2025 Real Estate Market Recap

As we wrap up another year in the New Orleans real estate market, one thing is clear — 2025 was a year of adjustment, resilience, and opportunity. Whether you bought, sold, or simply kept an eye on the market from the sidelines, the past year brought important shifts that are shaping how our local housing market moves forward. Here's a breakdown of the key takeaways from the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors®' 2025 Annual Report for what matter most to buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals.

🏡 Market Conditions: A Year of Transition

Despite continued affordability challenges and elevated mortgage rates throughout 2025, the local housing market showed resilience. Overall home sales experienced modest gains, while supply tightened, pushing buyers to strategize more carefully in their home search.

• Closed Sales increased slightly by ~2% compared to 2024 — a positive shift in a market that’s been slower than the pandemic peak years.

• Pending Sales were also up, signaling steady buyer interest even amid affordability headwinds.

• However, the number of active listings dropped nearly 9%, underscoring how limited supply continued to shape market dynamics.

Overall, the market environment tilted toward a balanced — rather than a rapid seller’s — market, offering more options for buyers than in the frenzied early post-pandemic period, but still requiring strategic planning.

📊 Home Prices: Growth Continues — Slowly

Home prices continued to climb across the metro region in 2025, but at a more moderate pace compared with previous years.

• The median sales price rose nearly 2% year-over-year to about $280,000.

• Both single-family homes and condo/townhouse properties saw price increases, with condos showing double-digit percentage gains in some cases.

This continued price growth — albeit slower — reflects sustained buyer demand and tight inventory, especially when compared to pre-pandemic pricing levels.

🔎 What Buyers & Sellers Should Know

For Buyers

• Limited inventory means less competition for well-priced homes, but offers must still be strong to win.

• Median prices are rising, so buyers should be prepared with financing in place and a realistic budget.

For Sellers

• Sellers are more likely to receive a high percentage of their asking price, with the average list price received at sale nearing 97%.

• Homes priced strategically and marketed effectively continue to attract buyer interest.

📍 Neighborhood & Price Range Trends

The report also highlights variations across ZIP codes and price tiers — some areas outperformed others in terms of price appreciation and sales activity. Lower-priced homes saw notable sales declines, while the upper price brackets experienced increased activity, suggesting buyer preference for certain segments of the market.

📈 Outlook for 2026

Looking ahead, economists and local industry experts expect the market to continue steadily moving toward greater balance:

• Mortgage rates are projected to remain relatively stable in the mid-6% range, helping support affordability more than in prior years.

• With inventory building gradually, more buyers may find opportunities without the intense competition seen in recent years.

This suggests that 2026 may be a year of slow but steady recovery, with both buyers and sellers finding opportunities to make well-informed decisions.

💡 Bottom Line

The 2025 real estate landscape in the New Orleans metro area was defined by:

✅ Modest sales growth

✅ Rising but moderating prices

✅ Tight inventory

✅ More balanced conditions than the recent past

Whether you’re thinking about buying, selling, or staying informed about the local market, understanding these trends can help you make smarter real estate decisions in the year ahead.

If buying or selling a home is on your radar for 2026, now is a great time to start the conversation. Market conditions, pricing trends, and inventory levels are always evolving — and having a knowledgeable local expert on your side can make all the difference.

Ready for your next real estate move? Give us a call at 504-305-4930 talk through your goals, or visit us online at unitedrealestatepartners.com to explore resources and view the latest listings.