EL MONTE — The El Monte Housing Market recorded stronger sales in July even as home prices declined and inventory tightened. Sales of existing single-family homes increased 37.5% from July 2025, according to the California Association of Realtors.
Eleven homes sold during the month, while the median price fell 5.8% from a year earlier to $775,000. The figures show buyers remained active despite elevated borrowing costs and fewer available properties.
Inventory Falls As Sales Increase
Only 21 existing single-family homes were actively listed for sale in El Monte during July. That marked a 38.2% decline from the previous year.
Homes spent a median of 27 days on the market. Sellers received 98.8% of their asking price, while 28.6% of active listings had recorded a price reduction.
The figures indicate some buyers retained negotiating room despite limited inventory.
Borrowing costs also remain a factor. The California Association of Realtors reported Aug. 31 that the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate reached 6.81%. Freddie Mac publishes its weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey, which tracks average mortgage rates.
Higher rates can increase monthly payments and reduce the amount buyers can afford.
El Monte Housing Market Trails County Median
Los Angeles County also recorded lower home prices in July.
The county median for an existing single-family detached home was $888,120. That figure fell 2.4% from June and 2.6% from July 2025.
Countywide sales declined 8.7% from June and 0.9% from a year earlier. Homes spent a median of 26 days on the market, compared with 27 days in El Monte.
El Monte’s $775,000 median was about $113,000 below the county median.
Statewide data also showed a market struggling for sustained momentum. California existing single-family home sales declined 6% from June but increased 1.1% from July 2025, according to the association. The statewide median price was $887,680 in July.
Small Sales Total Requires Caution
El Monte’s monthly figures can fluctuate because relatively few single-family properties change hands each month.
With only 11 sales in July, the types and prices of homes sold can significantly influence the median. A 5.8% annual decline in the median does not mean every home in El Monte lost that percentage of its value.
Still, July provides a snapshot of competing pressures facing local buyers and sellers. More homes sold than a year earlier even as inventory declined sharply and prices eased.
Borrowing costs and the number of homes coming onto the market could shape activity heading into fall. Those factors may influence whether sales continue rising or tighter inventory puts renewed pressure on prices.
Residents can review statewide, county and city statistics through the California Association of Realtors market data. The association tracks sales, prices, inventory and other housing indicators.
