Updated October 29, 2026
From October 2025 through September 2026, Irvine single-family resales had a median price of $2,100,000 ($873 per square foot) and a median of 23 days on market. Townhouses had a median of $1,175,000 ($738 per square foot) and 27.5 days. A townhome costs a lot less to buy. Your monthly cost also depends on HOA dues, often to two associations, and on Mello-Roos, and both vary from tract to tract.
What the last 12 months of sales show
Irene and Ricky Zhang's review of CRMLS closed resales in Irvine, October 2025 through September 2026 (1,889 resales, new construction excluded):
Single-family residence | Townhouse | Condominium | |
|---|---|---|---|
Resales | 788 | 152 | 949 |
Median price | $2,100,000 | $1,175,000 | $1,238,000 |
Median price per sq ft | $873 | $738 | $749 |
Median size | 2,506 sq ft | 1,572 sq ft | 1,650 sq ft |
Median year built | 1999 | 2001 | 2007 |
Median days on market | 23 | 27.5 | 30 |
Sale price vs. original list price | 96.3% | 97.0% | 96.5% |
Share sold above original list price | 17% | 12% | 14% |
Days on market are counted for the final listing. The median single-family home was about 60% larger than the median townhouse and cost about 79% more. Per square foot, the gap was about 18%.
Why "condo" in Irvine often means a house
Look at the condominium column carefully. In Irvine's MLS, "condominium" includes many detached condos. These look like single-family homes but are sold on a condominium plan. Over the same 12 months, 283 of the 949 condo resales in Irvine had no shared walls, according to the MLS "attached" field. Great Park had the most: 88 of its 176 condo resales were detached. So when you compare a townhome to a house, compare it with similar homes in the same tract, not with the citywide "condo" median.
HOA dues: often two associations
Many Irvine homes pay two associations. The City of Irvine explains the split. A master association usually maintains the larger shared areas, like medians and private parks. A sub-association, common in attached buildings and clustered tracts, maintains smaller landscaped areas and the outside of attached buildings.
Here's how that looks in one village. Two 2026 Woodbridge listings, from the MLS:
Attached home, 16 Claret (listed in the MLS as a condo) | Single-family home, 15 Snowapple | |
|---|---|---|
Sub-association | $465/month | $90/month |
Woodbridge Village Association | $157/month | $157/month |
Total | $622/month | $247/month |
Source |
The attached home's higher dues pay for upkeep the single-family owner handles alone, like roofs and exterior paint, depending on the CC&Rs. In the same 12 months, Woodbridge's 41 single-family resales had a median of $1,730,000, and its 22 townhouse resales a median of $1,135,758.
Don't rely on a "typical" figure. Ask for the current statements from every association on the property. Dues are usually paid to the association, separate from your mortgage payment, according to the CFPB. When you sell, Civil Code 4525 requires you to give the buyer the governing documents, the budget report, the current dues and any approved increases.
Mello-Roos
Mello-Roos is a special tax set for each parcel by its district's formula. It shows up on the property tax bill, not in HOA dues. On many Great Park homes it works out to roughly 0.5% to 0.6% of today's price, about $8,000 a year on a $1.5 million home. Older villages like Turtle Rock and Woodbridge have basically none. A townhome and a house in the same tract can have different amounts. Read the actual tax bill, and see our Mello-Roos guide for how to do it.
Control over the property
Single-family homes usually give you the most say over your own lot, but not total freedom. The City notes that some single-family neighborhoods in Lower Peters Canyon, Northwood and El Camino Real have no HOA but still carry deed restrictions, for things like exterior paint colors and room additions. Many single-family homes are also in an HOA with its own CC&Rs.
Townhomes trade control for less upkeep. The association decides the exterior, and its rental rules apply. If the governing documents restrict leasing, the seller has to give buyers a statement describing the restriction.
Rentals. Irvine prohibits short-term rentals under 31 days in residential zones, whatever the home type.
ADUs. A detached house is the simplest case. HCD told Irvine in 2025 that a detached townhouse on its own lot counts as single-family for a junior ADU, but whether an attached townhome qualifies is less clear, so check with the City and the association. See our ADU guide for Irvine.
Resale: how much difference the type makes
Over the past year, the differences were real but modest. Single-family homes sold a little faster (23 days versus 27.5) and a little more often above their original list price (17% versus 12%). Townhouses held closer to their original list price, at 97.0% versus 96.3%. Within each type, location, condition and pricing matter more. Comparing price per square foot across home types can also mislead; see why price per square foot misleads in Irvine.
What it means if you own one and plan to sell
If you're selling a townhome, buyers will compare your total monthly cost (mortgage, dues and Mello-Roos) with single-family homes a step up in price. Have every association statement and the tax bill ready so the numbers are clear from the first showing. If you're selling a house, your buyers may also be looking at large detached condos in newer villages. For how those villages compare, see newer vs. established Irvine villages. Either way, we give sellers a written pricing analysis that names the comps before the home goes on the market.
FAQ
Are townhomes cheaper than houses in Irvine?
Yes, by a lot. From October 2025 through September 2026, the median townhouse resale was $1,175,000, against $2,100,000 for single-family homes. Per square foot, the gap was smaller: $738 versus $873.
How much are HOA dues for an Irvine townhome?
It depends on the tract. Many townhomes pay a master and a sub-association. One 2026 Woodbridge attached-home listing showed $622 a month in total. Ask for the current statement from each association.
Do Irvine single-family homes have HOA dues?
Most do, though often lower than townhomes. One 2026 Woodbridge single-family listing showed $247 a month across two associations at the 2026 Woodbridge rate. Some older single-family areas have no HOA but still have deed restrictions.
Do townhomes sell slower than houses in Irvine?
Slightly. The median was 27.5 days on market for townhouses and 23 days for single-family homes over the past 12 months.
Weighing a sale of your Irvine townhome or house? We'll show you what similar homes in your tract sold for and what buyers compare yours to. Get your home value.
About Irene and Ricky Zhang: RealTrends Verified ranks Irene and Ricky Zhang the #1 small team in Irvine by both sales volume and transaction sides (2026 City Rankings, based on 2025 production). Sales figures are from Irene and Ricky Zhang's review of CRMLS closed resales, October 2025 through September 2026.
