November 9, 2026
Conventional wisdom says to pause your home search until spring. But spring is also when everyone else shows up — more buyers, more bidding wars, higher prices. The holidays flip that script. If you’re willing to shop while others wait, the end of the year can be one of the smartest times to buy. Here’s why.
There’s far less competition
Most buyers step back between November and January, which means the people still looking face fewer rival offers. Less competition can mean more room to negotiate, fewer bidding wars, and a calmer process overall. If you’ve been losing out in a crowded market, this is the season that competition thins out — the opposite of the bidding wars that define spring.
Sellers who list now are motivated
Nobody puts their home on the market during the holidays on a whim. Sellers who list in December usually have a real reason to move — a job, a life change, a deadline — and that motivation can translate into more flexibility on price, terms, or closing timeline.
Everyone in the deal is serious
The holidays naturally filter out the tire-kickers. The buyers, sellers, agents, and lenders who are active right now are the ones who actually want to get something done. That tends to make for cleaner, more focused transactions.
Closings can move faster
With fewer deals in the pipeline, the parts of the process that create bottlenecks in spring — appraisals, inspections, underwriting — often have more breathing room. (Holiday schedules can add a day here or there, so it balances out, but you’re rarely stuck in a spring-style logjam.)
How to make the most of it
The buyers who win in this season come prepared:
Get pre-approved first so you can move the moment you find the right home.
Make a strong, clean offer. With less competition you may not need to overbid, but a well-documented offer still wins. If you already own a home, you can even make a non-contingent offer — one that isn’t “subject to selling my current home” — which sellers take far more seriously. See what a non-contingent offer requires.
Line up your financing early. If buying your next home depends on equity from your current one, a program like the Knock Bridge Loan™ lets you access that equity and buy first, so you’re not waiting on a holiday-season sale.
There’s a real case for buying first in a quieter market — you get to choose on your terms instead of competing for scraps.
Frequently asked questions
Is it actually a bad time to buy during the holidays? No. Inventory is lower, but so is competition, and the sellers who are active tend to be motivated. For a prepared buyer, the trade-off often works in your favor.
Will I get a better deal in December than in spring? It depends on your market, but less competition generally means more negotiating room and fewer bidding wars than you’ll see once spring buyers return.
Should I just wait until spring instead? If you wait, you’ll be shopping alongside everyone else. Buying now — or at least getting pre-approved now — puts you ahead of the spring rush.
Ready to look while everyone else waits? Get started with Knock.