The Myth of the Holiday Real Estate Dead Zone in Albuquerque
The Myth of the Holiday Real Estate Dead Zone in Albuquerque
Albuquerque Real Estate Talk Episode 561 · Recorded December 4, 2025
Is the holiday season really a “dead zone” for Albuquerque real estate? In this episode of Albuquerque Real Estate Talk, Tracy and Asel Venturi sit down with marketing director and moderator Samuel Anderson to unpack what really happens in our market between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Many people assume they should hunker down and wait until spring, but the reality on the ground tells a very different story.
While it’s not peak selling season in our part of New Mexico, there are still motivated buyers and sellers out there. Every showing this time of year tends to be serious, inventory is low, and great homes are still getting multiple offers and selling quickly. At the same time, the team acknowledges the very real lifestyle challenges that come with selling during a season filled with entertaining, baking, decorating, and family traditions—and they share practical advice to help you decide what timing works best for you.
Beyond the holiday “dead zone” myth, the conversation also touches on how to handle open houses and décor in December, how long it really takes to close, whether you can still move before year-end, what buyers, sellers, and fellow Realtors should be thinking about going into 2026, and a few favorite local holiday traditions and light displays around Albuquerque and Santa Fe. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Is the Holiday Season Really a “Dead Zone” for Real Estate?
According to Tracy and Asel, the “holiday dead zone” idea is more myth than reality. It may not be peak selling season in Albuquerque, but there are still serious buyers and sellers in the market. Sellers who list now often want to be sold by the end of the year, and buyers who are touring homes in December are typically not casual “looky-loos”—they’re carving out time during an already busy season, which usually means they’re motivated to move forward if they find the right home.
Why Sellers Shouldn’t Automatically Wait Until Spring
When homeowners look at the calendar and see only a few weeks left in the year, the instinct is often to wait until January or spring. Tracy’s advice is simple: if you need or want to sell, don’t wait for an arbitrary date on the calendar. This time of year usually brings some of the lowest inventory levels, so you may actually face less competition from other sellers. Every showing has a higher likelihood of being a serious buyer, not someone just passing time touring homes for fun.
That said, the team is realistic about the trade-offs. If you host a lot of gatherings, bake cookies, or go all-in on decorating, having your home on the market can feel stressful. Scheduling showings and keeping the house show-ready sometimes conflicts with things like holiday parties, tamale-making days, or family visiting. Ultimately, it has to be the right time for you personally, even if the market conditions are favorable.
Open Houses Still Work in December
Sam asks whether open houses are still effective during the holiday season, and Asel’s experience is that they can be very successful. As the end of the year approaches, people often have more time off work and are out and about shopping for the holidays. If they see an open house sign, they may very well stop in. Tracy notes that their team still holds open houses in December, and they tend to draw good traffic—as long as the schedule works for the seller’s plans.
The team also talks about making open houses more of an “event” during the holidays. One of the team’s brokers recently hosted a themed open house with hot cocoa, marshmallows, and ginger snaps over Thanksgiving weekend. Simple touches like seasonal treats, music in the background, and a cozy fire (if available) can make the home feel warm and inviting and give buyers a memorable experience.
Holiday Décor When Your Home Is on the Market
How Much Decorating Is Too Much?
A big question sellers ask is whether they should decorate at all once their home is on the market. Tracy’s answer is that a little holiday décor is absolutely fine—you should still be able to enjoy your season. She does caution against going over the top with decorations that block key features of the home, such as a beautiful view behind a giant tree. It’s also wise to be mindful that not every buyer celebrates the same holidays, so keeping things tasteful and not overly specific is often the best approach.
HGTV vs. Real-Life Buyers
Tracy also pushes back a bit on the typical “HGTV” advice to strip a home of all personal and family items before listing. While decluttering and simplifying is important, she believes completely sanitizing the space can work against you. Many buyers walk into a home and immediately want to know who lives there and what their life feels like. One nice family photo that shows people enjoying the home can help create an emotional connection and convey that it’s a happy, well-loved place.
Asel agrees and notes that buyers often ask what the sellers were like. She recently showed a home in Positas that was a great example of striking that balance. The sellers clearly still lived there and had young children, but the home was very clean, with a few thoughtful holiday decorations. There was even a balloon tucked away from a recent third birthday. It still felt warm and lived-in without being cluttered.
Showcasing Your Home in Its Best Season
The team also revisits a topic they’ve discussed before: capturing photos of your home during different seasons. They’re already holding photos for sellers planning to list in February or March, taken while yards were still green and trees had leaves. For winter listings, those earlier photos can show buyers what the property looks like in “full glory,” especially if there’s a lush yard or a standout outdoor space.
