What’s really happening in the Buckhead, Sandy Springs & Brookhaven Housing Markets in 2025?

By Matt Wren, real estate advisor on the Wren Atlanta Team at Harry Norman, REALTORS®

We’ve all seen the headlines: inventory is rising, the market is shifting, buyers have more choices. While the broad averages these are based off of reflect general trends across the country and even across metro Atlanta, they often don’t tell the full story—especially when it comes to what’s happening in the city’s most in-demand neighborhoods or housing types.

In fact, when you zero in on Buckhead, Sandy Springs, and Brookhaven — and compare both recent and pre-pandemic data — a more nuanced, and often surprising, story emerges.

Source: FMLS

Active # of Listings: 2025 vs. 2024 Trends

Many might assume that the number of active listings are up across the board — but that's not the case for single-family homes in several key north Atlanta neighborhoods.

Let’s take a closer look:

• Buckhead: In each of the first six months of 2025, there were fewer active single-family home listings than in the same months of 2024. (This shift reversed a prior trend of increases that occurred in both 2023 and 2024 versus the same month a year before.)

• Sandy Springs: The trend is the same. For every month from January through June 2025, the number of active single-family homes was lower than the same time last year.

• Brookhaven: While the trend wasn’t as consistent, four out of the six months in the first half of 2025 saw fewer active single-family home listings than the same months in 2024.

Source: FMLS

However, when you include all property types — single-family homes, townhomes, and condominiums — Buckhead actually did see a higher total number of active listings in 2025 than in 2024, month by month. That difference in trend underscores why breaking the data down by property type really matters when evaluating the health and direction of a specific neighborhood’s market.

Source: FMLS

Take Buckhead, for example: much of the increase in total active listings here is concentrated in attached homes—particularly townhomes and condominiums. In fact, about 75% of all condos listed in Buckhead during Q2 2025 were priced under $500,000, whereas less than 2% of active single-family homes fell below that mark. This matters because buyers shopping for a $1.5 million single-family home might see headlines about “rising inventory” and assume they have more negotiating power than they actually do. If they don’t realize that the surge in listings is disproportionately in lower-priced condos and townhomes, they may hold back on writing a strong offer—only to be outbid by a buyer who understands the market more clearly and acts decisively.

Source: FMLS

2025 vs. 2019: How Do Things Compare to Pre-Pandemic “Normal”?

Looking further back, we can see how today’s single-family housing market stacks up against the last “normal” year before the pandemic dramatically shifted housing trends.

Buckhead

• Active single-family home listings (1st Half 2025) are still about 50% lower than in the first half of 2019.

• But sales of single-family homes in the 1st half of 2025 are only down 30% compared to that same period in 2019.
  This gap suggests that buyer demand remains strong, even with tighter inventory.

• Sales of single-family homes in the 1st half of 2025 are down 11% compared to the same period in 2024, which has kept pace with the reduced supply of about 11% on average for the first 6 months of 2025.

Sandy Springs

• The number of listings of single-family homes are down about 75% from 1st half of 2019 levels.

• Sales of single-family homes are down 74% compared to 1st half of 2019— meaning the drop in demand has essentially kept pace with supply.
  This points to a slower but proportionate market, where fewer homes are selling simply because fewer are available.

• Sales of single-family homes in the 1st half of 2025 were down 51% compared to the same period in 2024. This is a larger drop than the reduced supply of about 21% on average for the first 6 months of 2025.

Brookhaven

• The number of active single-family homes started the year 51% below January 2019 levels, but that gap narrowed to just 35% lower by June.

• Still, sales of single-family homes are down 50% compared to the first half of 2019.
  Unlike Buckhead or Sandy Springs, Brookhaven is showing more supply recovery, but weaker demand relative to that available inventory.

• Sales of single-family homes in the 1st half of 2025 were down 31% compared to the same period in 2024. This is a larger drop than the reduced supply of about 7% on average for the first 6 months of 2025.

What It All Means

Each neighborhood is experiencing a distinct dynamic, and those differences can’t be captured by broad averages or metro-wide statistics.

Here’s a quick summary:

Source: FMLS

Market Balance: Still a Seller’s Market (For Now)

One key indicator we track closely is “months of supply,” which helps assess whether the market favors buyers or sellers.

• < 6 months of supply → Seller’s market

• = 6 months → Balanced

• > 6 months → Buyer’s market

As of June 2025:

• Buckhead: 3.7 – 4.8 months of supply

• Sandy Springs: 3.9 – 5.1 months of supply

• Brookhaven: 3.2 – 4.5 months of supply

Each remains in seller's market territory, though competition varies depending on price point, home condition, and micro-location.

Source: FMLS

The Takeaway

The headlines may say one thing, but the reality on the ground often tells a different story — especially in Buckhead, Sandy Springs, and Brookhaven.

