The Headlines Sound Scary. The Redding Numbers Tell a More Interesting Story

Before you talk yourself out of making a move, here's what the data actually says about Shasta County right now.

Author

Kory & Veronica Normandeau
February 23, 2026

Table of Contents

If you only followed national housing headlines, you’d assume something dramatic is unfolding.

Slowdowns. Corrections. Cooling demand.

But real estate isn’t national. It’s local.

And when you isolate Redding and Shasta County, the picture becomes far more measured than the headlines suggest.

Prices Haven’t Collapsed. They’ve Leveled.

“Zoomed out, this looks like normalization — not reversal.”

Since 2016, values have climbed meaningfully. The recent year-over-year adjustment is modest in the context of that longer trend.

Perspective changes interpretation.

National Headlines Are Loud. Local Reality Is Measured.

“Redding: -1.8% year-over-year. Not a crash. Not a surge. A controlled adjustment.”

Some metros are correcting sharply. Others are still rising.

Redding sits in the middle — historically steady, rarely extreme.

That steadiness doesn’t generate headlines. But it creates resilience.

Inventory Is Still Below Pre-Pandemic Levels.

“Supply has improved from the frenzy years — but we’re still below 2019 levels.”

Yes, inventory is higher than 2021.

No, it hasn’t flooded.

What’s changed isn’t supply.

It’s tempo.

Homes are taking longer to sell. Buyers are more selective. Negotiation has returned.

But movement hasn’t stopped.

What the Buyer Pool Actually Looks Like

Right now in Shasta County, there are 234 active listings between $250,000 and $500,000 — the range where most demand lives.

Within Redding city limits, 90 of those are active.

In the last 30 days:

  • 67 homes went pending

  • 51 closed

“Roughly 29% of current inventory went under contract in just one month.”

For every home that pended, about three to four remained active.

That’s not stagnation.

If no new homes came to market, the current inventory would clear in roughly three to four months.

“The buyer pool exists. It’s just selective.”

Well-priced homes, presented cleanly, are still generating activity. Some are seeing multiple offers. Some are closing above list.

The difference now is precision.

This Market Rewards Accuracy, Not Panic.

A few years ago, momentum carried homes forward.

Today, the market is asking a sharper question:

Is this home aligned with current buyer behavior?

“This isn’t instability. It’s balance returning.”

The national conversation may remain loud. But locally, the numbers tell a steadier story — one where strategy matters more than speculation.

And in real estate, the local story is the one that pays.

Whether you’re thinking about selling and wondering if the timing is right, considering a purchase in Shasta County, or simply curious what your home would realistically command today — reply to this email or reach out at [email protected].

We’ll look at your specific situation and build a plan around what the local numbers actually say.

— Kory & Veronica Normandeau

P.S. The next 60 days of spring inventory will tell us a lot about where this market heads for the rest of 2026. I’m watching it closely — and I’ll share what I see.