In This Article
- What Are Current Home Prices in Thousand Oaks in Spring 2026?
- How Are Inventory Levels and Market Conditions Changing?
- How Does Thousand Oaks Compare to Neighboring Ventura County Cities?
- What Makes Thousand Oaks Attractive to Buyers and Families?
- What Should Buyers and Sellers Expect Through 2026?
- Frequently Asked Questions About the Conejo Valley Spring 2026 Market
The spring 2026 Conejo Valley market has moved from the seller-dominated conditions of recent years toward something closer to balance. The headline numbers do not all point the same way: the median sale price in Thousand Oaks was $1.0M in early spring 2026, down 16.3% from a year earlier, while the broader Conejo Valley median was up to $1,116,250 in November. Those figures come from different sources, time periods and property mixes, and the gap is a reminder that neighborhoods and price segments here move on their own schedules.
The Conejo Valley spring 2026 market is shifting from seller favored to more balanced conditions. Thousand Oaks' median home price is $1.0M, down 16.3% year over year, while active listings rose 23% to 444. Homes now take about 44 days to sell, giving buyers more negotiating power than in recent years.
Key Takeaways
- Thousand Oaks median home sale price was $1.0 million as of spring 2026, down 16.3% year over year, while the broader Conejo Valley median was $1,116,250 in November (different source and period).
- Active listings in the Conejo Valley reached 444, a 23% increase from 361 listings the prior year, giving buyers significantly more inventory options.
- Thousand Oaks homes sold in about 44 days on average with 2 offers, compared to 48 days the previous year, per local market data.
- Expired, unsold listings in Thousand Oaks doubled to 100 per month versus 50 last year, signaling a growing gap between seller and buyer price expectations.
- Thousand Oaks recorded a Q1 2026 median single-family sale price of $1,187,000 and $548 per square foot, compared to Simi Valley's $849,500 median and $501 per square foot.
What Are Current Home Prices in Thousand Oaks in Spring 2026?
Depending on the source, Thousand Oaks prices look anywhere from sharply lower to roughly flat. The median sale price was $1.0M in early spring 2026, Movoto reports a median of $992,000 for February 2026, and Zillow puts the average home value at $994,477, down 1.1% over the past year. Zillow also shows homes going pending in around 10 days, a different measure from the days-on-market figures below. Price per square foot is the cleaner way to compare. The median sale price per square foot in Thousand Oaks is about $539, and the Q1 2026 single-family median came in at $1,187,000, or $548 per square foot. (The single-family figure is not directly comparable to the all-property medians above.) By comparison, Lake Sherwood runs around $785 per square foot.
Sources: Redfin, Movoto, Zillow and local MLS data, as of March 2026
Days on market is the better gauge of pace. Homes in Thousand Oaks receive about 2 offers on average and sell in around 44 days, compared to 48 days a year ago. That average hides a wide spread by price range and condition: realistically priced homes are still moving at a median of roughly 34 days, while overpriced or dated listings account for much of the drag.
How Are Inventory Levels and Market Conditions Changing?
Inventory is the clearest change from the thin markets of recent years. The broader Conejo Valley had 444 active listings this spring versus 361 a year earlier, a 23% increase and the most selection buyers have seen in several years. Thousand Oaks now rates as somewhat competitive, 60 out of 100, a long way from the frenzy of 2021 and 2022. The telling number is expired listings: 100 homes came off the market unsold in a month, double the 50 of a year ago. That is the gap between what sellers want and what buyers will pay, and it makes the opening list price the most important decision a seller makes. Buyers move quickly on well-priced, move-in-ready homes, but a listing that misses its first window of interest has a hard time getting it back. Buyers generally have the upper hand right now, which is rare for the Conejo Valley. Homes are taking noticeably longer to sell than they did two years ago, about 44 days on average, and buyers who have been waiting for better footing finally have some.
How Does Thousand Oaks Compare to Neighboring Ventura County Cities?
Thousand Oaks is the move-up market of the group. Its Q1 2026 single-family median was $1,187,000 with 27 median days on market. Simi Valley came in at $849,500, 40 median days on market and $501 per square foot, which makes it one of the county's largest and most active trade-up markets. The gap between the two explains a lot about who shops where. Speed varies too. Oxnard at 17 median days, Camarillo at 23 and Thousand Oaks at 27 are reminders that well-priced homes in active price bands still move fast. Camarillo sits in the middle ground: a Ventura County address with relative value next to pricier neighbors, which draws move-up buyers, downsizers and families alike.
| City | Median Price | Days on Market | Price per Sq Ft | Market Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thousand Oaks | $1,000,000 to $1,187,000 | 27 to 44 days | $539 to $548 | Strong move-up market |
| Simi Valley | $849,500 | 40 days | $501 | High-volume trade-up |
| Camarillo | $900,000 to $1,000,000 | 23 days | N/A | Strategic middle ground |
| Oxnard | $697,455 | 17 days | N/A | Fast-moving, affordable |
For investors, Oxnard often offers the best cash flow in Ventura County: prices run lower than Camarillo and Ventura while rental demand stays strong, so rent-to-price ratios tend to be more favorable.
