May 2025 Northern Nevada Market Recap: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know

Written By Bill Nelson

Northern Nevada Real Estate in May 2025: A Quick Look

If you're thinking about buying or selling a home in Northern Nevada, May 2025 brought some notable shifts worth watching. From rising inventory to fluctuating price-per-square-foot, this month’s data gives both buyers and sellers something to think about.

Unless otherwise noted, all percentage changes shown below reflect a comparison to April 2025 (month-over-month).

Here’s what stood out—and what it could mean for your next move.



🏠 Washoe County: Inventory Surges, Homes Still Moving Fast

  • Median Sales Price: $591,490 ↑ 0.8%

  • Active Inventory: 1,059 ↑ 26.7%

  • New Listings: 642 ↑ 10.5%

  • Median Days to Contract: 16 days ↓ 5.9%

Buyers in Washoe saw a slight price increase, but with more listings hitting the market, there’s a bit less competition compared to earlier this year. Homes are still moving fast, but not instantaneously.

Expert Insight: If you’re buying, you may be able to negotiate more than you could just a few months ago. Sellers, it’s still a good time to list—but pricing right matters more than ever.

🏡 Carson City: Prices Soar, Inventory Builds

  • Median Sales Price: $585,000 ↑ 12.9%

  • Active Inventory: 101 ↑ 42.3%

  • New Listings: 64 ↑ 16.4%

  • Median Days to Contract: 10 days ↓ 23.1%

Tight inventory and fast-moving homes continue to define Carson City. Prices jumped significantly this month, and more listings are entering the market—which is great news for both sides.

Expert Insight: This is a market where having a well-connected agent matters. Off-market deals or pre-listing alerts can give buyers an edge!

🏠 Douglas County: Prices and Listings Climb

  • Median Sales Price: $714,294 ↑ 4.0%

  • Active Inventory: 259 ↑ 37.8%

  • New Listings: 134 ↑ 57.6%

  • Median Days to Contract: 11 days ↓ 24.1%

Douglas saw rising prices and one of the biggest inventory jumps across the region. Buyers have more options than they did this spring, but homes are still moving quickly.

Expert Insight: A strong market with some breathing room for buyers. This is the kind of market where creative offers can still win.



🏡 Lyon County: Affordability Meets Fresh Opportunity

  • Median Sales Price: $417,500 ↓ 0.8%

  • Active Inventory: 214 ↑ 28.1%

  • New Listings: 129 ↑ 15.2%

  • Median Days to Contract: 18 days ↓ 33.3%

Lyon homes are selling faster and for slightly less. A boost in new listings is creating more opportunities in this affordable corridor of Northern Nevada.

Expert Insight: This is a sweet spot for first-time buyers looking for value while still being close to the Reno metro.




⚖️ Churchill County: Stable Prices, Faster Sales

  • Median Sales Price: $410,000 ↑ 1.9%

  • Active Inventory: 68 ↑ 23.6%

  • New Listings: 35 → 0% change

  • Median Days to Contract: 11 days ↓ 47.6%

Churchill remained stable in pricing, with homes moving even faster than last month. This tells us buyers are serious and ready to act.

Expert Insight: Sellers should prep and price properly—a hot market can still punish unrealistic pricing.





⛺ Storey County: Small Market, Big Swings

  • Median Sales Price: $622,000 ↑ 27.0%

  • Active Inventory: 13 ↑ 30.0%

  • New Listings: 6 ↑ 50%

  • Median Days to Contract: 9 days ↓ 86.5%

Storey had only a handful of closings but saw a jump in average days on market. Prices surged, but this area tends to fluctuate more due to smaller sample sizes.

Expert Insight: Storey is niche—if you're buying or selling here, work with an agent who knows this market block by block.

💡 Final Takeaways for Buyers and Sellers

For Buyers: Inventory is trending up across most counties, which means less frenzy and more negotiation power. Lock in your rate and get pre-approved now, especially with new listings rising!

For Sellers: While homes are still selling, buyers are more selective. Clean, staged, and properly priced listings are still winning—but overpricing is a fast way to sit stale.

If you have questions about buying, selling, or navigating your next move in this evolving market, our team is here to help. Reach out to The Olson Group today and let’s talk strategy.

👁️ Looking Ahead

June data will tell us whether Northern Nevada is stabilizing or shifting further. For now, it remains a strong but evolving market. Whether you’re upsizing, downsizing, or buying your first place—The Olson Group is here to help you win.

Want a hyper-local analysis of your neighborhood? Get in touch—we’ll break down the numbers and help you time your move like a pro!

Bill Nelson