If a move is on your radar for 2026, there’s a lot more working in your favor than there has been in a while.

After a stretch where many people felt stuck, 2026 is shaping up to be a year with more balance, more options, and more clarity for people who want to make a move. Not because the market is suddenly “easy,” but because several key conditions are shifting.

Here’s what the experts are saying you have to look forward to.

Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at Realtor.com:

“After a challenging period for buyers, sellers and renters, 2026 should offer a welcome, if modest, step toward a healthier housing market.”

The National Association of Realtors (NAR):

“Top economists have one word to sum up the housing market for 2026: opportunity. Lower mortgage rates and a rising supply of homes are expected to open up the housing market . . . something the real estate industry and potential home buyers and sellers have been waiting for, following three years of stagnation.”

Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American:

“. . . for the first time in several years, the underlying forces are finally aligned toward gradual improvement. Mortgage rates may drift down only slowly, but income growth exceeding house price appreciation will provide a boost to house-buying power — even in a higher-rate world. Affordability won’t snap back overnight, but like a ship finally catching a steady tailwind, it’s now sailing in the right direction.”

Mischa Fisher, Chief Economist at Zillow:

“Buyers are benefiting from more inventory and improved affordability, while sellers are seeing price stability and more consistent demand. Each group should have a bit more breathing room in 2026.”

Why Local Insight Matters More Than Ever

Just remember, while the national outlook is improving, conditions will still be different based on where you live. Some markets will move faster than others. Some will see stronger price growth. Others will remain flat. As Lisa Sturtevant, Chief Economist at Bright MLS, explains:

“Market performance will hinge on local economic conditions, making 2026 one of the most geographically divided markets we’ve seen in years.”

That’s why understanding what’s happening in your specific area is key. The national trends set the stage, but local dynamics determine how they play out for you. And that's why you need an agent.

Bottom Line

If you want to talk through what’s expected for our local market and which trends you’ll want to take advantage of, let’s connect.

Saint Nicholas Day: The Feast of Sinterklaas

At the beginning of the Advent season is St. Nicholas Day (December 6, or December 19 on the Julian calendar). 

Was Saint Nicholas a real person? Is he the model for Santa Claus and Father Christmas? Find out about the history of St. Nicholas Day and the traditions associated with this holiday (leave your shoes out!).

Saint Nicholas Day: The Feast of Sinterklaas

At the beginning of the Advent season is St. Nicholas Day (December 6, or December 19 on the Julian calendar). 

Many European countries celebrate the Feast of Sinterklaas—also known as St. Nicholas—starting on the 5th of December, the eve of the day, by sharing candies, chocolate letters, small gifts, and riddles. Children put out their shoes filled with carrots and hay for the saint’s horse the evening prior, hoping St. Nicholas will exchange them for small gifts. (Sound familiar?)

In Belgium and the Netherlands, a fellow dressed as St. Nicholas would arrive (often by steamboat from Spain) in mid-November. He would then spend the next weeks checking if children had been good and done their best that year. On December 5 (Netherlands) or on December 6 (Belgium), he would then usually ride a white horse (or a donkey) through the towns, handing out gifts. It was the Dutch pronunciation of his name—Sinterklaas—as well as Dutch traditions that made their way to America. These led the way to the name Santa Claus and the gift-giving tradition.

For many European countries, this simple gift-giving day in early Advent helps preserve a Christmas Day focus on the meaning of Christmas itself.

Saint Nicholas Traditions

You may find it interesting that some of our Santa Claus traditions indeed came from St. Nicholas Day. If your children are confused about Santa Claus, tell them the story of St. Nicholas, who was a bonafide saint who bestowed gifts onto others to demonstrate his faith.

Leaving Shoes Out

The most common way to celebrate St. Nicholas Day is to leave shoes out for St. Nicholas in which to place small gifts in. Socks are fine, too.

Traditionally, the gifts are  small candies or coins—little items that bring joy to children. If you wish to celebrate this tradition, leave shoes or wooden clogs by the door on the evening of December 5.

In the morning, the shoes will be filled with small delights (candy canes, spare change, foreign coins).

The Candy Cane

The candy cane also symbolizes St. Nicholas, representing his staff. Add small candy canes to the shoes, or decorate your tree! We won’t tell if you eat a few candies on the way!

St. Nicholas History: Who Was the Real St. Nicholas?

In the 3rd century, in the village of Patara in Turkey (part of Greece in those days), a wealthy couple gave birth to a boy they named Nicholas. Tragically, while Nicholas was young, an epidemic took the lives of both of his parents.

Having been raised as a Christian, he dedicated his life to service, sold his belongings, and used his inheritance to help the poor and infirm. Eventually, Nicholas became a bishop, and his reputation for helping children, sailors, and other needy people spread far and wide. For this, the Roman emperor Diocletian persecuted and imprisoned him (and other religious men)—but only until the Romans realized that they had so filled their prisons with clergy that they had no place to put the thieves and murderers. So the Romans let the religious men go free.

Upon his release, Nicholas continued his charity work until he died on December 6, A.D. 343. It was said that a liquid that formed in his grave had healing powers. This and other legends about Nicholas fostered devotion to him and inspired traditions still practiced today.