Buying a House Before the End of the Year Might Be Your Best Chance at a Good Deal

The end of the year offers both a window of opportunity and a reality check for homebuyers.

“Back in Q1 of this year, the market was in a ‘standoff,’” says Greg Field, a Phoenix-based agent with HomeSmart. “Buyers were still shocked by the rates, and sellers were still clinging to 2023 pricing. It was tense.”

But today, he says, reality has set in: “This is a more balanced, mature, and transparent market.”

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Mortgage rates have slipped below 6.2% for the first time in a year, home prices are softening in many areas, and sellers are more motivated than they’ve been in months, maybe years—all of which are helping to tip the scales toward house hunters.

“Buyers today may be in a stronger position than they were earlier in the year,” adds Michael Merritt, senior vice president at BOK Financial. “Affordability is improving.”

That doesn’t mean it will be easy. The holidays bring their own hurdles of tighter inventory, staff vacations, and slower processing times. But Ginger Wilcox, president of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, says that these can be manageable with the right strategy.

“With a solid plan, a trusted agent, and clear expectations, buyers can navigate the process confidently and end the year on a high note,” she says. Here’s how.

Why late-year market conditions look different

The end of the year brings a chill to more than just the air—it also cools the housing market. As homeowners turn their attention to the holidays, they’re less inclined to list their home or shop for a new one, changing the balance between supply and demand.

That slowdown can work both for and against buyers: While there may be fewer homes to choose from, there are also fewer shoppers to compete with.

“Fourth-quarter home shoppers are likely to encounter lower prices but fewer new listings compared to those who entered the market earlier in the year,” says Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com®. “However, with inventory levels higher nationwide, this seasonal drop in fresh listings may be less of a setback than in previous years.”

So while the holiday season has typically been a bust for home shoppers, the shifting landscape of 2025 may offer a rare opportunity.

Merritt notes that “inventory levels are gradually rising, but this is largely due to homes lingering longer on the market rather than a surge in new listings.” That means the homes buyers see in November and December may have been sitting for weeks (or even months), making sellers more open to negotiation.

Still, the quality of listings can vary. Many discretionary sellers—those who can afford to wait—pull their homes until spring, leaving behind properties that may need updates or price adjustments. And regional differences matter.

In Phoenix, for example, Field says inventory always tightens between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, making high-quality listings hard to come by.

But for buyers who are willing and able to be more flexible with their house hunting wish list, the payoff can be huge.