Jim Ross

🥶 December is here, so it's time for the age-old Seller questions...

1️⃣ Actives: Do we pull the listing and re-list in Jan when the market picks up?
2️⃣ New: Do we list in December or wait until the new year?

👀 I took a look at the data, and here are my thoughts on these two scenarios.
😉 I'll start with my suggestions before we get into the data for all you doom scrollers.
🙏 If you make it to the end and find it helpful, a like, follow, or comment is greatly appreciated!
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⛔ If your listing is stale or aging on the market:
🤔 Consider pulling it by Dec 7th and relisting on Jan 9th.
• The current buyer pool has already seen and passed on the home
• New buyers flood in after the New Year
• January brings a strong surge in showings
• A reset on DOM and CDOM boosts visibility
• You relist into lower inventory

🟢 If you have not listed yet and you are targeting early-mid Dec:
🚀 Go ahead and list.
• You capture the serious buyers still searching
• If it sells, great!
• If not, you clear through existing buyers before the Jan wave
• December has fewer new listings
• I would still avoid listing Christmas week
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📊 Now the data behind the recommendations.
**I used ShowingTime and Columbus MLS.
**My suggestions follow the data, but sellers should also consider the work of keeping a home ready for showings during the holidays when deciding to keep, pull, or list in December.

🔵 Showing patterns around Christmas week:
• Christmas week sees a 25% drop in showings
• New Year’s week rebounds with a 16% increase
• Two weeks after Christmas, showings climb roughly 50%
• Activity builds into January as levels quickly normalize

🔵 On average over the last 2 years:
• Showings were up 23% after the holiday window
• New listings up 11.1%
• Under contracts down 7.2% 😵‍💫
• Mortgage applications flat
• Active inventory down 7.4%

😮 One thing did surprise me. Under contracts fell 7.2% even though showings rose 23%.
Here is why that likely occurs: 🤷‍♂️
• New & returning buyers are in information-gathering mode
• They tour homes but wait for the Jan inventory wave
• Inventory drops after the holidays, so there are fewer solid options to write on
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📅 The calendar matters too. The day of the week that Christmas and New Year’s fall on changes when the slowdown hits.

2023: Both holidays fell on Monday
• The slow period was the weekend before Christmas

2024: Both holidays fell on Wednesday
• The slow period shifted to the weekend after Christmas

This year, both holidays fall on a Thursday
• Buyer behavior will likely track closer to 2024
• The slowest activity should be the weekend after Christmas
• Expect the holiday lull between Dec 26-31
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🔵 Why Dec 7th to pull and Jan 9th to relist? This allows us to reset both DOM and CDOM.
• The MLS uses a 31-day lookback.
• Day 32 is the earliest possible reset day, although I swear I tried it once and it did not reset.
• Day 33 is the safe rule.
• Want a different re-list target? Just go back 33 days from your target listing date to get your cut-off to pull the listing.

I hope this helps as you work through your December listing strategy!

Happy Holidays!

As we rapidly approach 2026, here are the things we're watching that will drive the economy next year and impact the housing market.

💬 Comment “forecast” and I will send you my 2026 Market Forecast slide deck!

Part 3 of 5: Inflation

Experts are predicting continued cooling in 2026 as spending slows. Lower inflation gives the Fed room to cut and brings more payment stability.

❄️ Cooling trend
📘 Clearer long-term costs

🏘️ How this impacts the housing market: stable prices help buyers plan and reduce payment shocks.

💥Last chance to sign up!💥

📢OCTOBER LUNCH & LEARN! 📢

😎 Make 2025 Your Best Year Ever!

Join us as we welcome Greg Smith to help you build a plan to make 2025 one to remember!

Be sure to sign up! 👇
Details:
🍴Lunch Included!!
📅Thurs, Oct 10
🕛1:30 - 3 PM
📌Hofbräuhaus Columbus
📝Register at - https://bit.ly/3TKADE8

🎉 Three for the Weekend 🎉

Looking for some fun in Central Ohio? Here are my top picks for this weekend:

1️⃣ Magic Summer Tour with New Kids on the Block at Nationwide Arena 🎤🎶 - I'll be there!!
2️⃣ Clintonville Farmer’s Market 🥕🌽 - Fresh local produce and artisanal goods. Perfect for a Saturday stroll!
3️⃣ Columbus Women & Girls’ Fest 💃✨ - Celebrate and support the incredible women and girls in our community!

Which one are you checking out? 👇

Central OH Market Update │ Through Aug wk 2
✨Rolling 4: Jul wk 4 '24 - Aug wk 2 '24 (07/21 - 08/17)✨

👇Check out these highlights from the last 4 weeks of data:
🏠 CLOSINGS: 2,446, ⬇️ 2.7% over LY
🏠 NEW LISTINGS: 2,901, ⬆️ 13.1% over LY
📈 ACTIVE INVENTORY: 3,825 homes ⬆️ 47.2% over LY & ⬇️ 1.8% WoW
💲 MEDIAN sales price: $340,000, ⬆️ 6.3% over LY
⬇️ 56.0% of active listings have reduced price
📅 AVG DOM: 21, ⬆️ 16.7% over LY
📅 MONTHS of SUPPLY: 1.6
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Historically -
👉 July: By EOM we've historically completed 57% of yearly sales. Typically the 3rd strongest month in sales & 3rd in new listings.
👉 August: By EOM we've historically completed 67% of yearly sales. Typically the strongest month in sales & 5th in new listings.
👉 By the end of Aug wk 2, we've historically completed 62% of yearly sales.
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Data Notes -
*All data pulled from Columbus REALTORS® MLS.
*MLS Data as of 08/20/24

Central OH Market Update │ Through Aug wk 1
✨Rolling 4: Jul wk 3 '24 - Aug wk 1 '24 (07/14 - 08/10)✨

👇Check out these highlights from the last 4 weeks of data:
🏠 CLOSINGS: 2,434, ⬇️ 1.4% over LY
🏠 NEW LISTINGS: 2,960, ⬆️ 11.9% over LY
📈 ACTIVE INVENTORY: 3,750 homes ⬆️ 42.9% over LY & ⬇️ 2.2% WoW
💲 MEDIAN sales price: $335,000, ⬆️ 4.7% over LY
⬇️ 54.5% of active listings have reduced price
📅 AVG DOM: 20, ⬆️ 11.1% over LY
📅 MONTHS of SUPPLY: 1.6
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Historically -
👉 July: By EOM we've historically completed 57% of yearly sales. Typically the 3rd strongest month in sales & 3rd in new listings.
👉 August: By EOM we've historically completed 67% of yearly sales. Typically the strongest month in sales & 5th in new listings.
👉 By the end of Aug wk 1, we've historically completed 60% of yearly sales.
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Data Notes -
*All data pulled from Columbus REALTORS® MLS.
*MLS Data as of 08/12/24