What Makes Thousand Oaks Attractive to Buyers and Families?
Schools remain the primary draw. Thousand Oaks public schools post an average math proficiency of 52% against a California average of 34%, and reading proficiency of 66% against 47% statewide, with an average rating of 9/10. The top-rated campuses include Language Ranch, Wildwood Elementary School and Meadows Arts and Technology Elementary School. Conejo Valley Unified serves students across 28 schools, and Thousand Oaks High School, one of its 7 high schools, performs above the state average. Open space is the other half of the appeal. Wildwood Regional Park, straddling western Thousand Oaks and northern Newbury Park, draws hikers, cyclists and equestrians of all ages; published trail mileage ranges from 17 to more than 27 miles depending on the source. Dining rounds it out. The Stonehaus in Westlake Village is a winery, coffeehouse and restaurant in one, set among vineyards, and Mastro's Steakhouse in Thousand Oaks covers the special-occasion end with steaks, seafood and live music. For easier outings, the 0.8-mile Conejo Creek Loop in Conejo Creek North Park and the roughly mile-long Hill Canyon Trail in the Conejo Canyons Open Space both work for families with strollers or small children.
What Should Buyers and Sellers Expect Through 2026?
As of spring 2026, the forecasts pointed to a more balanced year rather than a swing in either direction. For buyers, that meant rates settling somewhere in the high 5s to low 6s, inventory continuing to build and modest price movement. Fannie Mae, for one, expected rates to ease from around 6.4% in late 2025 into the high 5s during 2026, with the broader consensus near 6.0% for the year. Treat those as forecasts, not promises; rates in the 6s are the practical planning assumption. The flip side of waiting for a meaningful rate drop is that any drop also brings other buyers back into the market. For sellers, 2026 comes down to execution. With more inventory and more cautious buyers, pricing right from day one and making sure the home shows well matter more than they did two years ago. The encouraging part is that even slightly lower rates tend to bring buyers back, and clean, move-in-ready homes still get strong attention. Statewide, the California Association of Realtors forecast a modest 3.6% gain for 2026, taking the California median to about $905,000. The Conejo Valley has historically held up better than the broader state thanks to steady demand and limited supply, though this spring's local numbers show that is not guaranteed. On timing: calling the bottom is mostly luck. Buy when your life and finances say you are ready rather than trying to time a dip in rates. For most people the bigger risk is passing on the right house while waiting for a perfect entry point that may never announce itself.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Conejo Valley Spring 2026 Market
Should I wait for home prices to drop further before buying?
Nobody can promise where prices go next, and the local data this spring is mixed. Historically, steep and sustained drops have been uncommon in the Conejo Valley because supply stays tight and demand stays steady. What you can count on right now is leverage: inventory is building, and buyers have room to negotiate, especially on homes that have been sitting. That is often worth more than holding out for a further drop that may never come.
How long are homes taking to sell in spring 2026?
It depends heavily on price range and condition. The Thousand Oaks average is about 44 days, but realistically priced homes are moving at a median of roughly 34 days. Well-prepared, correctly priced homes in desirable areas still go quickly; overpriced or dated properties sit considerably longer and pull the average up.
What's driving the increase in inventory levels?
Many owners are still sitting on pandemic-era rates, which has kept inventory from flooding the market. Even so, new listings are ticking up as life events (job changes, upsizing, downsizing, moves closer to family) start to outweigh the "I love my 3% rate" mindset. That gradual release is what is nudging the market toward balance.
How does Thousand Oaks compare to other Conejo Valley cities for families?
Schools are the headline: Thousand Oaks campuses average a 9/10 rating, which puts them in the top 20% of California public schools. Add Wildwood Regional Park, with its four principal trails (Mesa, Moonridge, Wildwood Canyon and Santa Rosa) and established neighborhoods, and the city holds its own for families even at a premium price.
Thinking About Buying or Selling in Thousand Oaks?
Davis Bartels and DB Real Estate Group have closed more than 500 transactions across the Conejo Valley and Ventura County since 2009. If any of this applies to your situation, happy to talk it through, no pressure.
Contact Davis: davisbartels.com
