Thanksgiving 2026 in Colorado Springs: What the Holiday Season Means for Buyers and Sellers
From the YMCA Turkey Trot to the Festival of Lights Parade on Tejon Street, the holiday season kicks off across El Paso County this month. Here is what it means for the housing market, and how buyers and sellers can use the weeks ahead.
The Holiday Season Is Here
Thanksgiving is officially on deck across El Paso County. If you’re in town for the holiday, the 29th annual YMCA Turkey Trot and Kids’ Tiny Trot run Thanksgiving morning out at the Briargate Family Center, raising money for scholarships. Around the same time, Care and Share Food Bank’s “Take a Turkey to Work Day” collects frozen turkeys at participating King Soopers locations on November 20, and Springs Rescue Mission serves a free community Thanksgiving meal downtown so neighbors never eat alone.
Then the real season begins. The 42nd annual Festival of Lights Parade lights up Tejon Street on the evening of December 5, Old Colorado City’s Christkindlmarket brings its German-style stalls back in early December, and Flying W Ranch runs its Cowboy Christmas Jubilee through the 23rd. Whether you already live here or you’re visiting to house hunt, it’s the best month of the year to feel what this community is actually like.
What the Holidays Do to the Market
Here’s the honest read from our side of the table. The holidays slow things down, but not the way people expect. Yes, fewer families tour homes between turkey dinners and tree decorating. But the buyers who do show up in November and December are serious, and homeowners who list now often face less competition for attention.
For buyers, the seasonal calm is real leverage. In a market that has already tipped toward balance, homes are sitting a little longer and about half of listings across El Paso County carry a price reduction. That means a buyer who stays active through the holidays, and can close early in the new year, has more room to negotiate and fewer other offers to outbid.
For sellers, the advice hasn’t changed even though the calendar has. Price it right from day one. Homes that come in at the right number still sell, even in December, because the buyers who are touring are there for a reason. Overprice now and you risk carrying a stale listing into a very quiet January.
Bottom line for buyers: The holidays are one of the few times all year when you are not competing against a crowd. If you are ready, keep looking through December and you may find a house, and a price, that February buyers never see.
Bottom line for sellers: A well-priced Thanksgiving listing is not a gamble, it is a strategy. Serious buyers are out there, and listing while others wait can put you in front of them first.
We always say there are no emergencies in real estate, and that is never more true than at the holidays. If you are thinking about a spring move, now is exactly the time to have a calm, no-pressure conversation about what comes next.
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Event details and dates come from public community listings and are subject to change; always confirm directly with the host before you go. Market observations reflect current El Paso County conditions and are not a guarantee of future performance.
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