Ten years of sales data show the premium for near-beach homes is widening, and the price difference on blocks further from the beach is growing too
CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, Calif., Nov. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Bambace Peterson Team at Compass today released "What a Block Is Worth," an analysis of ten years of closed home sales in Southwest Carmel, also known locally as the Golden Rectangle. The report examines how price changes block by block as homes get closer to Carmel Beach.
The analysis covers 338 closed sales on eight streets from January 1, 2017 through September 30, 2026. It found that the price premium for beach proximity is not distributed evenly, and is becoming less even over time.
On Scenic, the beachfront street, homes averaged $4,192 per square foot over the ten years, $1,902 above the Golden Rectangle's $2,290 benchmark and close to double it. The premium narrows fast one block back: San Antonio averaged $2,592 per square foot, $302 above the benchmark. By the third and fourth blocks, on Camino Real and Casanova, homes price at or below the benchmark.
The premium is also growing. Comparing 2017 to 2019 with 2023 to 2025, every block except one either increased its premium over the benchmark or increased its price difference below it. Scenic's premium grew from about $1,746 to $2,383 per square foot. San Antonio's grew from $40 to $386. Dolores, seven blocks from the beach, saw its difference below the benchmark grow from $156 to $723 per square foot, the sharpest move in the data.
"We've always known there is a premium for every block toward the beach, but we wanted to quantify it and ground our local knowledge in data," said Mark Peterson, founding partner of the Bambace Peterson Team. "This isn't a steady slope. The cost of the first few blocks is steep, then it levels off for a while, and now the steep part is getting steeper every year."
The team tied part of the shift to tighter inventory. Southwest Carmel has averaged 35 closed sales a year over the ten-year window, but the pace has slowed to about 29 a year over the last three years.
Through September 30, 2026, the Golden Rectangle benchmark is a $4,818,500 median sale price and $2,821 per square foot, about 23% above the ten-year average. Every street with a 2026 sale is running above its own ten-year average. Scenic has had no sales so far in 2026.
The full report, with block-by-block data and charts, is available at bambacepeterson.com.
About the Bambace Peterson Team
The Bambace Peterson Team, led by founding partners Dana Bambace and Mark Peterson, is a top-ranked luxury real estate team on the Monterey Peninsula, specializing in Pebble Beach, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel, Pacific Grove, and Big Sur. The team has ranked among the top 5 teams on the Monterey Peninsula and among the top 100 small teams in California for six consecutive years (RealTrends Verified). The team is based with Compass in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much more expensive are homes on Scenic than the rest of Southwest Carmel?
Scenic homes averaged $4,192 per square foot over ten years, compared with a $2,290 benchmark. That is a $1,902 premium, close to double the area's typical price. Scenic has had no sales in 2026 so far, so that figure is the ten-year average.
How much does home price drop per block as you move away from Carmel Beach?
The drop isn't a straight line. San Antonio, one block from the beach, averaged $2,592 per square foot. By Camino Real, three blocks back, price is close to the benchmark. Past four blocks, price depends more on lot size, walkability, and views than on distance.
Where does the beach premium end in Carmel-by-the-Sea?
Around three to four blocks from the water. Camino Real and Casanova price at or just below the Golden Rectangle benchmark.
Is the price gap between beach and inland Carmel homes getting bigger?
Yes. Between 2017 to 2019 and 2023 to 2025, Scenic's premium grew from about $1,746 to $2,383 per square foot and San Antonio's from $40 to $386. Dolores's difference below the benchmark grew from $156 to $723.
What is the median home price in Southwest Carmel right now?
Through September 30, 2026, the benchmark is a $4,818,500 median sale price and $2,821 per square foot, about 23% above the ten-year average.
Why are prices rising faster near the beach?
Part of it is inventory. Southwest Carmel averaged 35 closed sales a year over the ten-year window, but only about 29 a year over the last three.
Which streets are in the analysis?
Eight streets: Scenic, San Antonio, Carmelo, Camino Real, Casanova, Monte Verde, Lincoln, and Dolores, from the beach to seven blocks inland. The Golden Rectangle boundary is these eight streets from Ocean Avenue south to Santa Lucia.
Media Contact
Mark Peterson, Bambace Peterson Team, 1 831-238-1380, [email protected], www.bambacepeterson.com
SOURCE Bambace Peterson Team
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