Photo: WeaponizingArchitecture · CC BY-SA 4.0457 homes sold in Bay City in the last year, at a typical $131K
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 Bay City homes are listed.
Every place Bay City 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 Bay City.
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.
4% of Bay City’s sales are condos, at $254K more than a house
417 houses and 20 condos sold in the year to May 2026. Houses sell faster and draw more bidding wars.
typical sale · 417 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $100MI $172
- Days to sell
- 22
- Sold over asking
- 38%
- Listings with a price cut
- 37%
typical sale · 20 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $197MI $190
- Days to sell
- 66
- Sold over asking
- 25%
- Listings with a price cut
- 16%
Multi-family (2–4 units): 18 sold, typical $107K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at 2.6 times the 2016 price
457 sales in the last year, against 634 in 2021 and a low of 390 in 2014. The typical sale went from $50K in 2016 to $131K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales. Redfin stopped publishing towns’ figures by property type after May 2026, so houses and condos are shown for the year to then.
What $150K buys in Bay City
Check a listing against what Bay City 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 Bay City are more common than before the pandemic, but 38% fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Bay City’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 September 2026, 457 sales.
If you’re buying in Bay City
- Shop in May. It brings about 62 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (27% over asking).
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 98.2% of the list price on average; 35% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 45% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 25 days.
Spring brings the homes; summer brings the bidding wars
May has the most new listings (about 62 a month), but August is the most competitive: 36% of August sales close over asking. February has the least competition (20%) but only about 31 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Nearly as heated as 2021, and hotter than Michigan
| Bay City now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | MI now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 35% | 17% | 41% | 28% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 45% | 2% | 44% | 40% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 98.2% | 94.9% | 99.1% | 98.1% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 25 | 78 | 32 | 36 |
112 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s twice the 2023 low (58), 38% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2012’s 263.
Since 2019, houses are up 103%, condos 60%
A house typically sold for $130K in the year to May 2026 (417 sales), a condo for $384K (20).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
Bay City ranks 73rd of 194 busy Michigan markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Bay City is in the middle of the pack.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city figures, January 2012 to September 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Bay City home costs about $881 a month
Price: Bay City’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Bay City’s 1.8% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Bay City is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in May
The month with the most choice. February has the fewest, about 31.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $131K home, about $2,370 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Bay City, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in Bay CityTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Bay City.
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.
Buena Vista Township and Saginaw sell for less a square foot; Essexville, Bangor Township, Freeland and Shields for far more
The busier markets within 25 miles of Bay City, 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saginaw | 474 | $77K | $64 | 24% | 36 |
| Bay City | 457 | $131K | $96 | 35% | 25 |
| Shields | 115 | $189K | $126 | 20% | 17 |
| Freeland | 92 | $354K | $162 | 26% | 27 |
| Essexville | 51 | $152K | $128 | 33% | 14 |
| Buena Vista Township | 50 | $65K | $55 | 15% | 81 |
| Bangor Township | 26 | $196K | $143 | 30% | 23 |
Redfin Data Center, October 2025 to September 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Bay City, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Bay City. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Bay City with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Bay City
What do homes sell for in Bay City, MI?
457 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $131K, $96 a square foot. Houses sold for about $130K, condos for about $384K in the year to May 2026.
Is Bay City a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 144 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 47 sold, about 3.1 months of supply. Buyers paid 98.2% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Bay City?
May brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Bay City?
About 1.8% of a home’s value a year. On a $131K home that’s near $2,370.
Where can I see homes for sale in Bay City?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Bay City’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Bay City.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). 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).