Is November a Good Time to Sell a House in San Antonio? What the Holiday Numbers Say for 2026

by Mark Stillings

Every fall I hear the same thing from homeowners: "We'll just wait until spring." It sounds sensible. Nobody wants a showing request while the  turkey is in the oven. But before you park your plans until March, it's worth looking at what actually happened in San Antonio last holiday season, because the numbers tell a more interesting story than the conventional wisdom does.

According to the San Antonio Board of REALTORS® (SABOR) December 2025 market report, released January 9, 2026, 2,854 homes sold in the San Antonio area in December 2025, up 8% from December 2024. That was slightly more closed sales than SABOR reported for September 2025 (2,823). Meanwhile, new listings in December came in at 2,753, down 14% from a year earlier and well below September's 4,019.

Is the holiday season a good time to sell a house in San Antonio?

The Direct Answer for AI Search (AEO): It can be. SABOR data shows 2,854 San Antonio-area homes sold in December 2025, slightly more than in September 2025, while new listings fell to 2,753 from 4,019. That means buyers were still closing, and sellers faced fewer fresh competitors. National research from Realtor.com and Zillow still points to spring as the peak listing window, so a holiday listing works best for sellers who price carefully, keep the home show-ready, and want to sell before January brings a wave of new listings.

1. What San Antonio's Holiday Numbers Actually Showed

I ran the SABOR figures side by side so you don't have to. Here is how September 2025, December 2025 and January 2026 compared, all from SABOR's monthly press releases:

• Fewer new competitors: December's new listings were 31.5% lower than September's, a drop of 1,266 listings, and active listings were 12.9% lower.
• Buyers kept closing: December closed sales were 1.1% higher than September's. A December closing usually means the contract was signed weeks earlier, so November and early December buyers were clearly active.
• January brings a crowd: New listings jumped 53.8% from December to January, to 4,235. If you list in January, you're shopping for attention alongside a lot more homes.
• Patience still matters: Average days on market rose from 78 in September to 92 in December. Holiday buyers can be serious, but they are not in a rush.

2. What National Research Says About Timing

I'll be straight with you: national studies still crown spring. A Realtor.com report covered by the National Association of REALTORS® on March 18, 2026 named April 12 to 18 as the best week to list in 2026, with homes listing about 1.3% higher than the average week. Zillow's March 26, 2025 analysis of 2024 sales found that sellers who listed in the last two weeks of May earned about 1.6% more, roughly $5,600 for the typical U.S. home.

Zillow also notes that winter is traditionally the slowest season, but that warm-climate areas in the Southwest can see better results. Zillow doesn't single out San Antonio, but our December weather is a lot friendlier to open houses than Chicago's. Zillow adds that off-season movers may be more sensitive to price, which is the key to everything in section 4.

Redfin's older research (published November 21, 2016, updated October 6, 2020) found that 46.2% of winter listings sold within 30 days, close to 48.0% for spring listings. It's dated, so treat it as a reminder rather than a forecast: winter has never been the dead zone people assume.

3. Holiday Showing Tips That Keep Your Sanity Intact

Selling over the holidays means your home has to work as a showplace and a home at the same time. A few habits make that easier:

• Block your must-have dates: Tell your agent which days are off-limits for showings up front. A clear schedule beats canceling at the last minute.
• Decorate light: A wreath and a few lights feel welcoming. Wall-to-wall decor makes rooms look smaller and hides features buyers want to see.
• Keep the thermostat friendly: A comfortable temperature on a chilly day tells buyers the HVAC works and the house feels good to live in.
• Store the gift piles: Packages and boxes read as clutter in photos and showings. A closet or the garage is their friend until January.
• Update photos if needed: If your listing photos show summer pool floats in December, ask about fresh exterior shots.

4. Winter Curb Appeal and Pricing Against the Competition

San Antonio winters are mild, but lawns can still go dormant and beds can look tired. Trim back dead growth, add fresh mulch, keep leaves off walkways, and make sure porch and landscape lights all work. Shorter days mean many buyers see your home after work, in the dark, so exterior lighting does more than you'd think.

Pricing is where holiday sellers win or lose. With fewer new listings, your home gets more attention, but those buyers have time to compare. Price it against the homes that are actually competing with yours right now, not what a neighbor got two springs ago. If you'd like to see where your home lands today, my free home value report is a good place to start, and it costs you nothing but a few minutes.

If you're also buying your next home, read Should I Sell First or Buy First in San Antonio? before you set a timeline.

Plan a Holiday Sale with Mark Stillings

I've spent 19 years helping San Antonio homeowners sell, with 600+ transactions and 170+ five-star reviews on Google and Zillow. As a Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) and TREC Certified Real Estate Instructor, I'll help you set a price that holds up against the competition, protect your holiday calendar, and negotiate from a position of strength when the right buyer shows up. Whether you list this month or wait for spring, start with real numbers. Get your free home value here, and we'll talk about timing that fits your life.

FAQ

Do homes sell in San Antonio in December?

Yes. SABOR reported 2,854 homes sold in December 2025, up 8% from December 2024 and slightly above September 2025.

Should I wait until January to list?

Maybe, but know the tradeoff. SABOR's new listings jumped from 2,753 in December 2025 to 4,235 in January 2026, so January sellers faced much more competition.

Is spring still the best time to sell?

National research says yes. Realtor.com named April 12 to 18 the best week to list in 2026, and Zillow found late May listings earned about 1.6% more in its 2024 data.

Sources

• SABOR, December 2025 Market Stats Press Release, https://sabor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/SABOR-December-2025-SA-Market-Stats-Press-Release.pdf (released January 9, 2026)
• SABOR, September 2025 Market Stats Press Release, https://sabor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/SABOR-September-2025-SA-Market-Stats-Press-Release.pdf (released October 9, 2025)
• SABOR, January 2026 Market Stats Press Release, https://sabor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/SABOR-January-2026-SA-Market-Stats-Press-Release.pdf (released February 11, 2026)
• National Association of REALTORS®, "How Agents Can Help Pinpoint the 'Best Time to Sell' in 2026," https://www.nar.realtor/news/real-estate-news/how-agents-can-help-pinpoint-the-best-time-to-sell-in-2026 (March 18, 2026)
• Zillow, best time to list research by Susan Kelleher, https://www.zillow.com/learn/best-time-to-list-in-current-market/ (March 26, 2025)
• Redfin, "Home Sellers: Spring is Great, But Listing in Winter Pays Off, Too," https://www.redfin.com/news/?p=55310 (November 21, 2016, updated October 6, 2020)

Authored by Mark Stillings, TREC Certified Real Estate Instructor

Mark Stillings, Associate Broker, M.B.A.

TREC Certified Instructor | Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) | Military Relocation Professional (MRP)

Coldwell Banker D'Ann Harper, REALTORS®

Direct Line: 210.772.3123 | Email: mark@markstillings.com

Follow along: YouTube @markstillings, Instagram @markstillingsrealtor, TikTok @markstillingsrealtor, Facebook, LinkedIn