Monday Market Update: WalletHub Releases ‘Best Real Estate Markets 2026’

Welcome back to the Bobbi Decker Real Estate blog! If you have been following our blog for some time, you know that we often talk about real estate as a beloved home but also an unrivaled asset class. With affordability becoming an increasing challenge, you may wonder if owning a home in Silicon Valley is still a wise move. Data would seem to support a ‘yes’ as a new study from WalletHub shares the Best Real Estate Markets of 2026 – and Santa Clara is in the top 30. 

Defining ‘Best’ 

The term /best’ is obviously a subjective term, but for the purposes of this study – WalletHub reviewed 17 factors related to housing market attractiveness and economic strength. Examples include: home value forecast, median home price appreciation, median days on market, share of underwater mortgages, ratio of rent to sale price, building permit activity, job growth rate, unemployment rate and more. You can see the full methodology in the article here. 

Familiar ‘Faces’

While cities do not have faces 😉, we know that you have heard of many California locations on the rankings list. Here are some notable positions: 

Overall Best Real Estate Markets: Irvine (#10), Roseville (#12), Santa Clara (#29)

Lowest Share of Underwater Mortgages: San Jose – Santa Clara – Sunnyvale (all tied for #1), Santa Ana (#2), Mission Viejo (#3) 

Lowest Foreclosure Rate: Santa Barbara (#5) 

Lowest Number of Delinquent Mortgage Holders: Santa Clara (tied with Cambridge, MA for #1), Carlsbad (#3), Sunnyvale (#4), San Francisco & Berkely (tied for #5) 

Lowest Maintenance Costs As % of Income: Sunnyvale (#1) & Santa Clara (#2) 

Wow – really interesting, right? Big picture planning, long-term ownership, market entry, stay & hold strategies, career opportunities & industries – these are just a few of the factors to take into account when creating a real estate strategy that works for you. Ultimately, don’t let the current cost market dictate your success – where you have been and where you are headed counts too so think big and plan bigger! 

All my best, 

Bobbi 

Bobbi Decker
DRE#00607999

Broker Associate, Bobbi Decker & Associates
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www.bobbidecker.com
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