Based on pending trends and active inventory, January 2026 is expected to begin with the highest starting inventory in years. In addition, an estimated 500+ market-ready properties are expected to return in January after temporarily withdrawing over the holidays. What this means for buyers: prices should hold steady since the inventory is elevated.
These market shifts reflect a decisive return toward a balanced market, although it feels like a buyer favored market after over five years of a seller favored market.
Navigating buying or selling a house is challenging. Real estate professionals continue to play a central role in buying and selling homes. The overwhelming majority of buyers (88%) in 2025 purchased their home through an agent or broker, making agents the most trusted and frequently used information source—still well ahead of online listings.
Agents help buyers find the right home, negotiate terms, and navigate paperwork. More than half of buyers said they valued that their agent pointed out property features or flaws they hadn’t noticed, and 76% of first-time buyers credited their agent with helping them understand the process.
Sellers also placed a high value on their agents’ expertise: 91% used a real estate agent—matching the highest percentage on record. Top priorities when choosing an agent include getting help to market the home to potential buyers, pricing the home competitively, and selling within a specific timeframe.
In the Kirkland area, Windermere represents the highest percentage of both buyers and sellers, which is why you can trust us with your next life transition. In 2024, our agents supported 26% of local sellers and 18% of local buyers.
Looking ahead, we are entering one of the best times of the year for savvy buyers and their agents to find a bargain, and with much more inventory than even this time in the last two years. Connect with Katherine and Zach today to make home ownership a reality!