December is always the quietest month of the year for real estate, and 2025 followed that pattern. Fewer new listings, fewer showings, and fewer contracts aren't signs of a struggling market - they're signs of normal seasonal activity. Let's dive into what the data is telling us.

A Typical December:
Every December we see a sharp decrease in the number of new homes being listed for sale. This trend continued this December, but we did see more homes come on the market than last December by almost 13%. There were almost the same number of active homes for sale as last year, and closings in December too.

Pricing: Historic Milestone and a Tale of Two Markets
The biggest wow factor is that for the first time, the average sales price of a property in our market topped the $400,000 mark.

Single-family homes: Average sales price was $492,221, up 12.12% over November. This is a significant surge that demonstrates strong demand for detached housing.

Condos and townhouses: Average sales price was $257,751, down 14.4% from November and down from December 2024's average of $287,045.

This split is important. Single-family homes continue to benefit from limited inventory and strong buyer demand, while condos and townhouses face more competition from new construction and are more sensitive to HOA costs and financing challenges.

Supply: Trending Toward Sellers Again
The biggest standout in the data is that months supply for both single family homes and condos continues to go down.

Single-family homes: 3.6 months supply (down from about 4.6 months during summer)
Condos and townhomes: 7.1 months supply (down from about 8.1 months during summer)
This trend continues to favor sellers, more so in single family homes. It's not unusual for sellers to pull their homes from the market during the winter months, especially over the holidays, but overall the trend continues to favor sellers even slightly.

Single-family home inventory remains below pre-pandemic levels, while condo and townhouse inventory is more balanced, especially at higher price points. New construction continues to impact pricing in certain areas.

Demand: Fewer Buyers, But They're Serious
Pending sales dropped month-to-month, which is typical for December. However, homes that were priced correctly, in good condition, and located in established neighborhoods continued to go under contract even during the holidays.

This tells us that demand hasn't disappeared - buyers are simply being selective and waiting for the right opportunities.

Days on Market: Pricing and Condition Matter
The condo and townhome market continues to see longer time on the market. Days on market increased particularly for overpriced listings, properties needing updates, and condos competing with newer inventory. This isn't a sign of weakness - it's a sign of a more transparent market where pricing and condition matter.

Meanwhile, single family homes are moving faster, especially those priced correctly from the start.

What Does This Mean?
For Buyers: Winter remains one of the best times to negotiate with less competition. Fewer competing offers doesn't mean fewer good homes. If your timing is flexible, patience can work in your favor. You have more options when shopping for condos and townhouses, but single-family homes remain competitive.

For Sellers: Pricing and condition are the variables you control, and they matter more than ever. The "test the market" strategy is far less effective than it was a few years ago. Homes that are priced correctly from the start are still selling, while those that aren't often sit.

Looking Ahead
December didn't introduce new trends - it confirmed what we've been seeing. Supply remains constrained for single-family homes, demand is selective, and pricing varies significantly by property type and condition.

Looking ahead to early 2026, January activity will give us more insight into how the year will shape out, but nothing in the December data suggests a sudden shift in direction.

The right answer of when to buy or sell a home will always be: that depends on when it is right for you. Let's talk about your plans for 2026, and see how we can help!