Vallejo, CA Real Estate & Homes for Sale
By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.
Vallejo is an incorporated city of about 123,300 people in southern Solano County, California, and home to Mare Island, the former naval shipyard. Redfin put its median sale price for the three months to August 2026 at $510,000, below the county’s September median of $580,000. Housing runs from older homes in the historic districts near downtown to small new hillside subdivisions, and Vallejo is the only Solano city with its own conveyance tax at closing.
- County
- Solano County
- Government
- Incorporated city (City of Vallejo)
- Population
- 123,287 (July 2025 Census estimate)
- Median sale price
- $510,000 (3 months to Aug 2026, Redfin)
- Transfer tax
- $4.40 per $1,000 (county plus city)
- Hotel and rental tax
- 11% (city TOT)
- Ferry
- SF Bay Ferry, about 60 minutes to San Francisco
Vallejo homes for sale
Current MLS listings in Vallejo are shown below, from Mare Island and the downtown historic districts to Glen Cove and Hiddenbrooke. To compare them with homes in Benicia or Fairfield, use our property search and filter by city, price and lot size.
What do homes in Vallejo sell for?
$510,000
Three months to August 2026, Redfin
$343
Three months to August 2026, Redfin
42
August 2026, Redfin
Vallejo prices sit below both the county and the counties around it. Redfin’s median of $510,000 for the three months to August 2026 was 3.0% lower than a year earlier, and it sits $70,000 under the county’s September median from the California Association of REALTORS (C.A.R.). Across the Carquinez Bridge, the Contra Costa County median was $870,000 in the same C.A.R. report.
Price per square foot rose 4.6% while the median fell, sales volume edged up from 244 to 257 homes, and almost half of the homes that sold in August went for more than their asking price. At the same time, 30% of listings had a price cut. In practice that means well-priced homes still draw more than one offer, and homes listed above the recent sales in their part of town sit until they’re reduced.
| Measure | Figure | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $510,000 (down 3.0% year over year) | Three months to August 2026, Redfin (its calculation from MLS and public records) |
| Median price per square foot | $343 (up 4.6%) | Three months to August 2026, Redfin |
| Homes sold | 257 (244 a year earlier) | August 2026, Redfin |
| Median days on market | 42 (44 a year earlier) | August 2026, Redfin |
| Sale-to-list ratio | 99.9%; 48.6% sold above list | August 2026, Redfin |
| Listings with a price drop | 30.0% | August 2026, Redfin |
| Median value, owner-occupied homes | $589,500 | 2020–2024, U.S. Census Bureau (ACS) |
| Owner-occupied share of homes | 57.4% | 2020–2024, U.S. Census Bureau (ACS) |
| Solano County median, for comparison | $580,000 | September 2026, C.A.R. |
The Census figure is higher because it’s owners’ own estimates over five years, not recent sales. With about 250 sales in August alone, Vallejo has enough comparable sales to price a home closely, as long as they come from the same neighborhood and era of construction.
Vallejo’s conveyance tax: what it adds at closing
Every Solano County sale pays the county documentary transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 of price. Vallejo is the only city in the county that adds a second tax on top: the Real Property Conveyance Tax in Chapter 3.10 of the Vallejo Municipal Code, set at $1.65 for each $500 of consideration, which works out to $3.30 per $1,000 (Vallejo Municipal Code ch. 3.10). Together that’s $4.40 per $1,000, four times what a seller pays in Benicia or Fairfield.
| On a $510,000 sale (no loan assumed) | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Solano County documentary transfer tax | $561 | $0.55 per $500; Vallejo’s own $0.275 share under Chapter 3.08 is credited inside this amount |
| Vallejo Real Property Conveyance Tax | $1,683 | $1.65 per $500 (VMC §3.10.020) |
| Total transfer taxes | $2,244 | $4.40 per $1,000 |
By local custom the seller pays transfer taxes in Solano County, including Vallejo’s, according to the closing-cost charts published by title companies. The ordinance itself makes the buyer and seller “jointly and severally liable” (§3.10.030), so the purchase contract should say who pays. The code exempts some transfers, such as a deed given only to secure a loan and a deed in lieu of foreclosure to the lender. For the county side of closing costs, see our Solano County real estate guide.
