By Tim Landy · Updated October 2026 (latest data: August 2026)
Short Answer
Austin is not a seller's market right now. Across the Austin metro there are about 5.2 months of inventory, the average home is selling about 2.7% under its final asking price, and the August median sale price was $410,000, down 6.8% from a year ago. Sales activity is holding up better than prices: closed sales are up 5.6% year to date, though August itself was down 2.3% from last year. The market is best described as balanced to buyer-leaning, and conditions vary a lot by neighborhood and price point.
Austin Housing Market at a Glance (August 2026)
| Metric | August 2026 | vs. July 2026 | vs. August 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $410,000 | -4.7% | -6.8% |
| Closed Sales | 2,620 | -8.8% | -2.3% |
| New Pending Sales | 2,501 | -7.2% | -2.5% |
| New Listings | 3,622 | -16.9% | -5.1% |
| Median Days on Market | 45 | +5 days | -4 days |
| Average Sale vs. Final Asking Price | 2.7% under | 2.6% under in July | — |
| Closed Sales, Year to Date | 21,307 | — | +5.6% |
Austin metro = Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop and Caldwell counties. Single-family homes, condos and townhomes.
Inventory Right Now (as of October 3, 2026)
| Metric | Austin Metro | City of Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listings | 13,430 | 4,454 |
| Months of Inventory | 5.2 | 5.0 |
| Active Listings With a Price Reduction | 60% | 55% |
| Median Days Until First Price Reduction | 15 | 17 |
By Area
| Area | Median Price (Aug.) | vs. Last Year | Closed Sales (Aug.) | Active Listings (Oct. 3) | Months of Inventory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Metro | $410,000 | -6.8% | 2,620 | 13,430 | 5.2 |
| City of Austin | $555,000 | -5.1% | 876 | 4,454 | 5.0 |
| Travis County | $486,000 | -7.4% | 1,159 | 6,293 | 5.4 |
| Williamson County | $399,500 | -6.0% | 896 | 4,180 | 4.7 |
| Hays County | $355,000 | -2.1% | 418 | 1,946 | 5.3 |
Is Austin a Seller's Market Right Now?
No. A seller's market usually means fewer than about 4 months of inventory. The Austin metro is at 5.2 months (5.0 in the City of Austin), which gives buyers real choices and room to negotiate. About 60% of active listings across the metro have had a price reduction (55% in the City of Austin), and the typical first cut comes about two weeks after listing.
That doesn't mean sellers can't do well. Homes that are priced correctly from day one and well prepared are still selling, with a median of 45 days on market across the metro in August and 38 in the City of Austin. The sellers having a hard time are the ones pricing to last year's market.
Are Homes Going Above Asking in Austin?
Mostly no. The average Austin-area home sold about 2.7% under its final asking price in August (3.1% under in the City of Austin). Homes that do get multiple offers are usually in high-demand areas, at more accessible price points, or priced at or below recent comps.
How Many Homes Are for Sale in Austin?
As of October 3, 2026:
- Austin metro (five counties): 13,430 active listings
- Travis County: 6,293 active listings
- City of Austin: 4,454 active listings
That's about 5.2 months of inventory across the metro, compared with under 1 month at the 2021–2022 peak.
What Is the Median Home Price in Austin?
The median sale price across the Austin metro was $410,000 in August, down 6.8% year over year. By county, Travis was $486,000 (down 7.4%), Williamson $399,500 (down 6.0%) and Hays $355,000 (down 2.1%). In the City of Austin specifically, the median was $555,000, down 5.1%.
Will the Austin Housing Market Recover?
It already is, in sales activity if not in price. Year-to-date closed sales through August are up 5.6% across the metro and 6.4% in the City of Austin, while the August median price was down 6.8% from a year ago. New listings were down 5.1% from last August, which is starting to ease supply. We'd describe Austin as normalizing, not crashing and not booming. (For more on pricing, see Are Austin home prices still falling?)
What we're watching over the next few months:
- New listings vs. new contracts (if listings drop faster than demand, leverage shifts back toward sellers)
- Mortgage rates
- Price reductions as a share of active listings
What This Means for Sellers
Pricing and positioning matter more now than they have in years. Buyers will transact, but they won't rescue an unrealistic list price. A seller who starts well above where buyers see value can spend weeks chasing the market down.
Find out what your home would sell for today →
See how we prepare and market listings →
What This Means for Buyers
You have options and, in many cases, room to negotiate price, closing costs, repairs or a rate buydown. But leverage is property by property. Some sellers are highly motivated; others are priced right and will move quickly.
Is Austin a buyer's market? Read the full breakdown →
Start your home search with our team →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Austin a buyer's market or a seller's market?
Austin is currently balanced to buyer-leaning, with about 5.2 months of inventory across the Austin metro. Buyers have more leverage than they did in 2021–2022, but it varies by neighborhood and price point.
Are Austin home prices still falling?
The metro median sale price was $410,000 in August 2026, down 6.8% from a year ago and down from $430,000 in July. Prices are still softening, though not evenly: Hays County was down only 2.1% year over year.
Are homes selling over asking in Austin?
Most are not. In August 2026 the average Austin-area home sold about 2.7% under its final asking price (3.1% under in the City of Austin), and about 60% of active listings have had a price reduction.
How many homes are for sale in Austin right now?
As of October 3, 2026, there were 13,430 active listings across the Austin metro, including 4,454 in the City of Austin.
Will Austin home prices return to 2022 levels?
No one can responsibly predict when or whether every area will regain its pandemic-era peak. Current data points to slow normalization rather than a quick rebound.
More Guides for Today's Market
- How has the Iran war moved oil, mortgage rates and the Austin market?
- What happens to home prices when mortgage rates rise?
- Should I buy in Austin now or wait for rates to drop?
- What does it cost to sell a house in Austin?
- Should I sell if my mortgage rate is low?
- Relocating to Austin: what to budget before you tour
- First-time buyer: cash to close, the option period, and assistance
- Austin property taxes, insurance, and the payment you actually live with
- A lower price or a rate buydown: which helps more?
Our Take
Austin isn't out of the woods, but buyers haven't disappeared. More transactions year to date, softer prices, meaningful inventory and more price sensitivity add up to a market where property-level analysis matters more than the headline.
Want to know what this means for your neighborhood? Talk to our team → or call / text 512-693-8578.
Data source: Unlock MLS Market Reports (real-time data), Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos MSA (Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop and Caldwell counties) and City of Austin; single-family homes, condos and townhomes; pulled October 3, 2026. Months of inventory = active listings ÷ average monthly closed sales over the past 12 months. Figures can differ slightly from Unlock MLS's monthly press release, which doesn't include sales reported after publication. Updated monthly. Last updated October 3, 2026.
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