The California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) has rolled out a new program to help first-time…
Moving to the Bay Area in 2025: A Home Buyer’s Guide
Are you planning to move to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2025? Do you hope to buy a home later in 2025? Want to get up to speed on local real estate market trends?
You’re in the right place! We created this fully updated home-buying guide for those who are relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2025 and planning to enter the real estate market.
Here are five important points to take away from this guide:
- The San Francisco Bay Area region includes nine counties, stretching from Silicon Valley on the south end to Wine Country up in the north.
- Solano County is the most affordable housing market in terms of home prices, with a median price well below the regional average.
- On the other end of the spectrum, San Mateo is the most expensive county in the San Francisco Bay Area, followed by Santa Clara County.
- Low supply levels create challenges for many Bay Area home buyers, with multiple-offer scenarios common. But you can still succeed.
- Bridgepoint Funding offers a variety of mortgage loan options, some with very flexible qualification criteria. So contact us if you need help.
What Is the San Francisco ‘Bay Area’ Exactly?
Let’s start with some background before exploring the real estate side of things. Here’s an overview of the San Francisco Bay Area including geography, population, and other useful info for people relocating in 2025.
Bay Area Geography and Makeup
Believe it or not, there is no official geographical definition for the “Bay Area.” But most people who use this term are referring to the nine-county region that extends from Silicon Valley in the south (Santa Clara County) to Wine Country in the north (Sonoma and Napa counties).
The terminology is a bit confusing, and you can learn why in this KQED article.
Here are those nine counties, with their population estimates at the last census count:
- Alameda County (1,622,118)
- Contra Costa County (1,155,025)
- Marin County (254,407)
- Napa County (138,013)
- San Francisco County (808,988)
- San Mateo County (726,353)
- Santa Clara County (1,877,592)
- Solano County (450,539)
- Sonoma County (510,972)
Major Cities in the Bay Area
There are 101 incorporated municipalities spread throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Some of the most notable cities in the region include the following:
- San Francisco: The cultural and financial hub of the Bay Area, known for its iconic landmarks, diverse neighborhoods, and vibrant tech scene.
- Oakland: A diverse city with a thriving arts scene, growing tech industry, and affordable housing options compared to San Francisco.
- San Jose: The largest city in the Bay Area and the heart of Silicon Valley, home to major tech companies and a booming economy.
- Berkeley: A university town known for its academic institutions, progressive politics, and counterculture vibe.
The Local Economy
As you might already know, the San Francisco Bay Area has one of the strongest economies in the world. Our local economy is largely driven by technology, healthcare, finance, and tourism.
But we also have a relatively high cost of living to go along with that. Housing costs in the San Francisco Bay Area are among the highest in the nation, and other cost-of-living factors such as food and transportation also exceed the national average.
When this article was published in early 2025, the median household income for the Bay Area was around $128,000 per year. But the average income can vary widely depending on location.
The San Francisco Bay Area also has a booming tech industry. It’s home to “Silicon Valley,” a loosely defined region mostly located within Santa Clara County. The region is home to major tech companies like Google, Apple, and Facebook, which make up a big part of the local economy.
Bay Area Real Estate Market Conditions in 2025
The San Francisco Bay Area real estate market is unique in several ways. First (and probably most obvious) it’s one of the most expensive real estate markets in the United States.
It’s also an incredibly diverse region where real estate conditions can vary significantly from one city to the next. In 2025, the median price point ranges from around $600,000 on the low end up to nearly $2.2 million, depending on the county.
Our housing market offers something for everyone, ranging from the downtown urban vibe of San Francisco to the rolling hills and bucolic scenery of Wine Country.
Overview of Home Prices at the Start of 2025
As mentioned above, the San Francisco Bay Area is home to some of the most expensive real estate markets in the United States. A lack of affordable housing is a major issue for our area.
When this home buying guide was last updated, in January 2025, the median sale price for the San Francisco-Oakland metropolitan area was around $1,316,500. That’s based on a housing market report from the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.).
The table below shows the median sale price for all nine Bay Area counties at the start of 2025, based on the C.A.R. report mentioned above.
| Bay Area County | Median Sale Price, Jan. 2025 |
| Alameda | $1,285,000 |
| Contra Costa | $897,500 |
| Marin | $1,625,000 |
| Napa | $895,000 |
| San Francisco | $1,598,000 |
| San Mateo | $2,194,000 |
| Santa Clara | $1,931,050 |
| Solano | $597,000 |
| Sonoma | $805,000 |
This table reveals some helpful insights for those who are planning a move to the Bay Area in 2025:
- San Mateo is the most expensive county in the region, in terms of home prices.
- Santa Clara (Silicon Valley) is the second most expensive housing market.
- At the other end of the spectrum is Solano County, the most affordable market in our area.
- The vast majority of homes in this region are priced above the $700,000 threshold.
The good news is that Bay Area home prices have leveled off and are expected to remain flat for much of 2025, more or less. This will reduce some of the urgency for those moving into the area and planning to buy later in the year.
A Tight Real Estate Market with Limited Inventory
If you’re relocating to the Bay Area in 2025 and plan to buy a house, you should know we are still experiencing an inventory shortage. Many housing markets across the U.S. currently have low supply levels. But the scarcity tends to be more noticeable here in the San Francisco Bay Area.
According to a December 2024 report from the California Association of REALTORS®, the Bay Area had an “unsold inventory index” of just two months. That was the lowest inventory level among California’s major regions during that timeframe, and also well below the national average.
The takeaway: Tight supply conditions can make it harder to find and purchase a home in the Bay Area. So home buyers need to bring their ‘A’ game and make a strong initial offer.
Meet Your Bay Area Mortgage Broker!
Bridgepoint Funding has been serving the San Francisco Bay Area for nearly two decades. We are a locally owned company that works with home buyers and homeowners alike, and we love to help new residents.
Please contact us if you have questions about mortgage financing for your new home in the Bay Area.
We offer a wide variety of mortgage products, including VA loans for military members, FHA and conventional financing, and super jumbo mortgages for borrowers who need multimillion-dollar loans!
