San Diego Unplugs: Listings Dip as Holidays Begin

by Matt O'Brien

San Diego Unplugs: Listings Dip as Holidays Begin

Week Ending December 14, 2025

A close-up conceptual photograph of a hand unplugging a power cord made of holiday string lights from a wall socket. The blurred background shows a warm San Diego living room. This image represents the sharp drop in new real estate listings in San Diego County during the holiday week ending December 14, 2025. — As San Diegans plug in holiday lights, sellers are unplugging from the market. Market update for the week ending December 14, 2025.

The Market Takes a Breath as San Diegans plug in their holiday lights, they are officially unplugging from the real estate market. The data for the week ending December 14 shows a sharp contraction in New Listings across the board with a 28% drop for detached homes and a massive 43% drop for attached homes.

This isn't a crash. It is a calendar event. Sellers are focusing on festive plans rather than open houses. However, for the buyers who remain, the intent is high. While inventory is tightening rapidly, the "looky-loos" have largely left the building, leaving behind a smaller and more serious pool of market participants.

Here is the breakdown of the latest numbers.

🏠 DETACHED HOMES: Inventory Tightens

HTML chart showing San Diego County detached home market data for the week ending 12/14/25. Key metrics show New Listings dropped 28% to 210, Pending Sales are at 215, and the Median Sold Price (4-wk running avg) is $1,096,875. Comparisons show data against last week, previous 4-week average, and same week last year. Data source: SDMLS. — Data for San Diego County detached single-family homes for the week ending December 14, 2025. Source: SDMLS | Analysis by Matt O'Brien, Realtor.

The supply pipeline slowed significantly this week. New Listings dropped to 210. However, context is key here. This figure is just slightly down (0.47%) from this time last year, meaning seller behavior is incredibly consistent with 2024 trends.

Despite the drop in fresh options, buyer activity remained resilient. Newly Pending sales came in at 215. This is actually higher than the number of new listings entering the market. Notably, newly pending sales are up just slightly higher than the same week last year, so we are pretty much on par with typical holiday activity. This pushed total Active Inventory down by 5.3% to 2,446 homes.

Sales Price Trends
Values remain strong despite the seasonal lull. Looking at the 4-week running average (to smooth out weekly volatility), the average median sold price for detached homes sits at $1,096,875. While this is a slight cooling from the previous period, it is important to note that year-over-year values are up significantly. In fact, prices are roughly 5.6% higher than this same week last year.

🏢 ATTACHED HOMES: A Sharp Pullback in Supply

HTML chart showing San Diego County attached home market data for the week ending 12/14/25. Key metrics show New Listings dropped 43% to 121, Active Inventory is down 4% to 2,065, and the Median Sold Price (4-wk running avg) is $654,488. Comparisons show data against last week, previous 4-week average, and same week last year. Data source: SDMLS. — Data for San Diego County attached homes for the week ending December 14, 2025. Source: SDMLS | Analysis by Matt O'Brien, Realtor.

The attached market (condos and townhomes) saw an even more dramatic seasonal slowdown in supply. New Listings fell by 43% week-over-week, dropping to just 121 homes. Consequently, Active Inventory dipped 4% to 2,065 homes.

Speed remains a factor for well-priced homes. The Median Days on Market tightened to 26 days (down 4 days from last week), suggesting that the few buyers currently active are moving quickly on the right properties.

Sales Price Trends
Looking at the 4-week running average (to smooth out weekly volatility), the average median sold price is $654,488. This is actually a 6.2% increase from the previous average. Just like the detached market, this segment is showing solid growth, with prices up 5.6% compared to the same time last year. Both sectors are proving that 2025 has been a year of equity growth for homeowners.

💡 What This Means For You

🛒 For Buyers

The competition is distracted.
With listings down, your selection is limited. But so is your competition. Many rival buyers have paused their search until January. If you can find a home you love now, you are likely negotiating against fewer offers. Keep an eye on Mortgage News Daily for rate opportunities that might pop up during quiet trading weeks.

💰 For Sellers

Less fresh competition.
If your home is on the market right now, there is less fresh competition. The buyers viewing homes in mid-December are usually highly motivated by job relocations or year-end tax requirements. However, pricing remains critical. The data shows detached sales prices softening slightly week-over-week, so overpricing is a quick way to sit on the market until spring.

🪺 For Homeowners

Enjoy the quiet equity.
While the weekly noise shows fewer listings, the year-over-year trend is what matters for your net worth. Both detached and attached homes are up roughly 5.6% compared to last year. As we close out 2025, your asset has performed very well.

📞 Ready to Make Your Move?

Whether you are looking to secure a home before the New Year or preparing to list in the January rush, strategy is everything. Let’s look at the numbers and build a plan that fits your timeline.

Let's make a move in 2026