2025 marked a turning point for real estate. The post-pandemic market is firmly in place, and as the final weeks of the year wind down, momentum has slowed. Buyers are no longer rushing to move in.

When Jonny Ballesteros and his fiancée, Jen, began house-hunting, they weren’t sure what to expect. It was the first purchase for the couple, who are both 29, and in the competitive San Diego-area ...