2025 Market Wrap: The Final Numbers Before the New Year

by Matt O'Brien

Market Update for the Week Ending December 28, 2025

A photorealistic wide shot of a luxury San Diego patio overlooking the Pacific Ocean at sunset. A glass of champagne rests on a table, symbolizing a toast to the end of 2025. This image serves as the hero for the HomeCrave blog post "2025 Market Wrap: The Final Numbers Before the New Year." — Luxury coastal San Diego patio at sunset with a glass of champagne, symbolizing the end of the 2025 San Diego real estate year.

As we wrap up 2025, the San Diego housing market is taking its traditional end-of-year breath. We saw a major drop in new listings this week, which is completely normal for the final week of the year. Sellers often pull their homes off the market or delay listing until the first week of January to get a "fresh start" and ensure their listing days count toward the new year.

However, beneath this seasonal quiet, the data reveals a tale of two markets. While single-family homes are entering the new year with momentum, the condo market is finishing 2025 on much softer footing.

Here is the full breakdown of how we are ending the year.

🏠 DETACHED HOMES: A Seasonal Dip with a Yearly Gain

Chart showing San Diego detached home market data for the week ending Dec 28, 2025. New listings dropped 49% seasonally but remain 4.1% higher than last year. Pending sales are up 5.6% year-over-year, indicating strong buyer demand despite the holidays. — *Data for San Diego County detached single-family homes for the week ending 12/28/25. Source: SDMLS | Analysis by Matt O'Brien, Realtor.*

The detached market saw the expected holiday drop-off in fresh supply. New listings fell 49% week-over-week, dropping from 150 to just 76. Again, this is typical as sellers wait for the calendar to turn. What is notable, however, is that this number is actually 4.1% higher than the same week last year.

We see a similar story with demand. Pending sales dropped 45% from the previous week to 113, but that is still 5.6% higher than where we were a year ago. Even in the deepest lull of the holiday season, there are more buyers active right now than there were at the end of 2024.

Prices continue to show resilience. The 4-week rolling average for median sold price ticked up to $1,083,125, showing that values are holding firm as we cross into the new year.

The Takeaway: The weekly drop is seasonal "noise," but the yearly gain is the real signal. The detached market is carrying more energy into January than it did last year.

🏢 ATTACHED HOMES: Inventory Piles Up as Market Softens

Chart showing San Diego condo and townhome market data for the week ending Dec 28, 2025. Inventory is 27% higher than this time last year, and median sold prices are down nearly 6%, reflecting a softening market for attached homes. — Data for San Diego County attached homes for the week ending 12/28/25. Source: SDMLS | Analysis by Matt O'Brien, Realtor.

While the detached market is tightening, the attached market is telling a very different story. Yes, we saw the typical weekly drop in new listings (down 64%), but the bigger picture shows a market that is significantly softer than last year.

Active inventory is sitting at 1,846 units, which is a massive 27% higher than this time last year. Buyers have significantly more to choose from, and that competition among sellers is extending market times. The median time to sell has jumped to 45 days, which is 11 days longer than a year ago.

Demand is also cooling compared to 2024, with pending sales down 13% year-over-year. Consequently, we are seeing pressure on pricing, with the median sold price down nearly 6% from this same week last year.

The Takeaway: The condo market is undoubtedly favoring buyers right now. With supply up and homes sitting longer, sellers in this sector will need to be sharp on pricing to start the year.

💡 What This Means For You

🛒 For Buyers

If you are shopping for a detached home, be ready for competition to heat up in January—demand is already higher than last year. However, if you are looking for a condo or townhome, you are in the driver's seat. Inventory is up nearly 30% and prices are softer. This is your window of opportunity to negotiate.

💰 For Sellers

For detached homeowners, the market is resilient, and listing in early January puts you in front of a growing pool of buyers. For condo sellers, the reality is stiffer competition. You are not the only game in town anymore. To stand out in a market with 27% more inventory, your home needs to show well and be priced compellingly from day one.

🪺 For Homeowners

The market is diverging. Single-family equity remains very robust with steady price growth. Condo owners are seeing a bit of a correction as inventory builds, but this is a natural cycle after years of tight supply. We expect the "fresh start" of the new year to bring more clarity to these trends.

📞 Ready to Make Your Move?

Whether you are gearing up for a purchase in early 2026 or planning to sell in the spring market, having a strategy that fits your specific property type is key.

Thanks for reading, and be sure to come back next week. I wish you a fond farewell to 2025 and an exuberant, awesome, and amazing 2026!

Let's Start the Conversation