December 2025 Market Wrap-Up Why the Quiet Months Often Tell the Truest Story

Why the Quiet Months Often Tell the Truest Story

Every January, it happens.

A buyer pauses mid-conversation and says, “We’re thinking we’ll just wait until spring.”
A seller leans back and asks, “Is anyone really looking right now?”

It’s not fear. It’s uncertainty.

December has a way of making the real estate market feel quieter than it actually is. Fewer open houses. Fewer headlines. Less chatter. And that quiet can be misleading.

Because when the calendar slows, the market doesn’t disappear—it tells the truth.

The casual browsers step away. The headlines lose their grip. What remains are people making real decisions. That’s why December matters more than most people realize.

As 2025 came to a close in Chilliwack and the surrounding area, the data didn’t signal urgency or retreat. It showed something far more useful: a market that’s calm, balanced, and shaped by thoughtful choices.

The Question People Don’t Say Out Loud in January

Most people quietly wonder the same thing:

Should we wait until spring… or are we missing something right now?

December statistics often answer that question—not with noise, but with clarity. When activity slows, the market reveals its real personality.

For Chilliwack & the area, that personality looks like this:

A Balanced Market—with Selective Buyers

We ended the year in conditions that were steady, not chaotic:

• Months of inventory (YTD): 5.3
  Enough choice for buyers to be thoughtful, but not so much that sellers lose leverage.
• Sale-to-list price ratio (YTD): 97.4%
  Negotiation exists, but this isn’t a “slash the price” environment when a home is positioned properly.
• Average days on market (Dec): 56 (+19% from 2024)
  Buyers aren’t rushing—but they are acting when a home checks the right boxes.

This is what balance actually looks like. Not stalled. Not overheated. Just grounded.

Where Pressure Shows Up First: December’s Clue

December data often highlights where the market is most sensitive—and this year, that showed up clearly in apartments.

• Apartment months of inventory (December): 8.1
• Apartment sale-to-list price ratio (December): 96.2%

That combination usually means:

• Buyers compare more options
• Negotiations are more deliberate
• Sellers succeed by being the best value in the set—through pricing, condition, and terms

It’s not a warning sign. It’s a signal about strategy.

What This Means If You’re Selling in 2026

In a market like this, success isn’t about luck. It’s about fundamentals.

• Pricing needs to be defensible — buyers will test it
• Presentation matters — because buyers have comparisons
• Terms and timing count — flexibility can outperform a price cut

Homes that are aligned with market reality are still selling well—and often very close to asking.

What This Means If You’re Buying in 2026

Balanced markets don’t get much attention. They should.

This is when buyers can:

• include conditions
• complete proper due diligence
• negotiate repairs
• choose thoughtfully instead of reacting

That doesn’t mean you can drift. The best homes still attract attention. But you can act with intention rather than pressure.

What “Balanced” Looks Like in Real Dollars

Benchmark pricing helps cut through the noise:

• Single-family homes: $887,400
• Townhomes: $599,500
• Apartments: $412,500

Here’s the key takeaway: buyers are negotiating—but within established value ranges. Sellers who price and present their homes in line with these benchmarks are still achieving strong outcomes.

The December Reminder Worth Carrying Forward

If there’s one thing December 2025 made clear, it’s this:

Good decisions rarely come from noise.

They come from understanding the conditions in front of you—without rushing ahead or waiting too long out of uncertainty.

This market isn’t asking buyers to panic or sellers to guess. It’s asking both to be prepared, informed, and realistic. And for those willing to meet it there, it offers something valuable: clarity.

As we move further into 2026, the advantage won’t belong to the loudest voice or the fastest move. It will belong to the people who understand the market they’re in—and act with intention.

That’s always been the difference between reacting to the market… and moving through it with confidence.

Have more questions about the services we offer? We always have time for you. Email us at kelly@soldonchilliwack.com