Photo: Seauton · CC BY-SA 4.026 homes sold in Descanso in the last year, at a typical $707K
Almost every sale is a house. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Descanso homes are listed.
Every place Descanso homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Descanso.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
Houses are 100% of Descanso’s sales, at a typical $707K
26 homes sold in the year to May 2026.
typical sale · 26 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $414CA $494
- Days to sell
- 43
- Sold over asking
- 50%
- Listings with a price cut
- 25%
About as many homes sell as usual, at 1.5 times the 2017 price
26 sales in the last year, against 41 in 2021 and a low of 18 in 2012. The typical sale went from $459K in 2017 to $707K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales.
What $700K buys in Descanso
Check a listing against what Descanso homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Descanso are more common than before the pandemic, but 54% fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Descanso’s home sales since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to May 2026, 26 sales.
If you’re buying in Descanso
- Shop in May. It brings about 4 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (16% over asking).
- You can negotiate. 25% of listings have cut their price, against 22% before the pandemic.
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 100.2% of the list price on average; 50% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 29% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 43 days.
Spring brings the homes; summer brings the bidding wars
May has the most new listings (about 4 a month), but July is the most competitive: 35% of July sales close over asking. February has the least competition (5%) but only about 2 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Hotter than in 2021, and hotter than California
| Descanso now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | CA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 50% | 18% | 32% | 36% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 29% | 20% | 47% | 31% |
| Listings with a price cutShare of homes for sale that cut their price | 25% | 22% | 25% | 24% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 100.2% | 96.7% | 97.9% | 99.7% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 43 | 69 | 45 | 44 |
6 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.3 times the 2023 low (4), 54% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2019’s 15.
1 in 4 listings has cut its price
25% in the last year, against 22% in 2017–19 and 24% across California.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city market tracker, January 2012 to May 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Descanso home costs about $4,030 a month
Price: Descanso’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Descanso’s 0.6% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Descanso is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in May
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 2.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $707K home, about $4,100 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Descanso, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in DescansoTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Descanso.
Work & commuteCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
San Diego Country Estates sells for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Descanso, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Country Estates | 161 | $769K | $362 | 39% | 46 |
| Alpine | 151 | $944K | $465 | 43% | 38 |
| Lakeside | 137 | $785K | $505 | 45% | 30 |
| Julian | 41 | $514K | $452 | 22% | 74 |
| Harbison Canyon | 39 | $834K | $490 | 46% | 36 |
| Crest | 30 | $846K | $466 | 53% | 66 |
| Descanso | 26 | $707K | $414 | 50% | 43 |
Redfin Data Center, June 2025 to May 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Descanso, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Descanso. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Descanso with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Descanso
What do homes sell for in Descanso, CA?
26 homes sold in the year to May 2026 at a typical $707K, $414 a square foot.
Is Descanso a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 6 homes were for sale in May 2026 and 5 sold, about 1.2 months of supply. Buyers paid 100.2% of asking on average, and 25% of listings cut their price.
When is the best time to buy in Descanso?
May brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Descanso?
About 0.6% of a home’s value a year. On a $707K home that’s near $4,100.
Where can I see homes for sale in Descanso?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Descanso’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Descanso.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).