Holiday Market Insights 2025

What should you (as a buyer or seller) expect from the real estate market during the holidays?

Right now, the market in the Tri-Cities is down in sales about 9% from last November, most likely due to the fear and uncertainty for buyers during the government shut down. That being said, we’re not off by much and especially for price-points under $400k, there is still a lot of activity. 

If you’re a buyer heading into the holidays, expect sellers to be a little more antsy than usual with their longer days on market and the approaching festivities. They might be more willing to contribute to your closing costs and/or pay your agent’s commission. Also, some sellers will withdraw their home from the market for now and then re-list in the Spring. If you’ve had your eye on a property, ask your agent to call the listing agent and make your interest known. If you make your interest known, you could be first in line for a phone-call about a withdrawal or a price-drop. 

If you’re a seller still on the market, take a deep breath, don’t panic, longer days on market is the new normal. If other sellers pull out and you remain, buyers might choose your home due to the low inventory. Also, you should still expect buyers to ask for financial aid with their closing costs and their buyer’s agent commission (especially if the price point is below $500k). If your price-point is over $600k, expect your buyers to be very picky and desiring updated homes. These buyers don’t have to purchase, but they’re looking for their next dream home in order to walk away from their lower interest rate. 

So overall, the market is not tanking, it’s just taking a couple of relaxing breaths, tightening the belt one notch to curb off inflation, and moving forward, jingle bells and all.