Neighborhoods and parts of Vallejo
Redfin divides Vallejo into Vallejo Heights, Glen Cove, Hiddenbrooke, St. Vincent’s Hill, Mare Island and the North, South, East and West Vallejo areas. These are market labels rather than official boundaries, so compare a home with sales inside the same one.
The historic core: St. Vincent’s Hill and the Architectural Heritage District
Two of the city’s three historic districts sit on the mainland near downtown. St. Vincent’s Hill runs from Mare Island Way and Butte Street east to Marin Street and the properties along Sonoma Boulevard, with a period of significance from 1868 to 1947. The Architectural Heritage District covers the blocks between Sutter and Monterey streets and between Carolina Street and Garford Alley (City of Vallejo).
Buying in either district changes what you can do with the house. Development applications on a landmark or a property in a historic district, such as an addition or exterior change, go through a Certificate of Appropriateness under Municipal Code §16.614.09, and the city counts 82 federally or locally designated landmarks. The upside is the Mills Act program, which can lower property taxes on a qualifying historic home in return for a preservation agreement. Check the city’s interactive zoning map by address before you write an offer, and ask the seller for any past Certificates of Appropriateness.
Glen Cove and the Carquinez side
Glen Cove is in ZIP code 94591, and Redfin’s Benicia market page also lists it among nearby neighborhoods. Vista Cove, a 51-lot subdivision the City Council moved forward in March 2026, is planned there, on a site the state filing describes as undeveloped hillside (see new construction below).
Hiddenbrooke
Hiddenbrooke is the area around Hiddenbrooke Parkway in ZIP code 94591, where Hiddenbrooke Golf Club has its address at 1095 Hiddenbrooke Parkway. Buyers search for it by name, and it’s one of the neighborhoods Redfin tracks separately. If the home you’re considering belongs to a homeowners association, ask for the CC&Rs, the current budget and reserve study, and any special assessments during your review period, and read the rules on rentals, parking and exterior changes before you remove contingencies.
Mare Island: history, homes and the new specific plan
Mare Island was the first naval station on the West Coast. Operations began in 1854 and the Navy closed it in 1996. Today the island holds more than 100 businesses, Touro University California with more than 1,400 students in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, nursing, public health and other programs, a nature preserve, trails and a residential community (City of Vallejo). The nonprofit Mare Island Historic Park Foundation leads tours of St. Peter’s Chapel, Alden Park and the historic dry dock.
The Mare Island Specific Plan was adopted in 1999. In October 2024 the Mare Island Company, which develops and manages the land owned by The Nimitz Group, submitted a draft update with nine neighborhoods. The city’s project page says the draft land use plan is estimated to accommodate up to 14,000 homes and 14,900 to 17,000 jobs. The city sent its comments on that draft on February 7, 2026, and gave the council an update on April 27, 2026. A federal environmental review, a state Notice of Preparation, infrastructure and financing plans, a second draft and a Draft EIR all still lie ahead (City of Vallejo, Mare Island Specific Plan).
On Mare Island, check three things before you commit: whether the home sits in the Mare Island Historic Core (Reuse Area 4, between Nimitz Avenue and the strait), whether the preliminary title report lists any recorded covenants or land-use restrictions on the parcel, and how the draft specific plan treats the blocks around the house.
A home on the island also has its own ferry stop: San Francisco Bay Ferry’s Vallejo route serves a Mare Island terminal as well as the main Vallejo terminal.
Are there new homes and new construction in Vallejo?
Yes, though the projects with recent approvals are small. The Planning Division’s list of current development projects includes the KB Rollingwood subdivision and Vista Cove alongside commercial projects such as a car wash and a self-storage building (City of Vallejo). Project files are available at the Planning Division, on the second floor of City Hall at 555 Santa Clara Street.
- Vista Cove, Glen Cove: 51 single-family lots on about 10 acres of a 20.13-acre hillside near Shady Lane and Wildflower Street, with the rest kept as open space and a small park (State Clearinghouse). In late March 2026 the City Council voted 6–1 to accept its environmental report and design reviews (The Vallejo Sun).
