• Median listing price: $279,900
• Average days on market: 21

Like Oakland, homes in California's capital are being snapped up quickly, with the average listing lasting only three weeks.

"When houses come on to the market, it's a feeding frenzy," said Stephanie Baker, a local Coldwell Banker real estate agent.

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That demand has helped push area home prices 40% higher in the past 12 months, she said.

All price points are strong. Many first-time homebuyers have entered the market, freeing up sellers of entry-level homes to purchase bigger, more expensive houses.

Now, even the high-end of the market is making a comeback. A colleague of Baker's just closed on a $2 million home. "That was the first one in years," she said.

NEXT: Stockton, Calif.