San Diego Realtor Andrew Bloom Highlights How Buyer Selectivity Is Reshaping the Local Housing Market

San Diego Realtor Andrew Bloom says strategy, community and lifestyle are increasingly determining which homes create competition and which get overlooked.

SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES, September 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — San Diego County home prices are up. More than one-third of homes are selling above asking. Yet pending sales are falling, creating a market where strong properties can still generate bidding wars while others struggle for attention.

For San Diego native and longtime Realtor Andrew Bloom, the seemingly conflicting numbers point to a simple shift: Buyers haven’t disappeared. They’ve become more selective about what’s worth fighting for.
San Diego County’s median home sale price reached $961,781 in August, up 5.7% year over year, according to Redfin. About 35.4% of homes sold above list price, while pending sales declined 13%. Roughly 22% of listings had price reductions.

“A great home that’s priced right can absolutely still create a bidding war,” Bloom said. “But buyers aren’t blindly chasing everything that hits the market. Condition matters. Location matters. Lifestyle matters. And whether the value makes sense matters.”

For sellers, Bloom says today’s opportunity isn’t simply asking for more because countywide prices have increased.
It’s giving the right buyer a reason to compete.

“It’s not just the market that’s going to command your best sales price,” Bloom said. “It’s your strategy. How you price the home, present it and communicate what somebody actually gets by living there.”
Beyond the ZIP Code: Buying a Version of San Diego

Bloom’s perspective comes from more than 20 years in real estate and a lifetime in San Diego. Raised in Alpine, he believes one of the county’s greatest advantages is also easy to overlook: Drive 20 or 30 miles and the lifestyle can change completely.

“People aren’t just buying bedrooms and bathrooms,” Bloom said. “They’re choosing where they grab coffee, where their kids grow up, what they do on Saturday morning and whether they know the people running the businesses down the street.”

In Alpine, that small-town connection can mean discovering Uphori Café tucked inside a Sinclair gas station, visiting a neighborhood farmstand or supporting independent businesses through LovingLifeAlpine, a community hub built around connecting residents with local businesses, events and resources.

Head into Santee, and outdoor recreation becomes part of everyday life, with access to lakes, trails and nearby Mission Trails.
Move closer to the urban core and the experience changes again.

In South Park, independent restaurants, coffee shops and retailers help define the neighborhood. Businesses such as Secret Sister, Café Madeleine, Station Tavern and Vinyl Junkies Record Shack sit alongside the neighborhood’s quarterly Walkabouts, when shops, restaurants and galleries extend their hours and the business district becomes a community event.

In Barrio Logan, local business and culture are deeply connected. Mujeres Brew House hosts community events and live music, Provecho! Coffee Co. serves coffee sourced from small farms in Mexico, and nearby galleries, studios and the Barrio Art Crawl contribute to a neighborhood shaped by generations of art and entrepreneurship.

“Two homes can have similar square footage and similar prices and give you two completely different lives,” Bloom said. “That’s the part you can’t understand from a listing photo.”

Why Hyperlocal Strategy Matters
The numbers reinforce Bloom’s point.
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During the three-month period ending in August, Santee’s median sale price was $786,979, down 1.9% year over year, yet 52.1% of homes sold above asking. El Cajon’s median was $755,000, up 4.1%, with 39.5% selling above list. Meanwhile, other communities recorded price declines even as the countywide median increased.

“There isn’t one San Diego real estate market,” Bloom said. “What works in one neighborhood, price range or even on one street doesn’t automatically work somewhere else.”

Bloom recently experienced that firsthand while representing buyers for an Alpine property that received multiple offers, including cash competition. His buyers ultimately secured the property.

“The loudest offer doesn’t always win,” Bloom said. “You need to understand what matters to your buyer, what matters to the seller and how to put the right deal together. Real estate is still a people business.”

Community Is Part of the Property
For Bloom, community isn’t marketing language. It’s what makes people stay.

A San Diego weekend can mean a Padres game downtown, hiking in East County, discovering a neighborhood restaurant, heading to the mountains or spending a fall afternoon at a local pumpkin patch.

That philosophy is also behind the forthcoming Bloom Pumpkins & Pines, a locally rooted seasonal concept centered on family, tradition and creating more reasons for people to connect closer to home.

“Ten years from now, most people aren’t going to remember the countertop,” Bloom said. “They’re going to remember where their kids played, who their neighbors were, the traditions they created and what coming home felt like.”

It’s also the idea behind The Bloom Group’s message:
Own more than property. Own a way of life.

“I grew up here. I work here. I raise my family here,” Bloom said. “My job isn’t to sell somebody on my version of San Diego. It’s helping them find theirs.”

About Andrew Bloom
Andrew Bloom is a San Diego native, Realtor^® and team lead with The Bloom Group at Velocity Realty. With more than 20 years of real estate experience, Bloom works with buyers and sellers throughout San Diego County with an emphasis on local knowledge, relationships, strategic positioning and community.

Andrew Bloom
The Bloom Group | Velocity Realty
CA DRE #01717251
619-922-7167

Andrew Bloom
The Bloom Group | Velocity Realty
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