Published October 3, 2026 in Market Update

Seal Beach inventory stayed tighter than the national market

By Lorette Murphree

Real estate, Primary Market

The number that matters most right now is supply. The National Association of Realtors reported national months of supply at 4.9 months, the highest level in over ten years. In the ZIP codes covered here, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 2.8 months of supply in ZIP 90740, 3.8 months in ZIP 90803, and 3.1 months in ZIP 90720 for the three months ending July 31, 2026. All three sit well below the national figure, and that gap matters for anyone who owns or wants to buy here.

Tighter supply does not mean every home flies off the market. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 47 median days on market in ZIP 90740 for the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is 2 days shorter than the same period a year before. Homes are selling, just not overnight.

What the Seal Beach numbers actually show

New listings in ZIP 90740 fell 9.2%, down to 148. Fewer homes came on, and fewer sold.

Rates crossed 7% again, and that changes the math for buyers

Freddie Mac reported the 30-year fixed rate averaged 7.28% as of October 1, 2026. The 15-year fixed averaged 6.60%. Realtor.com noted that rates crossed 7% in late September for the first time since January 2025, and that they rose nearly 40 basis points over the prior four weeks. That is a real shift in monthly payment size. Buyers who set their budget a month ago may need to revisit it.

Old Town, The Hill, College Park East and West, Leisure World, Surfside: they do not move the same way

Seal Beach is not one uniform market. PCH divides Old Town from The Hill. The 405 separates College Park East. The 22 sets College Park West apart, and it feels closer to Long Beach than to Old Town. Surfside is gated and oceanfront, off PCH toward Huntington Beach, but it is Seal Beach. If you own or are buying in Old Town or Surfside, check flood zone status and insurance before you finalize anything. Leisure World is its own world entirely: a 55+ co-op community with its own approval process. I can walk you through how that works.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator also covers ZIP 90720, which includes the Old Ranch area. There, 40 homes sold in the three months ending July 31, 2026. The median sale price was $1,612,500, up 7.5% from a year before. Forty percent of homes sold above list price. New listings dropped 29.4%, which helps explain why supply stayed tight at 3.1 months.

Schools here are a real draw, and worth confirming

Seal Beach is served by Los Alamitos Unified, a small and highly rated district. It covers only Seal Beach and Los Alamitos, including Rossmoor. That is a narrow footprint for a district with its reputation. Always confirm which school your specific address feeds into directly with the district before you count on it.

The border location is a real advantage

Seal Beach sits at the northern edge of Orange County, right on the Los Angeles County line. Belmont Shore and Naples in Long Beach are within 2 miles. That means you get Orange County schools and services, with easy access to LA County. It is a genuine selling point, not a talking point.