California’s latest housing snapshot shows a market holding steady while buyers and sellers adjust to year-end conditions. The California Association of REALTORS® report for the week ending December 6 highlights statewide real estate activity trends that reflect cooling momentum in some categories and modest lifts in others.
Statewide Market Activity
Closed sales averaged 481 per day, while 389 homes entered escrow and 482 new listings hit the market. These figures suggest a market moving at a controlled pace rather than displaying signs of a winter stall. REALTORS® reported mixed weekly shifts: closed sales rose 24.2 percent, pending sales increased 16.9 percent, and the share of clients who relisted a property grew 25.8 percent. The only weekly decline appeared in new escrows, which fell 6.4 percent.
Expectations for the coming week remained cautious. REALTORS® projected a 2 percent drop in sales but anticipated rising prices, with 5.9 percent expecting slight price gains. They also predicted a 28.8 percent rise in new listings. That points to more seller engagement even as buyers navigate affordability challenges and interest-rate uncertainty. CAR’s weekly read continues to serve as a barometer for short-term shifts that influence buyer urgency and seller strategy. The organization posts its full market briefs at www.car.org.
Implications for the San Gabriel Valley
Real estate activity trends often diverge by region, and those statewide signals carry specific implications for the San Gabriel Valley. Local cities including El Monte, South El Monte, Baldwin Park, Rosemead, Arcadia, Temple City, and Irwindale typically track statewide patterns with a lag of one to two weeks. A rise in new listings statewide often translates into increased inventory across the Valley as homeowners position their properties before the new year. The expectation of modest price firming mirrors conditions reported by several Valley agents who continue to see steady interest for well-priced homes near transit corridors and school districts.
The decline in new escrows has relevance for Valley buyers. Slower statewide escrow activity may give local buyers slightly more room to negotiate, though the region’s entry-level inventory remains tight. Sellers in the Valley may face longer market times if buyers pause during the final weeks of the year. Still, the projected growth in listings statewide suggests an active January for this region as inventory gradually expands.
The San Gabriel Valley’s market will continue to reflect the larger pattern: steady movement, selective competition, and price stability shaped by economic conditions rather than rapid shifts. As statewide real estate activity trends evolve, local agents will watch how winter levels set the tone for early 2026.
