2025 Real Estate Market Recap: What Happened to Home Prices in King & Snohomish County

2025 didn’t move in a straight line.

The year started strong.

Prices climbed into late spring.

Then inventory increased, momentum slowed, and the market reset.

Here’s what the data actually shows for King County and Snohomish County—and why context matters more than headlines.

How 2025 unfolded

Think of 2025 as two markets.

• Early 2025: strong demand, rising prices, limited choices
  
  
• Second half: more listings, longer market times, softer pricing pressure
  
  

This shift didn’t happen overnight. It built month by month.

That’s why year-end numbers tell a clearer story than any single month.

Where prices ended the year

King County home prices

• December 2025 median: $825,000
  
  
• Year over year change: +3.1%
  
  
• 2025 peak: $920,000 (June)
  
  
• Change from peak to year-end: -10.3%
  
  

Prices finished higher than 2024. But well below the spring high.

Snohomish County home prices

• December 2025 median: $720,000
  
  
• Year over year change: -3.9%
  
  
• 2025 peak: $799,950 (May)
  
  
• Change from peak to year-end: -10.0%
  
  

Snohomish gave back gains in the second half of the year. This is where perspective matters.

When was the last time prices looked like this?

A drop feels dramatic when you anchor to the peak.  Zoom out.

Snohomish County ended 2025 around $720,000. We’ve seen this level before. The most recent periods with similar pricing were:

• March 2024: ~$729,000
  
  
• September 2023: ~$714,950
  
  
• (Also close: July 2022 at ~$732,500)
  
  

That changes the narrative. This wasn’t a collapse. It was a give-back to prior market levels where the market has flattened despite a great deal of uncertainty.

For further context here's what prices have looked like over the past 10 years:

What changed under the surface in 2025

Prices don’t move in isolation.

They respond to supply, pace, and competition.

Here’s what shifted.

Inventory increased

Average months of inventory rose meaningfully:

• King County: up ~34% compared to 2024
  
  
• Snohomish County: up ~41% compared to 2024
  
  

More homes on the market diluted urgency.

Homes took longer to sell

Average days on market increased:

• King County: ~20% longer than 2024
  
  
• Snohomish County: ~30% longer than 2024
  
  

Still active. Just less frantic.

Seller leverage softened

List-to-sale price ratios slipped:

• King County: ~98.5% in 2025
  
  
• Snohomish County: ~98.3% in 2025
  
  

That’s still strong. But not the “anything goes” environment of prior years.

What this means if you’re selling in 2026

You can still achieve a strong result.

But the strategy matters more.

• Pricing must reflect today’s demand, not last spring’s peak
  
  
• Presentation and condition now influence outcomes
  
  
• The first 7–10 days on market are critical
  
  

The market still rewards well-prepared sellers. It punishes overconfidence.

What this means if you’re buying in 2026

More inventory changes the experience.

• More choice
  
  
• Fewer forced decisions
  
  
• Better leverage on terms, inspections, and timelines
  
  

Price matters. So does flexibility. The strongest buyers are the ones prepared to act when the right home appears.

The bottom line

2025 reset expectations.

• King County finished the year up, but off the peak
  
  
• Snohomish County finished down, returning to familiar territory
  
  
• Inventory and pace—not panic—drove the shift
  
  

The right move depends on your timeline, not the headline.

Want this data for your neighborhood?

Market conditions vary block by block.

If you want:

• Your neighborhood’s price trend
  
  
• School-zone-specific stats
  
  
• A realistic 2026 pricing or buying strategy
  
  

Reach out and we’ll run the numbers for your exact area.

Want to go deeper on what this market means for you?

Market stats are helpful.
Applying them to real decisions is where most people get stuck.

That’s why we’re hosting our next Sips & Tips class—a casual, in-person session designed to help homeowners and buyers translate market data into clear next steps.

At this event, we’ll cover:

• How current pricing trends affect selling, buying, or staying put
  
  
• What today’s inventory levels really mean for negotiation
  
  
• Common mistakes we see when people anchor to peak pricing
  
  
• How to evaluate timing based on your goals, not headlines
  
  

It’s educational, interactive, and pressure-free.
Good info. Good conversation. And yes—good drinks.

If you want to understand how the 2025 reset impacts your neighborhood, your equity, or your plans for 2026, this is the best place to start.

👉 Learn more and reserve your spot here:
Connecting You Home – Sips & Tips Class
https://www.connectingyouhome.com/sipsandtips