- Blue Rock Springs: at the same meeting the council unanimously approved a preliminary concept plan for a new clubhouse at the Blue Rock Springs golf course, under which the city would take 8.15% of gross lot sales above a $10.5 million minimum plus a share of homebuilder profits. A settlement that followed a 2020 claim by Syar Industries limits that housing to the west side of Columbus Parkway, and a finance plan is still to come.
- Mare Island: the long-range source of new homes, through the specific plan update described above.
When you buy new construction, read the public report, the HOA budget and any Mello-Roos or assessment disclosure before you sign. Homes with a certificate of occupancy issued within the past 15 years are also exempt from the state’s rent cap, which matters if you plan to rent the home later.
Short-term rentals, the 11% hotel tax and rent rules
Vallejo charges a transient occupancy tax (TOT) of 11% on stays of 30 consecutive days or less (Municipal Code ch. 3.19). Its code has no dedicated short-term rental chapter. The closest set of rules covers bed-and-breakfast lodging: it needs a minor use permit, the owner or a resident manager must live on the premises, a guest can’t stay more than 15 days in a row or 30 days in a calendar year, and each guest room needs a parking space.
If short-term rental income is part of your plan, ask the Planning Division in writing how it treats a whole-home rental at the specific address before you buy. The bed-and-breakfast rules assume an owner on site.
For long-term rentals, Vallejo’s municipal code has no general rent control or just-cause chapter; its local rent control applies to mobile home parks (ch. 5.64). Most other rentals fall under California’s AB 1482, which caps annual increases at 5% plus inflation, or 10%, whichever is lower, with exemptions for newer buildings and for many single-family homes owned by individuals. Our investment property services cover the numbers in more depth.
Getting to San Francisco and around the Bay
The ferry is Vallejo’s commuting advantage. San Francisco Bay Ferry runs from the Vallejo terminal and the Mare Island terminal to the downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal (Gate E1) in about 60 minutes. The schedule that took effect on March 9, 2026 has 13 southbound and 14 northbound weekday trips, and the adult one-way fare rose to $10.00 on July 1, 2026 (San Francisco Bay Ferry).
- By car: Interstate 80 crosses the Carquinez Bridge into Contra Costa County; Interstate 780 runs east to Benicia; State Route 37 heads west toward Marin and Sonoma. The Carquinez Bridge toll, $8.50 for a solo driver, is charged only to eastbound traffic after it crosses into Vallejo, so a commuter heading south to Contra Costa pays on the way home (FasTrak).
- By train: there’s no BART or Capitol Corridor station in Vallejo. The nearest Capitol Corridor stops on the line’s station list are Martinez, across the strait, and Suisun-Fairfield (Capitol Corridor).
What to check before buying a Vallejo home
- Flood: the downtown waterfront and Mare Island border the Mare Island Strait, and the city’s southern edge faces the bay and the Carquinez Strait. Look up the parcel on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center; a home in a special flood hazard area with a federally backed mortgage needs flood insurance. First Street’s model, shown on Redfin, puts about 4% of Vallejo properties at risk of severe flooding over 30 years.
- Fire: the same model estimates that 58% of properties carry some wildfire risk. Check the parcel on the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps; zones inside cities, which are local responsibility areas, were released in four phases between February 10 and March 24, 2025. In a High or Very High zone, California’s AB 38 rule requires the seller to give you documentation of a recent defensible-space inspection, or both of you to agree in writing that you’ll bring the property into compliance after closing.
- Historic review: confirm whether the house is a landmark or inside a historic district before you plan exterior work.
- Older systems: on homes from before 1950, budget for a sewer lateral inspection, an electrical evaluation and a foundation review as part of your inspection period.
- Insurance: get quotes early, especially for hillside homes near open space.