Many sellers also share their own favorite shots—like hot air balloons floating over their yard during Balloon Fiesta, or incredible sunset views. The team recently listed a home on Hollywood Boulevard in Corrales where the sellers provided stunning photos of balloons, city lights, and sunsets over Albuquerque. For out-of-state buyers, these images help them see not just the house, but the lifestyle and views they’re buying into.
Holiday Market Reality Check for Albuquerque Buyers & Sellers
- The “holiday dead zone” is a myth
Even though it’s not peak season, serious buyers and sellers are still active, and great homes continue to sell quickly in December. - Low inventory can work in your favor
This time of year often brings some of the lowest inventory levels, which means less competition for sellers and more focused choices for buyers. - Every showing is usually a serious buyer
During the holidays, people are busy with family and events, so those touring homes are typically motivated and intentional about making a move. - Open houses can still attract strong traffic
With more people off work and out shopping, well-timed open houses—especially with a light holiday theme—can draw in quality visitors. - Enjoy décor without hiding your home
A bit of seasonal decorating is fine, but avoid blocking key features like views and keep the focus on the home’s best attributes rather than elaborate displays. - Be ready if you want to close by year-end
If your goal is to move before December 31, work closely with your lender, gather your documents early, and be prepared to move quickly once you find the right home. - Related note: timing should serve your life
The team emphasizes that the best time to buy or sell is when you’re ready—holidays included—so your personal needs should drive the plan, not just the calendar.
Holiday Market FAQs from Albuquerque Buyers & Sellers
How long does it take to close on a home?
One of the most common questions Asel hears is, “How long does it take to close?” The answer depends on whether you’re paying cash or financing. Cash purchases can often close much faster because there’s no lending process. For financed purchases in our market, a typical timeline is about 30 to 45 days from accepted contract to closing.
Even when lenders are capable of closing in 14 to 21 days for many loan types, other pieces of the process still take time. Buyers usually order home inspections, review the reports, and then negotiate a repair request with the seller. That “second negotiation” can easily stretch over a couple of weeks as inspections are scheduled, reports are returned, and any needed work is discussed.
New construction can sometimes move quicker, especially at times like early December when some builders are offering strong incentives for homes that can close by year-end. With a new home, you may still choose to inspect, but major surprises are less common and the builder’s crews are typically on site and able to address items quickly. In the right scenario, it’s possible to go from contract to move-in in just a few weeks.
Is it too late to be in a home by the end of the year?
Sam poses the natural follow-up: if you start looking now, can you still be in a home by December 31? Asel’s answer is “yes, absolutely”—as long as you’re prepared. The biggest factor is how quickly you can provide your lender with required documents: two months of bank statements, tax returns, credit card statements, and any other financial information they request. Delays in gathering paperwork are often what slow down the process.
Tracy adds that if you already have a trusted lender, an updated pre-approval, and your documents in hand, getting into a home by the end of the month is very doable. The team routinely works around clients’ holiday schedules, even showing homes on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Day when that’s the only time buyers can get out. They also have several clients flying in over the next two to three weeks specifically to tour homes; for those buyers, the team is watching new listings closely and making sure lending is underway so they’re ready to move quickly.
However, they point out that even in a “quieter” season, the best homes don’t sit. Great properties are still seeing multiple offers and going under contract fast. If you’re coming in from out of town or waiting to decide after your trip, you may find that some of the homes you liked on paper are already gone by the time you’re ready to write.
Why “when you’re ready” matters more than the calendar
Throughout the episode, the team echoes Tego’s core message: the best time to buy or sell is when you’re ready, not when the calendar says it’s officially spring or fall. For some people, the holidays are the only window when they have vacation days to house-hunt. For others, the thought of keeping a show-ready home during December is more stress than they want. The key is to align your real estate plans with your life—knowing that the market is still moving and that serious buyers and sellers are active year-round.
Looking Ahead to 2026: Education, Support & Teamwork
Launching a video FAQ library
As the team looks toward 2026, Sam shares that they’re building out a robust video FAQ library for their website and YouTube channel. The goal is to be a true educational resource—not just for buyers and sellers, but for other Realtors as well. They’re starting by collecting the questions they hear most often, like “How long does it take to close?” and “Can I start now and be in a home by the end of the year?” and turning those into concise video answers people can access anytime.
They also invite listeners and viewers to share their own burning questions—the one real estate topic where they’d love a clear, straightforward explanation. Those questions will help shape future episodes and video content so that the information the team creates is directly aligned with what the community wants to know.
