Is December a Good Time to Buy a House in the Philly Suburbs?

By Nick Rau | Bucks Co. & Beyond Daily | November 14, 2026

Yes, for a buyer who is ready, December can be a good time to buy a house in the Philly suburbs, because fewer buyers are writing offers and last year's numbers showed a little more room on price. Last December, Montgomery County homes spent an average of 29 days on the market, compared with 24 days for 2025 as a whole, according to Bright MLS data published by Tri-County Suburban Realtors, and they sold a bit further below their original list price than they did over the full year. The trade-off is choice, since fewer sellers list in December too, but this year buyers head into the holidays with more homes on the market than they had a year ago.

Note from Nick: Here's what last December's numbers mean for buyers house hunting this holiday season.

What last December looked like

December is quieter on both sides of the deal, and the five-year numbers show it isn't a one-off. Tri-County Suburban Realtors' December 2025 and November 2025 reports put Montgomery County's five-year December averages at 497 new pending sales and 414 new listings, compared with 695 and 631 for November. The Bucks County Association of Realtors' December 2025 and November 2025 reports show the same pattern, with five-year December averages of 336 new pending sales and 281 new listings against 480 and 443 in November. So there are fewer homes to pick from, but there are also fewer buyers competing for them.

That quieter pace showed up in the deals. Last December, Montgomery County homes sold for 98.1% of their original list price on average, compared with 99.7% for 2025 as a whole. Bucks County told a similar story, with homes selling for 98.5% of their original list price on average in December 2025, versus 99.5% for the year, after an average of 32 days on the market, versus 26. These are countywide averages, so any one house can land above or below them, but they point to a December buyer with a bit more time to think and a bit more room to talk.

December doesn't mean bargain-bin prices, though. Montgomery County's December 2025 median sold price was $455,000, close to its 2025 median of $461,175, and Bucks County's December median of $510,000 was actually above its 2025 median of $500,000. Monthly medians move with the mix of homes that happen to close, which is why the gap between list price and sale price tells you more about December than the median does.

Heading into this December

Heading into this winter, Montgomery County had 1,455 active listings at the end of October 2026, up 14.4% from a year earlier, and Bucks County had 1,165, up 42.8%. Months of supply rose to 2.1 in Montgomery County from 1.8 a year earlier and to 2.3 in Bucks County from 1.6, according to the October 2026 reports from Tri-County Suburban Realtors and the Bucks County Association of Realtors, both built on Bright MLS data. Buyers have pulled back a little, too, with new purchase contracts down 7.0% from a year earlier in Montgomery County and down 21.4% in Bucks, which I covered in my October Bucks County market post. Prices are still climbing, with an October median of $483,500 in Montgomery County, up 9.5%, and $520,000 in Bucks, up 2.0%, and well-priced homes still move fast, at a median of 10 days on the market in Montgomery County and 12 in Bucks. The October reports measure median days on market while last December's reports used an average, so I don't line those two numbers up against each other.

Rates are moving in a friendlier direction, too. Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey put the 30-year fixed-rate average at 7.11% as of Nov. 12, 2026, down from 7.18% a week earlier, its fourth weekly decline in a row and its lowest level in seven weeks. That's still above the 6.24% average of a year ago, so it's worth running your own monthly payment on my mortgage calculator before you start touring.

Common December mistakes

• Waiting for January to get pre-approved. A full pre-approval from a lender lets you move on the right house while other buyers are busy with the holidays.
• Skipping homes that have been listed for a few weeks. Last December's longer market times and lower sale-to-list ratios suggest that's where sellers may be most open to a conversation.
• Treating a winter inspection as a formality. A cold-weather visit is a good look at how the heat runs and how the house handles drafts and wet weather, so ask your inspector what can't be tested in the cold.
• Forgetting holiday schedules. Ask your lender, title company and movers about their holiday hours early so your closing date works for everyone.
• Budgeting for the price but not the purchase. My closing costs guide walks through what buyers pay at the table, line by line, for Bucks County.

Quick answers

Is December a good time to buy a house in the Philly suburbs? It can be, if you're ready. Last December, Montgomery County homes sold for 98.1% of original list price on average versus 99.7% for 2025, and Bucks County homes for 98.5% versus 99.5%, according to Bright MLS data from Tri-County Suburban Realtors and the Bucks County Association of Realtors.

Are home prices lower in December? Not necessarily. Montgomery County's December 2025 median of $455,000 was close to its 2025 median of $461,175, and Bucks County's $510,000 was above its 2025 median of $500,000. The bigger December difference was the gap between list price and sale price.

Are there fewer homes for sale in December? Usually, yes. Over the past five years, Montgomery County averaged 414 new listings in December versus 631 in November, and Bucks County averaged 281 versus 443.

What are mortgage rates right now? Freddie Mac's 30-year fixed-rate average was 7.11% as of Nov. 12, 2026, down four weeks in a row, though still above 6.24% a year earlier.

If you're shopping on the Montgomery County side, my Horsham guide and Montgomery County neighborhood guides are good places to start, and my Bucks County neighborhood guides cover the other side of the county line.

From Nick

I'm Nick Rau, President of Sales with the Rarity Real Estate Team, ranked in the Top 1% of agents nationally (RealTrends 2025, individual), and I live in Bucks County. Thinking about a December move in Horsham or anywhere in the Philly suburbs? Call 215-593-7498 or email [email protected].

Rarity Real Estate Team, 1100 N Delaware Ave Suite A, Philadelphia, PA 19125 · 215-593-7498 · [email protected]

Photo: File photo, not a home for sale. "Antes House snow" by the Montgomery County Planning Commission (original on Flickr), via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0. It shows the historic Henry Antes House, a house museum in Upper Frederick Township, Montgomery County, in snow. It is not in Horsham, is not a listing and is not tied to any sale in these reports. Cropped and darkened, with text added, for the cover, featured image and slides; no objects added or retouched. These adaptations are shared under CC BY-SA 2.0. No endorsement is implied.

Reporting checked November 14, 2026. Sources: Tri-County Suburban Realtors, Montgomery County reports for November 2025, December 2025 and October 2026; Bucks County Association of Realtors reports for November 2025, December 2025 and October 2026; all Bright MLS data, all home types. Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, Nov. 12, 2026. Figures are countywide; your town, price range and property type can differ. Nothing here is financial, tax or legal advice.

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