Home Sales in December Jump 5.1%, Biggest Gain in Nearly 2 Years

Home sales finished 2025 with surprisingly strong momentum, rising 5.1% in December for the biggest gain in nearly two years. But even with last month’s boost, the year as a whole still ranks as one of the worst sales slumps in decades.

The increase in sales, which was more than double what economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected, reflected easing mortgage rates and slower growth in home prices.