Vallejo compared with nearby areas
| Area | Government | One verified difference |
|---|---|---|
| Vallejo | City, Solano County | Transfer taxes $4.40 per $1,000; ferry to San Francisco; median $510,000 (3 months to Aug 2026, Redfin) |
| Benicia | City, Solano County | Median $822,456 (3 months to Aug 2026, Redfin); county transfer tax only; 13% TOT |
| Fairfield | City, Solano County | Fairfield-Vacaville Hannigan Capitol Corridor station; 12% TOT; county transfer tax only |
| American Canyon | City, Napa County | Napa County rules; Napa County median $918,000 (Sep 2026, C.A.R.) |
| Contra Costa County | Across the Carquinez Bridge | County median $870,000 (Sep 2026, C.A.R.) |
How Diamond Real Estate Group helps Vallejo buyers
Vallejo rewards buyers who price by neighborhood and read the paperwork early. As part of your offer, we pull comparable sales from the same part of the city, confirm whether the home is a landmark or in a historic district, read the title report and any HOA documents, and write into the contract who pays the city conveyance tax. If rental income matters, we check the TOT and bed-and-breakfast rules with the city first.
- Vallejo real estate agents: our disclosed guide, with every listed agent’s state license linked.
- Selling a Vallejo home and a private home valuation, if you need to sell before you buy.
- How we work with buyers across the North Bay.
Selling a home in Vallejo
Vallejo is an incorporated city, so the building permits, code cases and historic-district approvals for a house inside the limits are City of Vallejo records, not county ones. Gather that file before you list, because it is the first thing a careful buyer’s agent requests.
Two transfer taxes, not one
Vallejo is the only Solano city that charges its own conveyance tax on top of the county’s. Chapter 3.10 of the municipal code sets it at $1.65 for each $500 of consideration, which is $3.30 per $1,000, and the county documentary transfer tax adds $1.10 per $1,000. On a $510,000 sale that is $1,683 to the city plus $561 to the county, or $2,244.
Old Republic Title’s closing-cost guide lists the seller as the customary payer in Solano County. Section 3.10.030, however, makes buyer and seller jointly and severally liable, so state the split in the purchase contract. Our California transfer tax guide shows how the amounts are calculated.
Ask the wastewater district about your lateral
Sewer service comes from the Vallejo Flood and Wastewater District. The Regional Water Quality Control Board’s 2023 staff report on the district’s permit says the permit requires it to develop a private sewer lateral ordinance and present it to its board. We could not confirm whether an ordinance has since been adopted or whether it applies at sale, so call the district (707-644-8949) before you set a closing date.
State paperwork for a Vallejo sale
- A written smoke alarm compliance statement, given as soon as practicable before title passes.
- Written certification that the water heater is braced.
- A disclosure of whether noncompliant plumbing fixtures remain in the house.
- In a High or Very High fire hazard severity zone, the AB 38 defensible-space documentation, or a signed agreement that the buyer will obtain it.
- For a home with a Mello-Roos or 1915 Act lien, the levying agency’s notice; a recent tax bill can serve as an equivalent.
What Vallejo buyers ask to see
On older homes near downtown, buyers want permits for past additions and any historic-district approvals for exterior work. On Mare Island they read the preliminary title report for recorded use restrictions. For waterfront parcels, the natural hazard report must also state whether the property lies within the Bay Conservation and Development Commission’s jurisdiction. A camera inspection of an old lateral before listing answers a question most buyers raise anyway.
To see where your house sits against recent sales in the same part of town, start with a private home valuation.
Sources for this section: Vallejo Municipal Code (GoCodebook): Chapter 3.10, Real Property Conveyance Tax; Old Republic Title: A Guide to Bay Area Counties, Closing Costs (January 2024); San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board: Vallejo Flood and Wastewater District permit staff summary report (February 2023); Visit Vallejo: Vallejo Flood and Wastewater District; California Public Law: Health and Safety Code section 13113.8; California Public Law: Health and Safety Code section 19211; California Public Law: Civil Code section 1101.4; Justia: California Civil Code section 1102.19; California Public Law: Civil Code section 1102.6b; California Public Law: Civil Code section 1103.4.
Vallejo real estate FAQs
What is the median home price in Vallejo?
Redfin’s median sale price for Vallejo was $510,000 for the three months to August 2026, down 3.0% from a year earlier, while price per square foot rose to $343. The Census Bureau’s survey median for owner-occupied homes was $589,500 for 2020 to 2024. Solano County’s September 2026 median was $580,000 (C.A.R.).
How much is the transfer tax when a Vallejo home sells?
