WEEKLY MARKET MEMO – Week of December 29, 2025

by Tracy Severson

If I had to describe it in one image, it’s this: driving through Wisconsin on I-94.
Flat. Predictable. Not terrible. Not thrilling. Mostly… more of the same.

That actually tracks pretty well with the data.

📉 Showings: Quiet, but not alarming

Last week, showing activity was down 26.5% compared to a year ago. That’s a meaningful dip, but not a market collapse.

This week is historically slow every year — people are:

traveling
recovering from the holidays
mentally closing out the year
gearing up for January

So yes, activity softens. That part is normal, but there is still less activity than the same week last year.

💰 Price Ranges: Still telling the same story

No price range saw year-over-year growth in showings, but some are definitely holding up better than others:

$250K–$300K had the smallest decline, down 6%
$300K–$400K still accounts for the largest share of all showings at 1%
Homes priced over $1M? Just 7% of total showings — a reminder that luxury buyers are thoughtful, patient, and not easily rushed

Translation: the middle of the market is still doing the heavy lifting, while higher-end buyers continue to move slowly and selectively.

💳 Mortgage Rates

Mortgage rates averaged 6.2% last week (compared to 6.6 – 7.2% at this time in 2024) — not shocking, not exciting, but still influential. Buyers are doing the math, double-checking the math, and then doing it again.

🧠 The takeaway

This is a selective, skeptical, value-driven market.

Buyers are still out there, but:

they’re comparison shopping
they’re less emotional
and they expect homes to earn their price

This isn’t a dramatic downturn or a sudden shift. It’s a flat stretch of road — steady, quiet, and very typical for this time of year. Homes that are priced right, prepped well, and marketed smartly are still moving. The rest… are learning patience.

If you’re thinking about buying, selling, or just want to talk through what this stretch of road looks like for your neighborhood, your price point, or your 2025 plans, I’m always happy to hear from you!