➡️ In Buckhead, strong demand is holding up sales despite constrained supply.
➡️ In Sandy Springs, both inventory and demand have cooled in near-equal measure.
➡️ Brookhaven shows signs of inventory recovery, but with a softer buyer pool — at least for now.

Whether you're considering a move or just keeping a pulse on the market, it’s critical to dig deeper than the headlines and understand the hyper-local trends that shape your neighborhood.

On the Wren Atlanta Team, with Harry Norman REALTORS®, we don’t just look at the numbers - we help you understand what they mean for your block, your home, and your future.

Want a version of this tailored for your street or home type? We’d be happy to dive into the data with you to help you make confident, well-informed decisions. Understanding the nuances of your housing market gives you the competitive edge.

With over 50 years of combined experience, the Wren Atlanta Team brings the insights, data, and relationships that can make all the difference in a successful transaction.

2024 Year-End Real Estate Market Report - Morris Brandon Elementary District

Covering 2024 and Year-To-Date Through January 28, 2025

Photo of Bobby Jones Golf Course, which sits Adjacent to The Springlake and Memorial Park Neighborhoods in Morris Brandon Elementary District. These neighborhoods are off to the right, though not directly shown in this photo.

Overview of Current Market Conditions

As of January 28, 2025, there are 30 active listings in the Morris Brandon Elementary School District, ranging in price from $599,900 to $4,990,000. In the first 28 days of 2025, there have been 4 sales, compared to 10 sales during the same period in January 2024.

Looking at the previous 90 days (ending January 28, 2025), there were 35 sales, which averages to 11.7 sales per month. With 30 active listings, this equates to 2.6 months of inventory. This indicates a continued strong seller’s market for single-family homes in the lower to mid-price ranges.

What Defines a Seller’s Market?

• Under 6 months of inventory: Seller’s Market

• 6 months of inventory: Balanced Market

• Over 6 months of inventory: Buyer’s Market

2024 Sales and Pricing Trends by Range

$750K–$1M: Strong Seller’s Market

At the close of 2024, this price range had only 2 months of inventory, solidifying its status as a strong seller’s market.

$1M–$2M: Strong Seller’s Market

With just 1 month of inventory, demand remained incredibly high in this price bracket throughout 2024.

$2M–$3M: Seller’s Market

This range showed slightly more inventory, with 4 months of supply at the end of 2024, but still leaned firmly toward a seller’s market.

$500K–$750K: Mixed Market

This price range was balanced in December 2024 with 6 months of inventory. However, the five preceding months (July–November 2024) consistently reflected a seller’s market.

$3M–$5M: Buyer’s Market

This segment consistently saw buyer’s market conditions throughout 2024 due to fewer buyers at this price level.

Year-Over-Year Sales Data

• 2024 Total Sales: 155 single-family homes sold, up from 144 in 2023 but still below the pre-pandemic peak of 205 in 2019.

• Luxury Market Growth: 100 homes sold for over $1M in 2024, compared to 85 in 2023 and 79 in 2019. This means approximately 65% of single-family homes sold last year in Morris Brandon Elementary School District exceeded $1M.

Quarterly Comparisons

• Q4 2024 Sales: 42 homes sold, a 24% increase from 32 sales in Q4 2023, but still 21% lower than the 53 sales in Q4 2019.

The median sold price of single-family homes in the Morris Brandon Elementary school district increased 7 percent to $1,235,000 in 2024 from $1,153,893 in 2023.

Market Drivers and Historical Context

The housing market in the Morris Brandon district has experienced notable shifts in the past several years. After the Federal Reserve’s sharp interest rate reductions in 2020, historically low mortgage rates (around 3%) fueled demand and drove sales to a record 302 in 2021.

Since the Fed began raising rates in 2022, mortgage rates have climbed to the 6–8% range, significantly reducing affordability and resulting in fewer sales in both 2022 and 2023. However, 2024 saw a modest rebound in sales activity, driven by buyers adjusting to higher rates and recognizing that the ultra-low rates of 2020–2021 are unlikely to return soon.

Margaret Mitchell Area home within a 5-minute walk of Morris Brandon elementary whose sellers chose to list the home in October 2024, trusting the Wren Atlanta Team with Harry Norman Realtors to represent them. They got the home under contract within 5 days, resulting in a higher sales prices per square foot than numerous comparable homes nearby.

The chart below shows how the number of single-family homes for sale in Morris Brandon district dropped significantly after 2020 and 2021. This is often explained as the locked-in effect, where homeowner’s who secured low mortgage interest rates in 2020 and 2021 have been less inclined to move after rates increased. As buyers get used to the higher rates, many experts expect the number of homes for sale to increase in 2025.

“Home buyers will have more success next year. The worst of the affordability challenges are over as more inventory, stable mortgage rates and continued job and income growth pave the way for more Americans to achieve homeownership.””

— Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist - National Association of Realtors

Active Listings and Inventory Trends

• December 2024 Active Listings: 37, down 16% from 44 in December 2023 and 46% from 69 in December 2019.

• Inventory by Price Range:

  • Under $3M: Strong seller’s market across most segments.

  • $3M–$5M: Buyer’s market conditions due to fewer transactions and higher days on market.

In each year over the last 10 years, single-family homes priced $3 million - $5 million spent more time on the market than single-family homes priced at $3 million and below. What is noteworthy is that when comparing the average days on market for homes priced $3 million - $5 million in 2024 to homes in this same price range in the previous 9 years, this price range is selling faster in 2024 than in each of the years except for 2022. There has also been a steady downward trend since 2016 in the average number of days on market for homes priced at $3 million and below.

This chart demonstrates that demand for single-family homes in Morris Brandon Elementary district is still strong.

Days on Market: Faster Sales for Well-Priced Homes

• December 2024 Average Days on Market: 11 days—down 85% from 75 days in December 2023 and a staggering 93% decrease from 157 days in December 2019.

• Homes that are priced appropriately continue to sell quickly, highlighting strong buyer demand in the area. This is evident when looking at the median number of days on market in December 2024: just 4 days.

Conclusion

The Morris Brandon Elementary School District remains a highly desirable area, with strong demand driving competitive conditions in most price ranges. While the market experienced a slight rebound in sales volume in 2024, current inventory levels and quick sales for well-priced homes underscore the importance of strategic pricing and timing for sellers.

For buyers, the market continues to favor those who act decisively, particularly in the $750K–$2M range, where inventory remains low. However, those in higher price brackets may find opportunities in a buyer’s market setting.

If you’re considering buying or selling in 2025, now is the time to plan your strategy. With interest rates likely to remain higher than previous years, timing and preparation are key to achieving your goals.

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Thinking about buying or selling in the Atlanta area? The market is constantly shifting, and having the right strategy is key. Whether you're looking to maximize your home's value or find the perfect place to call home, we're here to help. Contact us today for expert guidance and a personalized game plan!

Case Study: Helping Our Sellers On Midvale Drive Get $25,000 Above Asking Price

When our clients at 244 Midvale Drive came to us with a goal to sell their home quickly and for a great price, we knew our comprehensive marketing plan would help them achieve their goals. By implementing a strategic approach to attract buyers, we were able to sell their home for $25,000 over asking price, and secure favorable contract terms that eased their transition into their next home.

The Challenge

The home, located near Chastain Park and the Blue Heron Nature Preserve, had a lot to offer but also came with a few challenges. The floor plan wasn’t ideal for everyone, the parking situation was tricky, there were a few bathrooms that could use an update, and the proximity to a busy street could have been a concern for some buyers. However, we knew how to position these aspects while maximizing the property’s strengths.

Our Marketing Approach

We focused on creating strong buyer interest by highlighting the home’s best features and desirable location. Our comprehensive marketing plan included:

• Professionally designed print and digital materials that showcased the home beautifully.

• Open houses that generated significant traffic and a high level of interest.

• A social media campaign to reach potential buyers who were looking for homes in this area.

• High quality professional photos highlighting area amenities and parks.

This strategy resulted in multiple offers and the opportunity for us to invite buyers to submit their highest and best offers.

The Outcome

Not only did our sellers receive an offer $25,000 over the asking price, but the terms of the contract were also highly favorable. One of the most beneficial aspects was securing a temporary occupancy period after closing, allowing the sellers to remain in the home for a period of time without the pressure of immediately moving out. This helped minimize the need for renting a temporary home before transitioning into their next property.

By understanding our clients' needs and leveraging our marketing expertise, we were able to maximize the value of their home while making their move as seamless as possible.

Client Testimonial

“My wife and I have worked with Sherry and Matt on several transactions - both buying and selling homes.

They were great to work with when selling, bringing expertise in staging the home to sell and were realistic in setting the listing price.

When buying a home they took the time to learn about our family, our needs and wants. When they brought homes to us to see, it was clear they listened, taking us to only houses that interested us and if there were “other” options they clearly set the pros and cons before letting us make the decision to see the house or not. That saved us countless hours in the process.

During all our interactions with them they were responsive, professional, realistic and honest.

I have referred them to several friends and family and will use them again!”

— Andrew B.

Conclusion

Selling a home in a competitive market often requires more than just listing the property—it takes a well-thought-out strategy that addresses both the seller’s financial and logistical goals. Our success in selling this home on Midvale Drive demonstrates how a strong marketing plan, combined with expert negotiation, can lead to exceptional results.

If you're thinking of selling and want to achieve the best price and terms, we’d love to help you. Contact us today!

Matt Wren’s Phone: 404-731-8300 | Matt’s Email: Matt.Wren@HarryNorman.com
Sherry Wren’s Phone: 404-964-7080 | Sherry’s Email: Sherry.Wren@HarryNorman.com