August 2025 Real Estate Market Update for Athens, GA
By Scott Talley, Owner/Broker – 5Market Realty
If you’ve been following us on our YouTube channel or here on our site, you know we provide monthly updates on the Athens and Oconee County real estate market to keep clients, prospective buyers, and our community informed.
This month’s report is coming a little later than usual—August 12th—thanks to a busy season for our property management division, Red and Black Rentals. We’ve combined local data with national trends to give you a complete picture of where the market stands.
Year-to-Date Snapshot (January–July 2025)
Looking at the first seven months of 2025 for Clarke and Oconee Counties:
- New Listings: Down just 1.5% (nearly 1,400 total) compared to last year.
- Days on Market: Up 25% to 53 days, signaling a clear market shift.
- Average Sold Price: Up 3% to $504K — appreciation is slowing, which is good news for buyers.
- Total Homes Sold: Down 13% to 914, compared to 953 at this point in 2023.
The longer days on market are a key sign of cooling momentum.
July 2025: Slowest July in Years
July’s numbers tell a story of deceleration:
- New Listings: Down 18% from July 2024.
- Days on Market: Up just 2% year-over-year.
- Average Sold Price: Down 5% from $507K to $482K.
- Total Homes Sold: Only 120 — down nearly 20% from last year and the lowest July sales figure in Athens MLS records going back to 2017.
For context, July sales used to exceed 240 transactions in peak years like 2017–2019.
Inventory Rising — Opportunities for Buyers
As of August 12th, there are 478 active listings — up 35% from the start of the year. This increase in inventory is leading to:
- More price reductions
- Longer listing times
- Greater negotiation opportunities for buyers
We’re moving toward a balanced market, with about four months of inventory—a shift from the highly competitive, low-supply environment of recent years.
National Context: A Tale of Two Markets
Using data from Keeping Current Matters:
- South & West: Sellers now outnumber buyers significantly. In the South (our region), there are nearly 300,000 sellers versus 177,000 buyers—the widest gap in the country.
- Northeast & Midwest: Tighter conditions with more balanced buyer-seller ratios.
Inventory growth is strongest in the South and West, while the Midwest and Northeast are still below pre-pandemic levels.
Mortgage Rates: Stable, For Now
Mortgage rates have been relatively flat since late 2024. Local lenders hint at possible changes later this year, but for now, the stability offers:
- Predictable payment planning for buyers
- Less volatility for sellers making move-up or downsizing decisions
Local Takeaways
- Condos: Still moving quickly, especially near UGA.
- High-priced homes in Athens: Sitting longer before selling.
- Oconee County: Certain price points remain in strong demand.
If you’re buying, know your submarket—conditions vary greatly by property type and location.
Final Thoughts
While transaction volume is down and July was historically slow, a stabilizing rate environment and growing inventory create an opportunity for well-informed buyers. For sellers, realistic pricing and strategic marketing are now more critical than ever.
If you’re considering buying, selling, or investing, the team at 5Market Realty is here to guide you through current conditions.
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