Selling a Home During the Holidays in the San Fernando Valley

Published on November 2, 2026 by Leegie Parker

Leegie Parker | Real Estate Advisor | DRE 01020534 | Compass | Leegie.com

Quick Answer

Selling a home during the holidays in the San Fernando Valley works when you price it right, keep it show-ready, and plan escrow around holiday closures. Buyers keep buying in late fall and winter: Tarzana, Encino, Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, and Calabasas sold 488 single-family homes in the fourth quarter of 2025, about 90% of what they sold that spring, according to The MLS/CLAW.

Selling a home during the holidays is not something most people plan. I don't think anyone looks at the calendar and decides November or December is the perfect time to put their house on the market. People sell when they need to sell. A job relocation, a change in the family, an estate that needs to be settled, a home you're buying that needs your equity: life happens, and it doesn't check the calendar first.

If that's you, here's the good news. Buyers are still out there from now through the end of the year, and the numbers from last year's holiday season in the San Fernando Valley prove it. This post covers who buys during the holidays, what it means for your price, how to stay show-ready with family in town, and how to keep escrow on track around the year-end closures.

Do Buyers Still Buy Homes During the Holidays?

Yes. In the fourth quarter of 2025 (October through December), six Valley neighborhoods sold 488 single-family homes, compared with 543 in the spring quarter of 2025, according to The MLS/CLAW. That's roughly nine holiday-season sales for every ten spring sales.

Neighborhood	Spring: Q2 2025	Holiday: Q4 2025	Holiday: Q4 2024
Tarzana	$1,857,000 (57)	$1,637,500 (40)	$1,434,500 (68)
Encino	$2,225,000 (91)	$1,950,000 (85)	$2,065,000 (84)
Woodland Hills	$1,355,000 (140)	$1,322,500 (148)	$1,358,000 (137)
Sherman Oaks	$1,875,000 (116)	$1,653,500 (104)	$1,707,000 (93)
Studio City	$1,946,500 (88)	$2,200,000 (53)	$2,212,500 (60)
Calabasas	$2,053,000 (51)	$1,837,500 (58)	$1,826,000 (41)
Total sales	543	488	483

Source: The MLS/CLAW, single-family homes, median sold price (number of sales) by quarter.

Woodland Hills and Calabasas sold more homes in the holiday quarter than they did in spring. And across all six neighborhoods, the 2025 holiday season was slightly busier than the one before it, with 488 sales versus 483 in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Who Buys Homes in November and December?

Holiday-season buyers tend to be serious buyers. The casual weekend browsers thin out, and the people still touring homes in November and December usually have a reason to move: a new job, a change at home, a lease ending, or a move to Los Angeles from somewhere else.

Right now I'm working with two sets of buyers who are relocating to Los Angeles at the end of this year and the start of 2027. If they find the right home in November or December, they're going to buy it. The month doesn't matter to them. The house does. That's the buyer your listing needs to reach, and they're out there.

Do Homes Sell for Less During the Holidays?

Sometimes, which is why pricing matters even more in a holiday market. In four of these six neighborhoods, the median holiday-quarter sale in 2025 came in roughly 10% to 12% below spring. In Studio City it came in higher, and in Woodland Hills it was nearly the same.

Part of that is simply which homes happen to sell in a given quarter, so a lower median doesn't mean every home lost value over the holidays. But it tells you something real about holiday buyers: they're motivated, and they're also paying attention. A well-priced home gets their attention quickly. An overpriced one sits through the holidays and rolls into January as a listing everyone has already scrolled past.

I never gamble with your money and equity, and pricing is where that matters most. In a holiday market, we price it right from the first day, using the most recent comparable sales in your specific neighborhood, so you're not chasing the market down.

How Do You Keep a Home Show-Ready During the Holidays?

Keep it simple, keep it bright, and keep it flexible. A few things make a big difference:

•        Take listing photos before you put up holiday decorations. Holiday decor in listing photos looks dated by mid-January if the home is still on the market.

•        Decorate lightly. A wreath, a few candles, and some greenery feel warm and welcoming. Don't let decorations crowd rooms or block a fireplace, a view, or the flow to the backyard.

•        Light it up. The sun sets early this time of year. Good exterior lighting makes evening showings and drive-bys work for you.

•        Plan showings around your gatherings. Whether you're hosting Thanksgiving, lighting the menorah for Hanukkah, or having family over for Christmas or New Year's, block off those days and keep the rest of the calendar open. Serious buyers will work with you.

•        Stay on top of the yard. Rake leaves, clear gutters, and keep walkways clean, especially after a rain.

How Do the Holidays Affect Escrow Timing?

Holiday closures can stretch an escrow, so build in a cushion. Lenders, escrow and title companies, and the county recorder close on the major holidays, and appraisers, inspectors, and movers book up quickly between Thanksgiving and New Year's.

If you need to close by a certain date, or before the end of the year for your own reasons, tell your agent up front so the contract timeline works backward from that date. If your sale is tied to a purchase, my guide to buying and selling at the same time walks through how to line the two up.

Should You Wait Until Spring to Sell?

If you have the choice, that's a conversation worth having, and it depends on your timeline, your next move, and your numbers. If your circumstances say now, then now is the time, and you do it well. There's no prize for waiting if waiting costs you a job start date, a home you love, or months of carrying costs.

Either way, the strategy is the same: price it right, make it easy to show, and work with someone who knows your neighborhood. My guide to selling a home in the San Fernando Valley or the Westside walks though the whole processs, from pricing to closing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it a bad idea to sell a house in November or December?

No. November and December have fewer listings and fewer buyers than spring, but the buyers who are out are usually serious and ready to move. In the fourth quarter of 2025, Tarzana, Encino, Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, and Calabasas sold 488 single-family homes, according to The MLS/CLAW.

Should I decorate my house for the holidays while it's on the market?

Yes, lightly. Simple, neutral decorations feel welcoming, but they should never crowd a room or hide a fireplace, a view, or the backyard. Take your listing photos before you put up holiday decorations so they still look current in January.

Can I close escrow before the end of the year?

Often, yes, if you plan for it. Lenders, escrow, title, and the county recorder close on major holidays, so build extra time into the contract and tell your agent your target closing date before you list. A 30-day escrow that crosses Christmas may need a few extra days.

Key Takeaways

•       People sell when they need to sell, and buyers keep buying through the holidays: six San Fernando Valley neighborhoods sold 488 single-family homes in Q4 2025, about 90% of their spring 2025 total, according to The MLS/CLAW.

•       Woodland Hills and Calabasas sold more homes in the 2025 holiday quarter than they did that spring.

•       Holiday buyers are serious but price-aware; in four of the six neighborhoods, the Q4 2025 median sale ran roughly 10% to 12% below spring, so pricing right from day one matters.

•       Take listing photos before you decorate, keep decorations light, and use good exterior lighting for early sunsets.

•       Holiday closures at lenders, escrow, title, and the county recorder can stretch an escrow, so build in extra time if you have a target closing date.

If life is telling you it's time to sell this fall or winter, I'd love to help you do it right. Call or text me at 310-739-9202, or email Leegie@Leegie.com. I'll give you a thoughtful, grounded take on where your home stands in today's market and what it will take to get it sold.

Leegie Parker

Real Estate Advisor, Compass

DRE 01020534

310-739-9202 | Leegie@Leegie.com | Leegie.com