Blog > Where Palo Alto Homes Sell Over Asking: By Price Range and Size (2026)
Do Palo Alto homes still sell over asking? In the last 12 months, the typical Palo Alto house closed 5.7% over asking, and 69% sold for more than their list price. That’s against 3.7% over asking the year before. But it depends on the price and the size: over the last 24 months, houses at $3.5M–$4.5M were bid up the most (8.1% over asking), and houses under $2.5M the least (1.9% under asking). Here’s every range. We’re the Property Nerds, so the numbers come from real sales.
The short answer
- Houses, last 12 months: typical sale 5.7% over asking; 69% sold over asking. The year before: 3.7% over asking, 65% over.
- Hottest price range, by the typical sale: $3.5M–$4.5M, typical sale 8.1% over asking, 78% over asking.
- Hottest size, by the typical sale: 1,500–2,000 sq ft, typical sale 8.1% over asking.
- Condos and townhomes, last 12 months: typical sale at asking; 34% over asking.
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Buying or selling in Palo Alto?
- What’s my home worth? Ask for the recent sales on your street.
- Selling a home in Palo Alto: pricing, prep and what’s selling now.
- Talk to a Property Nerd about your plans.
By price range
House sales in the last 24 months (October 28, 2024 to October 27, 2026). “Typical sale” is the median of sale price against list price.
| Price range | Sales | Typical sale | Sold over asking | Median price | Living area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $2.5M | 44 | 1.9% under asking | 27% | $2.15M | 1,070 sq ft |
| $2.5M–$3.5M | 224 | 5.9% over asking | 75% | $3.14M | 1,460 sq ft |
| $3.5M–$4.5M | 200 | 8.1% over asking | 78% | $3.85M | 1,900 sq ft |
| $4.5M–$5.5M | 105 | 5.8% over asking | 75% | $4.85M | 2,440 sq ft |
| $5.5M–$6.5M | 59 | 4.2% over asking | 63% | $5.88M | 2,960 sq ft |
| $6.5M–$7.5M | 47 | 0.5% over asking | 55% | $6.81M | 3,290 sq ft |
| $7.5M and up | 65 | 0.6% under asking | 34% | $9.25M | 4,650 sq ft |
By house size
House sales in the last 24 months (October 28, 2024 to October 27, 2026):
| Living area | Sales | Typical sale | Sold over asking | Median price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1,500 sq ft | 184 | 6.7% over asking | 72% | $3.03M |
| 1,500–2,000 sq ft | 187 | 8.1% over asking | 78% | $3.55M |
| 2,000–2,500 sq ft | 149 | 5.1% over asking | 72% | $4.3M |
| 2,500–3,000 sq ft | 79 | 2.5% over asking | 59% | $5.1M |
| 3,000–4,000 sq ft | 89 | 1.2% over asking | 56% | $6.35M |
| 4,000 sq ft and up | 56 | 1.3% under asking | 27% | $9.58M |
This year against last year
| Last 12 months | The 12 months before | |
|---|---|---|
| Houses: typical sale | 5.7% over asking | 3.7% over asking |
| Houses: sold over asking | 69% | 65% |
| Houses: median price | $4M | $3.82M |
| Condos and townhomes: typical sale | at asking | 0.3% over asking |
| Condos and townhomes: sold over asking | 34% | 51% |
What it means for pricing
- Over asking isn’t the same as overpaying. A sale over asking can still be at market value: what matters is how the price compares with recent sales of similar homes nearby.
- Read the range you’re in. Houses at $3.5M–$4.5M and houses under $2.5M face different buyers and different competition.
- Buyers: use the “typical sale” for your range and size as a starting point, then look at the last few sales on the street.
- Sellers: strategy matters as much as the number. See how much over asking homes sell for and our over-asking tool.
Palo Alto against nearby cities
The last 12 months (October 28, 2025 to October 27, 2026), against the 12 months before.
| City | Typical house sale | Houses over asking | Year before | Condos and townhomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Altos | 5.1% over asking | 72% | 4.2% over asking | 1.9% under asking |
| Palo Alto | 5.7% over asking | 69% | 3.7% over asking | at asking |
| Sunnyvale | 7.4% over asking | 77% | 9.3% over asking | 0.1% over asking |
| Cupertino | 3.5% over asking | 72% | 7.6% over asking | 1.4% under asking |
| Santa Clara | 5.1% over asking | 71% | 7.1% over asking | at asking |
| Los Gatos | 0.7% under asking | 39% | 0.5% under asking | 0.4% under asking |
| Saratoga | 0.9% over asking | 56% | 2.6% over asking | 0.1% under asking |
Condos and townhomes by price
Condo and townhome sales in the last 24 months (October 28, 2024 to October 27, 2026):
| Price range | Sales | Typical sale | Sold over asking | Living area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $750K | 16 | 1.4% under asking | 38% | 700 sq ft |
| $750K–$1.25M | 55 | at asking | 35% | 1,110 sq ft |
| $1.25M–$1.75M | 87 | at asking | 44% | 1,380 sq ft |
| $1.75M–$2.25M | 51 | at asking | 43% | 1,550 sq ft |
| $2.25M and up | 28 | at asking | 50% | 1,910 sq ft |
Questions we get
Do Palo Alto homes sell over asking?
Yes, most houses do: 69% sold over list price in the last 12 months, and the typical one closed 5.7% over asking. Condos and townhomes: 34% over, typically at asking.
Which Palo Alto homes sell furthest over asking?
By price, houses at $3.5M–$4.5M (8.1% over asking typical). By size, 1,500–2,000 sq ft (8.1% over asking).
Is the market cooler than last year?
No, it’s hotter. For Palo Alto houses, the typical sale went from 3.7% over asking to 5.7% over asking, and the median price from $3.82M to $4M.
How we counted
Closed sales reported to the MLS and read through the IDX feeds that power our home search, one record per sale with a usable living area and map position, the same rules as our city price posts. Houses are MLS property type “single family home”; condos include townhomes. Sale price is compared with the final list price, so a home that was cut before selling is measured against its last price. Price and size ranges use the last 24 months (October 28, 2024 to October 27, 2026); the city figures use the last 12 months (October 28, 2025 to October 27, 2026) and the 12 months before. Past sales aren’t a forecast or the value of any one home, and nothing here is financial, tax or legal advice.
Go deeper
where Palo Alto homes sell over asking, neighborhood by neighborhood, the best month to sell in Palo Alto and the home features that start bidding wars.
More Palo Alto numbers from the Property Nerds
Talk to a Property Nerd
We’re the Property Nerds at Compass, recognized as NextGenAgents by a national real estate portal. We’ll pull the sales that matter for your home and your plans, and walk you through what they mean. Call (408) 373-1660 or (650) 383-8606, or book a strategy call. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what’s included.