The Riverside County real estate market has changed significantly over the past couple of years. In 2025, home buyers have more properties to choose from and more leverage as a result.
In this guide, we answer some of the most common questions relating to the Riverside County housing market, using the most recent data and information available.
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1. What’s the Riverside housing market like?
Here’s a summary of 2025 housing market trends in Riverside County:
- The market has slowed down over the past year, meaning it takes longer to sell a home these days (on average).
- As of early 2025, home prices are rising gradually and will probably continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
- Housing inventory increased significantly over the past year. In 2025, buyers have more properties to choose from.
- Home buyers also have more bargaining power these days, due to the slower pace and inventory gains mentioned above.
- Riverside County has shifted from being a strong seller’s market to a more balanced market that’s starting to favor buyers.
You can learn more about all of these trends within the FAQs below.
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2. Is 2025 a good time to buy in this area?
Riverside experienced a brief drop in home values following the pandemic, when fast-rising mortgage rates cooled the housing market.
But that downturn was short and shallow.
In 2025, the Riverside real estate market has largely returned to normal. Home prices are stable and expected to continue rising (see below).
Local home buyers also have more properties to choose from in 2025. According to Realtor.com, the total number of active real estate listings in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metro area increased by a healthy 47% from Feb. 2024 to Feb. 2025.
While the future is always uncertain, 2025 could be considered a good time to buy a house in Riverside or the broader Inland Empire region.
3. Are home prices currently rising or falling?
Home prices in the Riverside housing market are currently rising at a slow pace, a trend that will likely continue through 2025 and into 2026.
According to Zillow, the median home price for the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metro area rose by 3% over the past year (Feb. 2024 – Feb. 2025).
The following graph shows the median home value for the Inland Empire over the past eight years. It’s based on data provided by Zillow. The labels speak for themselves.
In March 2025, the median price for the Riverside-San Bernardino metro area was $582,323.
Here are the median prices for the five largest cities in the area:
- Riverside: $642,297
- San Bernardino: $481,419
- Fontana: $621,669
- Moreno Valley: $549,363
- Ontario: $668,089
Home prices in all of these cities have increased over the past year (as of March 2025), with the year-over-year gains averaging around 3.6%.
4. Is Riverside a buyer’s or seller’s market in 2025?
The Riverside real estate market slightly favors sellers. But it’s nothing like the red-hot seller’s market of a few years ago. In 2025, there’s a better balance between supply and demand.
Later this year, the Inland Empire could move into “buyer’s market” territory, especially if inventory growth continues going forward.
Riverside was a very strong seller’s market during COVID. But the market has cooled since then due to higher housing costs, inventory growth, and economic uncertainty.
The market pace has slowed down over the last year. In February, homes listed for sale in the Riverside-San Bernardino metro area spent a median of 60 days on the market. That was 10 days longer than a year earlier, which indicates a slower market.
These trends suggest that the market has shifted in a buyer-friendly direction over the past couple of years (and could continue to do so).
5. What’s the market forecast for 2025 and 2026?
No one can predict future real estate trends with complete accuracy. But we can make an informed guess based on current supply and demand and other factors.
Here are some reasonable predictions for the Riverside housing market:
- Home prices will rise gradually throughout 2025 and into 2026.
- But we probably won’t see any of the extremes shown in the above graph.
- Inventory growth will give home buyers more options and bargaining power.
- The pace of home sales could slow due to economic uncertainty and supply gains.
- The market could become a bit more buyer-friendly in Q2 – Q4 of 2025.
As for home prices, Zillow recently predicted that the median home value for the Riverside-San Bernardino metro area would rise by 1.4% from Jan. 2025 to Jan. 2026.
6. Is it a good place to invest in real estate?
Real estate investing is a complex process with a lot of variables. So this is not a clear-cut, yes-or-no type of question.
Historically, however, the Riverside area has offered good investment opportunities with long-term price growth and strong demand from both renters and buyers.
Here are some factors that make Riverside County a good place to invest:
- Affordable Entry Point: Compared to nearby markets like Los Angeles or Orange County, Riverside often has lower home prices. This affordability helps new investors break into the market while still having room for price appreciation over time.
- Growing Population and Demand: Riverside County is part of the Inland Empire, a region experiencing steady population growth. As more people move into the area for its more affordable housing, demand for homes and rental properties increases.
- Strong Rental Market: With low vacancy rates (often around 5% or lower in some neighborhoods), the area consistently shows strong demand for rental properties. This means investors are likely to secure tenants quickly, creating steady rental income.
- Economic and Job Growth: The county benefits from a diversified economy with growth in sectors like logistics, healthcare, and education. As job opportunities expand, more people look for housing, boosting both rental and purchase markets.
- Infrastructure Improvements: Projects like the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project are set to improve the local infrastructure, potentially increasing property values as the area becomes even more attractive for residents and businesses.
- Diverse Property Options: Riverside offers a variety of property types, including single-family homes, fixer-uppers, and new developments. This allows investors to choose properties that align with their strategy (long-term rentals, flips, BRRRR, etc.).
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Disclaimer: This report includes housing market forecasts and projections based on current trends. Such views are the equivalent of an educated guess and should be treated as such. The publisher makes no claims or assertions about future real estate trends.