Should I Pull My Home Off the Market for the Holidays?

by Devin Beck

"Should we just take it off until after the holidays?"

I hear that one every fall.

And I get it.

The house has been sitting. You're tired of keeping it showing-ready. Family's coming. The tree has to go somewhere.

Pulling it feels like a break.

Sometimes it is the right call.

But a lot of the time, it's the wrong reason.

If you're selling in Centennial, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Parker, Castle Rock or anywhere in the South Denver Metro, here's how I'd decide.

The Short Answer

Should you pull your home off the market for the holidays?

Not just because it's the holidays.

Pull it if you truly can't handle showings, or if you're going to use the break to change something: the price, the condition or the photos.

If buyers are still coming through and the feedback isn't all about price, I'd usually stay on.

The calendar alone isn't the problem.

What Actually Happens in Denver in December

Here's what the numbers show.

A lot of your competition disappears.

DMAR reported that active listings in the Denver Metro fell 27.59% from November to December 2025, "due mostly to many sellers removing their homes from the market over the holidays." The long-term average drop is 18.44%. The 10-year average is 26.04%.

So the sellers who stay have fewer homes to compete against.

The buyers who stay are serious.

DMAR's October 2026 report said the fourth quarter "tends to reward buyers who keep moving," and that buyers who stay in the market "will face less competition than at any other time of year."

Nationally, NAR economists found existing-home sales typically tick up about 3.9% in December compared with November, even as inventory drops about 9.4%. They point to job relocations, school-term moves and year-end tax planning.

December buyers usually aren't browsing for fun.

The holiday weeks themselves are slow. Briefly.

Inman's review of Zillow data found Thanksgiving week and Christmas week bring the biggest one-week drops in pending sales of the year, followed by an immediate bounce-back the next week.

That's two slow weeks. Not two slow months.

(This year, that's the week of Thanksgiving, November 26, and the week of Christmas, December 25.)

What Happens in January

This is the part sellers don't always think about.

The homes that come off in November and December come back in January.

All at once.

DMAR reported that new listings jumped 152.55% from December 2025 to January 2026, "driven in part by homes withdrawn in November and December that returned to the market after the start of the year."

And pricing didn't get better. The average close-price-to-list-price ratio was 97.94% in January, slightly below December's 98.23%.

So if you pull your home in November and relist in January, you may be walking right into a crowd.

"But I Want to Reset My Days on Market"

I understand the thinking.

A home that's been sitting gets a stale feel, and buyers' agents notice.

But here in Colorado, a holiday break doesn't wipe the slate.

According to REcolorado, our MLS:

Withdrawn status pauses the clock. Your listing agreement stays in place, showings stop, and Days in MLS picks up where it left off when you go back to Active.
When it comes back, the listing shows a "Back on Market" banner.
Expiring a listing and re-entering it within 30 days to reset the count is against MLS rules and comes with a fine.

So a pause can give you a breather.

It won't give you a fresh start.

What gives you a fresh start is coming back different.

Should You Just Wait for Spring?

Maybe.

Spring is real. Zillow's 2026 analysis found Denver homes listed in the first two weeks of May sold for about 2.2% more, roughly $13,100 on a typical home.

But waiting has costs too.

Every month you wait is another mortgage payment, utility bill, insurance bill and HOA payment, plus the move you're putting off.

And nobody knows what rates will do by May. Freddie Mac's 30-year fixed averaged 7.32% the week of October 22. That's up from 6.19% a year ago.

You also won't be the only one waiting. Redfin found 5.8% of U.S. listings were pulled off the market in April 2026, tied with December 2025 for the highest share since March 2020. Many of those sellers come back in spring.

So waiting can make sense.

Just do the math first.

Your Four Options

Here's how I'd lay them out.

Option	What it means	Best for
Stay active	Keep showing through the holidays	Homes getting showings, sellers with a timeline
Stay active with blackout dates	Block Thanksgiving, Christmas and a few key days	Most sellers who want to stay on but need a breather
Withdraw for a few weeks	Pause showings; listing agreement and days count stay put	Family in town, repairs, new photos, a price reset
Wait for spring	Take it off for now and plan a strong spring launch	Sellers with no deadline who can carry the home

Most sellers don't realize the second option exists.