Thinking about joining a real estate team?
Later in the conversation, Tracy addresses fellow Realtors who may be rethinking their business model for 2026. With annual dues coming up and a shifting real estate landscape, many solo brokers are asking whether they should stay in the business, change brokerages, or join a team. While she doesn’t focus heavily on recruiting, Tracy points out that their team and brokerage (Real Broker) offer opportunities for agents who want more support and collaboration.
On the marketing side, Sam handles video production, YouTube, Instagram, and paid advertising for the team’s listings, giving agents and their sellers a professional marketing platform. Behind the scenes, their transaction coordinator and listing manager, Leah, brings deep knowledge to help manage contracts and listings smoothly. Add in training, resources, and the camaraderie of a well-functioning group, and agents on the team don’t have to navigate complex situations alone.
The power of mentorship and coverage
Asel, who is earlier in her real estate career but grew up around the business, highlights how valuable it is to have seasoned brokers available to bounce ideas off and make sure she’s on the right track. When questions come up, there’s always someone on the team who has handled a similar situation and can offer guidance. Sam has noticed the same pattern at team meetings—when one agent brings a challenge, another almost always has relevant experience to share.
Another benefit Asel appreciates is having “cover” when she’s out of town or unavailable; teammates can step in to help clients so service doesn’t skip a beat. Tracy also notes that some solo agents do have great mentors, often their qualifying broker or the person who introduced them to real estate. But for those who don’t feel adequately supported, she encourages an honest conversation about whether joining a team or exploring options with Real Broker might be a better fit for the coming year.
Enjoying Albuquerque’s Holiday Lights & Traditions
Holiday light maps and musical displays
To end the episode on a lighter note, the team shifts into some of their favorite holiday traditions around Albuquerque. Sam shares that the city has become quite a hotbed for elaborate holiday light displays since around 2020, including an impressive, user-generated Albuquerque holiday light map. The map highlights everything from luminarias and giant Christmas trees to musical light shows, and it continues to grow as homeowners add their displays throughout the season. Listeners can access it via the short link at abq.re/ABQlights.
Tracy mentions an especially memorable musical display created by the daughter and son-in-law of their colleague, Susan Buckman, at 6401 Pepperdine NE. The synchronized lights and music create a full “show,” and they’ve even broadcast it live in the evenings on Facebook so people can enjoy it virtually.
Luminarias, farolitos, and neighborhood traditions
The conversation turns to one of New Mexico’s most beloved traditions: luminarias. Tracy notes that while many people in Albuquerque call the brown paper bags with candles “luminarias,” friends and fellow Realtors in Santa Fe often refer to them as “farolitos,” and the terminology has become a friendly distinction between the two cities.
Tracy loves the luminaria displays in Old Town and the Country Club neighborhood on Christmas Eve and hopes for calm, wind-free weather so the candles stay lit. She recommends heading down later in the evening after the busiest traffic has died down; the candles can burn for about ten hours, so a late-night cruise with headlights off and slow driving still lets you take in the magic without the gridlock. She and Tego recently visited Santa Fe as well, where the plaza was already lit with lights in the trees and musicians performing around the square.
Local events: Shop & Stroll, River of Lights, and neighborhood displays
Asel brings up the River of Lights at the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, for which she purchased tickets online with a specific arrival window. Scheduling entry times helps spread out crowds and manage the heavy traffic that in past years has sometimes backed up all the way to I-40. Tracy recalls seeing those traffic jams when visiting family near Old Town and emphasizes that, while it can be hectic, the display is worth it—just be sure to bundle up, especially on colder nights.
The team also mentions the 30th annual Nob Hill Shop & Stroll taking place on December 4, encouraging people to layer up and enjoy the festivities. Sam shares that his favorite luminaria drive is through the Solar neighborhood off Fourth Street, where the entire community participates and the route winds past Alvarado Elementary School. Ridgecrest is another area where homeowners tend to go all-out with both luminarias and holiday lights, and many other neighborhoods around the city embrace their own traditions as well.
Whether you’re touring homes, preparing to list, or simply enjoying the lights with family, the holidays in Albuquerque offer a unique blend of market opportunity and local charm. And through it all, the Venturi Realty Group is here as a resource—ready to help you make smart real estate decisions whenever the timing is right for you.
Have questions about Albuquerque real estate?
If you are thinking about buying or selling, or just want to understand how the current market affects your plans, our team is here to be a resource.
Call or text: (505) 448-8888
Email: info@welcomehomeabq.com
Website: WelcomeHomeABQ.com
Venturi Realty Group of Real Broker, LLC
