The Holiday Housing Market: Making Homebuying Bright
- Mortgage Returns
- 3 days ago
- 1 min read
December’s housing market brings cheer and opportunity.
While December traditionally sees a slowdown
in homebuyer activity due to the holidays, this year,
the market is anything but frightful.
![Lower Rates + More Homes = December Deals
30-year mortgage rates are at a 12-month low [1]
Hovering in the low-6% range [2]
Half a percent lower than this time last year [2] (6.69% as of Dec 4, 2024)
More homes, more leverage
Active listings up 12% year-over-year [3] (week ending Nov 29, 2025)
Total inventory up 24% year-to-date [3]
Roughly 1.03 million U.S. homes for sale [3]
Home prices cool, giving buyers room to negotiate
Annual price growth slowed to +1.1% nationally in October — the slowest pace in over a decade [4]
But regional differences remain: Stronger gains in Northeast and Midwest [1]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f9967d_a1c484d71a674203bf5b4c9f5a6e6488~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_2285,al_c,q_95,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/f9967d_a1c484d71a674203bf5b4c9f5a6e6488~mv2.png)
New loan limits boost buying power, especially in higher-cost markets.
![2026 Conforming Loan Limits for single-family homes [5]
Most U.S. Counties: $832,750 ($26,250 higher than last year)
High-Cost Areas: $1,249,125 ($39,375 higher than last year)](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f9967d_a081cf33c5fe40a3811f7b58a8e3b16d~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_556,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/f9967d_a081cf33c5fe40a3811f7b58a8e3b16d~mv2.png)
With fewer buyers shopping for homes during the holidays, these conditions could be the perfect recipe for finding a sweet deal.
Sources:
National Association of Realtors® (NAR), Existing-Home Sales, September 2025.
ICE Mortgage Monitor, November 2025.
NAR, 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.
Realtor.com, “The Typical First-Time Homebuyer Is Now 40 Years Old, a Record High,” November 4, 2025.
JW Surety Bonds, “Are Americans Prepared for Homeownership? A Look at Knowledge Gaps,” January 27, 2025.
We are not affiliated with any government agency.
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