$4.40 per $1,000 of the price: the county’s $1.10 plus Vallejo’s $3.30 conveyance tax. On a $600,000 sale that’s $2,640 in total, compared with $660 in a Solano city without its own tax.
Does the buyer or the seller pay Vallejo’s conveyance tax?
By custom the seller pays transfer taxes in Solano County, Vallejo’s included. The municipal code makes both parties jointly and severally liable, so the purchase agreement should state who pays, and it can be negotiated like any other cost.
Are new homes being built in Vallejo?
A few. One recent approval is Vista Cove in Glen Cove, 51 single-family lots on a 20-acre hillside that the City Council moved forward in March 2026. The city’s project list also includes the KB Rollingwood subdivision, and Mare Island’s draft plan is the long-term source of new housing.
Can you buy a home on Mare Island?
Yes. The island has an established residential community alongside its businesses and Touro University. Ask for the preliminary title report early and read any recorded covenants or restrictions, and check whether the home is in the Mare Island Historic Core, where development applications need city review.
How many homes could Mare Island eventually have?
The October 2024 draft of the updated Mare Island Specific Plan is estimated to accommodate up to 14,000 homes in nine neighborhoods. It’s a draft: the environmental reviews, financing plans and a second draft still have to be completed before any hearing, and the city’s page lists no hearing dates yet.
How long is the ferry from Vallejo to San Francisco?
About 60 minutes to downtown San Francisco, with service from both the Vallejo and Mare Island terminals. The schedule effective March 9, 2026 has 13 southbound weekday trips, and the adult fare is $10.00 one way.
Is there BART or Amtrak in Vallejo?
No train stops in the city: there’s no BART station, and the Capitol Corridor’s station list has no Vallejo stop. Capitol Corridor riders use Martinez or Suisun-Fairfield, and for most San Francisco commuters the ferry is the transit option.
Can I rent out a Vallejo home on Airbnb?
Stays of 30 days or less owe Vallejo’s 11% transient occupancy tax. The city’s code addresses bed-and-breakfast lodging with an owner or manager living on site, but has no separate whole-home short-term rental chapter, so get the city’s answer in writing for the address before you count on that income.
Does Vallejo have rent control?
Not for most housing. Vallejo’s local rent control covers mobile home parks. Other rentals follow California’s AB 1482 statewide cap unless they’re exempt, for example newer buildings or many single-family homes owned by individuals that give tenants the required notice.
What do I need to renovate a house in a Vallejo historic district?
Work on a landmark or on a property in a historic district needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Planning Division under Municipal Code §16.614.09. The city also offers a Mills Act property tax program for qualifying historic homes. Call the Planning Division at (707) 648-4326 with the address.
Is Vallejo in a flood zone?
Parts of it are near the bay and the Mare Island Strait, so check each parcel on FEMA’s flood map rather than relying on the city as a whole. First Street’s estimate on Redfin is that about 4% of Vallejo properties face severe flood risk over 30 years.
Which school district serves Vallejo?
The Vallejo City Unified School District, based at 665 Walnut Avenue, runs the city’s public schools. Assignments follow the address, so confirm them with the district for the home you’re considering.
Sources & notes
- Redfin: Vallejo housing market (August 2026) and C.A.R.: September 2026 sales and price report
- U.S. Census Bureau: QuickFacts, Vallejo (V2025; ACS 2020–2024)
- Vallejo Municipal Code ch. 3.10, Real Property Conveyance Tax (2026-10 edition) and WFG National Title: transfer tax rates (May 2025)
- City of Vallejo: Mare Island, Mare Island Specific Plan, historic districts and development projects (accessed October 2026)
- State Clearinghouse: Vista Cove Project (2025) and The Vallejo Sun (March 27, 2026)
- San Francisco Bay Ferry: Vallejo route (schedule effective March 9, 2026) and Capitol Corridor: stations
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center and Civil Code §1947.12 (AB 1482)
Figures carry their dates where they appear, and we refresh market numbers every quarter. This is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice; confirm the rules for a specific property with the agency named. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
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Local resource: Solano County local government. Check official information for the address you are considering; area descriptions do not establish a property’s permitted uses.
