Top brokerage predicts ‘balanced market’ in 2026

ESCROW DATA ANALYSIS

The total value of real estate sold plateaued, but LW units fetched more value for sellers

by Emma DiMaggio

Communications Manager

If 2023’s real estate market showed a post-pandemic slowdown, and 2024’s market was considered steady, the 2025 market represented a plateau in Leisure World Seal Beach.

Though average unit prices rose once again—up 6% in 2024 and up 1.5% in 2025—the value of overall transactions was slightly down. In 2025, sales totaled $143.25 million, compared to $149 million in the previous year.

“Things have mellowed out a little,” said Dawn Januszka, broker and owner of On-Site Sales. “There’s not going to be as much craziness in 2026. I predict a more balanced market.”

On-Site Sales, located inside Leisure World near the Main Gate, gives back a portion of its annual proceeds to the Golden Rain Foundation. This giveback, which helps to offset shareholders’ assessments, has helped secure On-Site Sales’ position as the number one brokerage in Leisure World. In 2025, the brokerage gave back $642,179.03.

Of a total 385 sales in 2025, 40% were sold by On-Site Sales, totaling $55.8 million in escrows. Another 58% of units were sold by outside agents, and a mere 2%—seven total sales—were sold by the owner, without a real estate agent.

Prices Up Slightly

In 2025, the average price of a onebedroom unit was $262,807, up 8% from the previous year. The average price of a two-bedroom unit was $423,378, up 6%.

Sale prices varied widely. In 2025, one-bedroom units sold anywhere from $180,000-$695,000, while two-bedroom units sold for $225,000-$736,000. To determine the value of a unit, agents consider factors like square footage, proximity to parking, greenbelt views, number of bathrooms, modern finishings, placement within the community, and the presence of amenities like in-unit washer/dryers.

“The biggest thing, for sure, is location,” Januszka said. “If you can get a green belt that has close parking, that’s your golden ticket. That’s what people want the most.”

Price point is highly influenced by the individual desires of a client.

Someone who wants to enjoy the hustle and bustle of Leisure World might prefer living somewhere central, near a clubhouse or amenity.

A person searching for silence and solitude might enjoy a unit off the beaten path, but they may not enjoy the sight of dogwalkers and other passersby that make a neighborhood feel lively, according to Januszka. Interest Rates Affect Outside Market

Homebuyers in Orange County got a reprieve from stubbornly high interest rates when the Federal Reserve voted to drop interest rates in September, October and December.

The current interest rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage is 6.15%, according to Bankrate.

Mortgage rates peaked near 8% in late 2023 and have declined since.

Cash is king in the Leisure World market, where mortgages are disallowed REAL ESTATE

from page 1

from every Mutual except for the Mutual 17 condos. However, many new residents rely on proceeds from selling their previous homes, and lower interest rates make those homes easier to sell.

As a result, declining interest rates can encourage homeowners outside Leisure World to list their properties and begin downsizing.

Januszka has noticed that people who’ve considered Leisure World in the past are now returning to her brokerage to get serious about moving in.

Still, she said Federal Reserve decisions alone will not dictate the trajectory of Leisure World’s real estate market. In active living senior communities, purchases are often driven by life events rather than interest rates.

“Even when mortgage rates were higher, I don’t feel like we were impacted by that as much as you’d expect,” Januszka said. “People found a way to be able to buy in here.” What Drives Buyers to LW?

Affordability remains a major draw for homebuyers looking to move into Leisure World. In 2025, Orange County homes sold for an average $1.15 million, a 0.2% decrease from the previous year, according to data from Zillow. Leisure World offers similar weather and proximity to hospitals, restaurants and tourist destinations at roughly half that cost.

“Affordability outside is still a challenge,” Januszka said. “Where can you live this close to the beach at these prices? Nowhere.”

But price point isn’t the only thing that attracts buyers to this seaside community. Lack of homelessness, low crime and on-call security are features that foster a “nicer, more pleasant way to retire,” according to Januszka.

There’s also the promise of social and recreational activities: weekend dance lessons, pool tournaments, sunny afternoons spent at the pool and potluck luncheons with new friends. Leisure World Seal Beach promises a chooseyour- own-adventure style of retirement.

To access Leisure World’s amenities, new residents pay a one-time Trust Property Use Fee (TPUF), which creates income for GRF that offsets assessments. In 2025, TPUF payments by new residents brought in $317,916.

Tips for Selling a Home

Two of the most important factors when selling a unit are realistic pricing and ensuring the space is move-in ready with fresh paint and new flooring, according to Januszka, who has a decade of experience selling in Leisure World.

“People are coming from a house that they have fixed up for 40 years, a lot of them don’t want to do that in here,” she said. “The houses that are move-in ready, with nothing to be done, those sell in a heartbeat.”

Fixer uppers bring a variety of challenges, and many buyers would rather avoid the headache of remodels. Renovations may require buyers to stay in a hotel or with family while work is completed.

“For a lot of them, that’s not an option,” Januszka said. “You hear the same thing: ‘We’re just going to let the buyer do the flooring.’ The buyer doesn’t want to have to get the permit and wait two weeks to have flooring done, especially after close.”

In 2024, Januszka shared with the LW Weekly that high-end units were in high demand, and that there weren’t enough to satisfy demand from sellers. The same is true in 2025.

“Often they’re looking for something high-end, and we just don’t have anything to show them,” Januszka said.

People interested in buying or selling real estate in Leisure World can find licensed real estate agents in the back pages of the LW Weekly.