The December Myth Is Dead
Most people believe a common myth about real estate.
They think December is for holiday parties. They think it is not for paperwork.
Buyers usually go on vacation. Sellers take their homes off the market. The phone stops ringing.
But this year changed everything.
I analyzed the numbers for December 2025. They shocked me.
These do not look like winter numbers. They look like spring numbers.
We saw record prices. We saw very fast sales. We saw aggressive bidding wars right before the holidays.
You might have waited for the Winter Discount. I have bad news for you.
It never came.
Here is what you need to know about this new market
1. The Price Anomaly
Let us look at the most important number first.
The average home sold for $416,000 in December.
Usually prices drop in the winter. Sellers are desperate and buyers are rare.
Not this time.
Real estate is growing almost twice as fast as inflation.
The price drop from November to December was tiny. It was less than 2 percent. That is not a real price correction. It is just a small fluctuation.
2. Speed of Sale
High prices are only half the story.
You also need to look at speed. We measure how fast homes disappear from the market
In December 2024 it took 41 days to sell a home. Snow makes inspections hard. People are busy with Christmas shopping.
But look at this December. It took only 32 Days.
That is a huge difference. The market is moving 22% faster than it did at the same time last year.
This tells us something important about buyer behavior. Buyers were not waiting. They were refreshing their apps on Christmas Eve. If a good house appeared they booked a viewing immediately.
3. The Bidding War Index
This is the most critical number in this entire report.
It is the Sale to List Ratio.
If a house is listed for $400,000 and sells for $400,000 the ratio is 100%.
In December the ratio was 104.8%.
Here is what this means for you
On average every home sold for nearly 5% over the asking price.
Imagine a house listed for
$400,000
It likely sold for more than
$419,000
Remember that this is just the average. This includes homes that no one wanted.
For fresh and well priced listings the premium was much higher. We saw 10 to 15 offers on single properties. Buyers were fighting for inventory.
4. The Great Price Divide
Not everyone can afford to pay $50,000 over asking.
So where did the money go?
I broke down the average sale price by property type. The gap between a house and a condo is now massive.
The $145,000 Gap
Look at the difference between a Single Family home ($439k) and a Condo ($294k).
That is a $145,000 difference.
Normally homes with a rental apartment are the most expensive category. But in December Single Family homes took the top spot. This suggests that move up buyers were very active. They sold their small homes and bought their forever homes before the new year.
5. What Actually Sold
High prices get the headlines. But volume tells the real story.
I checked the transaction logs. I wanted to see exactly what people bought in December.
Sales by Property Type
Single Family homes dominated the market. They accounted for nearly 70% of all sales.
Now let us look at the price ranges.
Sales by Price Range
The Middle Class Squeeze
Almost half of all transactions happened in the $300k to $500k range. This is the battleground. If you are looking here you are competing with the majority of buyers in the city.
Meanwhile the Under $300k market is shrinking. Only 33 homes sold in this bracket. If you want a detached home under $300k you are hunting for an endangered species.
Is Your Home Worth
More Than You Think?
In a rising market, the biggest risk isn't not selling—it's selling for less than you deserve. We use a premium strategy to ensure you don't leave equity on the table.
6. Strategy for 2026
The Winter Freeze was a myth. The market is hot.
Here is your plan for the new year:
Expect to Pay Over Asking
The ratio is 104.8%. Do not look at the list price as the final price. It is just the starting bid.
Move Fast
Homes are selling in 32 days. The good ones sell in 5 days. Have your mortgage pre approval ready before you book a viewing.
Watch the Condo Gap
The $145k gap between condos and houses is unsustainable. If you are an investor or first time buyer condos are currently the best value on the board.
Stop Guessing. Start Winning.
A 104.8% market requires a 110% strategy. I can help you navigate the bidding wars and find value where others do not see it.
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