Home for the Holidays: 2025 Market Wrap-Up & Local Cheer

What a year it’s been! Looking back, I can hardly believe how much has changed. Building a business by myself has been both one of the most challenging and rewarding endeavors of my life. I have learned so much — most importantly, that success doesn’t come all at once. It’s built in the quiet moments of showing up, staying consistent, and believing in yourself even when it’s hard.

I’m excited to continue growing, learning, and helping people find the place they call home in 2026. And I’m so thankful for the blessings in my life and the peace that comes from trusting God with the path ahead.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with the people you love. As the year comes to a close, I just want to say thank you. Whether you’ve supported my business, sent a kind message, referred a friend, or simply cheered me on from afar.

Holiday Happenings in Sonoma and Napa Counties

Alliance Redwoods Holiday Drive-Thru Experience

Christmas in the Redwoods is a drive-thru light show winding through the forest, complete with hot cocoa and meet-ups with Santa and Bigfoot.
📍 Occidental, CA 95465
📅 Thurs–Sun, First 3 Weekends of December

Ice Skating at the Meritage Resort

At The Meritage Resort & Spa’s Merry Meritage, you can skate on Napa Valley’s largest outdoor ice rink with nightly faux snow. Afterward, reserve a private igloo by the rink — a heated space to relax, have a drink, and warm up between laps.
📍 875 Bordeaux Way, Napa
📅 Nov 25 – Jan 4th, 11AM – 10PM

Downtown Napa Holiday Home Tour

Tour beautifully decorated historic homes like Churchill Manor, The George, and Blackbird Inn with live music, cider, and cookies along the way! Enjoy wine tastings and photo ops at the Ackerman Heritage House, plus sweet treats from the Napa County Historical Society.
📍 1416 Brown Street, Napa
📅 Saturday, December 13, 12–4 PM

 Market Insights: 2025 Buyer Generational Trends

According to the National Association of REALTORS® 2025 report on the profile of homebuyers, young first-time buyers are at an all-time low. This year, first-time homebuyers made up just 21% of the market, which is the lowest share since NAR began tracking in 1981. Before 2008, first-time buyers consistently accounted for about 40% of all home sales. Now, that same percentage represents the share of baby boomers participating in the market this year. Baby boomers currently make up the largest portion of both buyers and sellers, operating at record highs. The average age of today’s first-time homebuyer is 40, while repeat buyers now have a median age of 62. Another key shift: first-time buyers are bringing larger down payments, with the median jumping to 10%—the highest since the late 1980s. At the same time, a growing share of repeat buyers are paying all cash, which continues to make competition tougher for younger buyers entering the market. “The historically low share of first-time buyers underscores the real-world consequences of a housing market starved for affordable inventory,” says Jessica Lautz, NAR’s deputy chief economist. With interest rates still elevated, a nationwide housing shortage, and wages that haven’t kept pace with inflation, affordability has become one of the biggest barriers to entry for younger generations. These economic pressures have reshaped what was once the classic American dream of homeownership, making the journey feel more complicated for many aspiring buyers. Still, despite the challenges, younger generations continue to adapt by getting creative with financing, expanding their search areas, leveraging new programs, and redefining what homeownership can look like today. The market will continue to change, and those adjustments may create new entry points for first-time buyers.