Is selling a house in December in San Antonio a mistake? Not according to last year’s numbers. Homes kept closing straight through the holidays, and fewer new listings came on the market to compete with them. The real question is whether your house and your price are ready, not whether the calendar says “wait for spring.”
What Last November and December Actually Looked Like
The San Antonio Board of Realtors (SABOR) monthly reports give a clear picture of the holiday stretch in 2025:
| SABOR area, single-family | November 2025 | December 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Homes sold | 2,206 | 2,854 |
| New listings | 3,143 | 2,753 |
| Active listings | 16,114 | 14,441 |
| Months of inventory | 5.90 | 5.25 |
| Average days on market | 86 | 92 |
Two things stand out. December had more closings than November, and its sales were up year over year, according to SABOR’s December 2025 market report. Many of those were deals that went under contract in October and November. Meanwhile, new listings fell about 14% from the year before, so a home listed in December faced less fresh competition than it would have in a busier month.
The tradeoff shows up in the last row. Homes took a bit longer to sell in December, and buyers had more than five months of supply to choose from.
Where the Market Stands Heading Into This Holiday Season
The fall of 2026 looks similar. Texas Public Radio reported that September sales in the SABOR area were about 2% lower than a year earlier, the median price dipped to just under $302,000, and the area had roughly six months of inventory. That is a market where buyers compare carefully, and it is why pricing matters more than timing.
Selling a House in December or November: Who Is Shopping?
Late-year buyers usually have a reason to move now: a new job with a start date, PCS orders, a lease that ends, or a home of their own that already sold. Casual browsing drops off around the holidays, so the people who do book showings tend to be ready to write an offer.
As for timing within the season, November gives you a few full weeks before Thanksgiving to get showings and offers in. Selling a house in December works too, but plan for showings and closing schedules to work around holiday travel, and for lenders and title companies to have shorter weeks. If you cannot be ready by mid-November, finishing your prep over the holidays and listing in early January is a reasonable alternative.
Prep and Pricing That Matter Most Right Now
- Price from recent sales, not last spring’s hopes. In December 2025, sellers got about 91% of their original list price on average. A sharp price at launch beats a string of reductions in January. Our post on how we price a home shows the comps we use.
- Take listing photos before you decorate. Holiday decor dates your photos and hides square footage. A wreath on the door is plenty.
- Fix the obvious items first. Buyers with more choices pass on homes that need work. A pre-listing inspection helps you find and handle repairs before they become negotiation points.
- Know what you are competing against. Look at what is active near you. If you live on the Far West Side, for example, our Alamo Ranch homes for sale page shows the current listings there.
- Stay flexible on dates. A buyer who wants to close right before or after January 1 may be the one who meets your price.
The Bottom Line
If you need to move in the next few months, listing in November or December is a solid plan in San Antonio, as long as your price reflects the data. If your timing is flexible and the house needs work, using the holidays to prepare for a January launch can make more sense.
Either way, start with a realistic number. Request a free home valuation and our team will show you what similar homes near you are selling for right now.
