Nationally, home sales were down 2.6% year over year and up 8.4% month over month, RE/MAX said. 

Several condominium penthouses are among the 10 most expensive properties listed in Seattle last month.

The Emerald City is a perfect match for homeowners looking to downsize in their golden years, according to research from Mirador Living.

The median existing-home price was also on the upswing last month, providing homeowners a bit of refuge as the stock market undergoes a correction, Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said in the monthly report. 

The pace of new-home construction was higher than economists expected, even as homebuilders expressed concern about the impact of tariffs and supply-side challenges. 

A $10.5 million transaction tops the list of the most expensive homes sales in the greater Seattle area last month.

Although 30-year mortgage rates decreased from 6.95% to 6.76% during the month, the median price rose 2.4% month over month to $630,000.

If you have a would-be seller close to getting ready to put their home on the market, now’s the time to prepare. 

Falling consumer sentiment suggests potential homebuyers are wary of the short-term economic outlook and future inflation, CoreLogic Chief Economist Selma Hepp said. 

Furthermore, 13% of homeowners said they’d take their home off the market if they learned their ex was considering buying it.

At the same time, the median sales price for a new home hit its highest level since 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.   

In Seattle, home prices posted a 5.61% year-over-year gain in December, while they slid 0.3% month over month. 

Waterfront views are a common theme among this month’s roundup of the 10 most expensive new listings in Seattle.

At the same time, builder sales expectations for the next six months posted their second-largest drop since the sentiment index started in 1985. 

Housing supply is the highest it’s been since 2020, and while there’s lots to choose from, demand is the lowest it’s been in four years.

These were the most expensive homes sold in the greater Seattle area last month, led by a $21.5 million waterfront home in the Lawtonwood neighborhood.