You don't have to choose between "always available" and "gone."

If You Stay on the Market

A few things make a big difference in December.

1. Update your photos.

Green grass and flowers in the photos and snow in the yard? Buyers notice. A few fresh winter shots help.

2. Decorate lightly.

Cozy is great. Crowded isn't. Keep decor simple so buyers can still see the rooms.

3. Keep it warm and bright.

Turn on the lights before showings. Daylight is short.

4. Keep the walks clear.

Shovel, de-ice and keep the entry safe. First impressions start on the driveway.

5. Set blackout dates.

Protect the days that matter to your family. Showings can work around them.

6. Revisit the price.

If you've had few showings for weeks, the season probably isn't the problem. Here's what price cuts really cost sellers, and how to price it right.

7. Make the payment work.

If buyers like the house but stall on the payment, look at whether a seller concession or rate buydown beats a price cut.

If You Pull It, Make the Break Count

A listing that disappears for six weeks and comes back the same usually gets the same result.

Use the time:

Paint, carpet or the repair buyers keep mentioning
New photos and a fresh description
A real look at price against the competition coming in January
A plan for whether you'll offer a credit toward closing costs or a buydown

Then come back ready.

Not sure why it hasn't sold yet? Start with Why Isn't My House Selling? 7 Reasons in Today's Denver Market.

And if you're not sure you even need to move, start with Should I Stay, Renovate or Move?

Free: Fall 2026 South Denver Seller's Guide

Deciding whether to stay on through the holidays or launch in the new year? My free Fall 2026 Seller's Guide walks through prep, pricing, timing and what to expect in today's market.

Get the Free Seller's Guide

Want to see your real numbers? Ask me for a free home value and net proceeds analysis, now versus spring. No pressure, no sign in the yard. Call or text 720-935-7537.

Already listed with another agent? Bring these questions to them. They know your home best.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it bad to sell a house during the holidays?

Not usually. Fewer homes are for sale, so you face less competition, and the buyers still looking tend to be serious. Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks are slow, but activity typically bounces back the week after. If you can handle showings, staying on the market is often a reasonable choice.

Does taking my house off the market reset days on market in Colorado?

No. In REcolorado, Denver's MLS, a Withdrawn listing simply pauses the Days in MLS count, which resumes where it left off when the home goes back to Active, with a "Back on Market" banner. Expiring a listing and re-entering it within 30 days to reset the count violates MLS rules.

What's the difference between withdrawn and expired?

A withdrawn listing is temporarily off the market, with no showings, but the listing agreement is still in place and the days count pauses. An expired listing has reached the end of its listing agreement, or the agreement was terminated, and it's no longer listed.

Are there fewer homes for sale in Denver in December?

Yes. DMAR reported Denver Metro active listings fell 27.59% from November to December 2025, mostly because sellers removed homes for the holidays. Many came back in January, when new listings jumped 152.55% from December.

When is the best time to list a house in Denver?

Zillow's 2026 analysis found Denver homes listed in the first two weeks of May sold for about 2.2% more, roughly $13,100 on a typical home. But waiting has carrying costs, rates can change, and many delisted homes return in spring, so the best time depends on your timeline and your numbers.

Selling When Homes Are Sitting: A South Denver Seller's Series

Why Isn't My House Selling? 7 Reasons in Today's Denver Market
Price It Right the First Time: What Price Cuts Really Cost Sellers
Should I Offer Concessions or a Rate Buydown to Sell My Home?
Should I Pull My Home Off the Market for the Holidays? (you're reading it)

Let's Pick Your Timing on Purpose

If you're in Centennial, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Parker, Castle Rock or anywhere in the South Denver Metro, I'm happy to look at your situation with you.

Stay on.

Take a short break.

Or plan a strong spring launch.

What matters is that it's a decision, not a default.

No pressure.

Just a plan.

Stay. Renovate. Move.

Devin @ The W Real Estate Group

This article is for general information only and isn't legal, tax, lending or financial advice. Market figures are from the sources below as of October 2026 and will change. MLS rules summarized here are REcolorado's as published on its website; your listing agreement and your broker's policies also apply. If your home is currently listed with another brokerage, please talk with your listing agent first.