisco tenancy-in-common units are excluded from both groups. Walnut Creek's condo figures include Rossmoor, a 55+ community with 429 of its 616 condo sales. Austin days on market are cumulative. City pages list neighborhoods with at least 20 condo closings, with house figures where a neighborhood had 12 or more house closings.
National context: Redfin, October 6, 2025.
FAQ
Are condos cheaper per square foot than houses?
Yes, in every city in our feed except Dallas and Austin: condo space cost from 62% of the house price per square foot in San Jose to 95% in San Francisco. In Dallas, condos and houses sold for the same median $248 a square foot, and in Austin condos cost more ($335 against $281).
How much are condo HOA fees in California and Texas?
Median monthly condo HOA dues by city: San Francisco $800, Oakland $655, Walnut Creek $1,315 (lifted by Rossmoor), San Jose $593, Los Angeles $676, Irvine $420, San Diego $521, Dallas $454, Houston $409 and Austin $382.
Do condos take longer to sell than houses?
Yes, in all 10 cities. Median days on market, condos against houses: San Francisco 17 against 12, Oakland 35 against 14, Walnut Creek 20 against 11, San Jose 29 against 11, Los Angeles 39 against 21, Irvine 29 against 23, San Diego 26 against 12, Dallas 48.5 against 28, Houston 38 against 25 and Austin 76 against 49 (cumulative).
Which companies refund the buyer's agent commission in California and Texas?
TurboHome is a flat-fee buyer's brokerage that refunds the rest of the buyer-side commission to the buyer at closing in California and Texas. For the other companies that offer refunds, see our dated roundups for California and Texas.
Related guides
- HOA fees by city
- Days on market by city
- Property taxes by city
- Companies that refund the buyer's agent commission
- How TurboHome's flat fee works
- California home buying guides
- Texas home buying guides
- Answers on commissions and rebates
About the Author
Vinura Abeysundara
Vinura Abeysundara is a real estate and growth professional with experience scaling homebuying platforms across Canada and the United States. Formerly Head of Growth at Zown, he now works with TurboHome and writes about homebuyer savings, flat-fee real estate, commissions, and technology in real estate.
View Vinura on LinkedInAbout Kevin Kretzmer
Head Agent, California
Kevin Kretzmer leads TurboHome's California agent team and reviews California and national buyer guidance for practical brokerage accuracy.
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