Austin Housing Market in 2026: What Agents Need to Know

The Austin metro housing market has been through a lot since 2020. After the pandemic-era surge, the correction, and now the stabilization — agents need current data to price homes correctly.

Here’s what the ACTRIS MLS data tells us heading into spring 2026.

Inventory Is Normalizing

After years of historically low inventory, the Austin metro is finally approaching balance. Months of inventory in most submarkets (Kyle, Buda, San Marcos) is hovering around 3-4 months — still a seller’s market, but not the frantic bidding wars of 2021.

For agents, this means CMAs matter more than ever. When inventory was at 2 weeks, pricing was almost irrelevant — everything sold. Now, overpriced listings sit. Underpriced listings leave money on the table.

New Construction Is a Factor

DR Horton, Lennar, Meritage, and other builders are active across the I-35 corridor from Georgetown to San Marcos. New construction inventory gives buyers alternatives to resale, which means your CMA needs to account for builder competition.

When pulling comps, don’t just look at resale closed sales. Factor in what buyers can get from a builder at the same price point in the same area.

Price Per Square Foot Varies Wildly

One of the biggest mistakes agents make is using a single price-per-square-foot number for an entire ZIP code. In reality, PPSF varies significantly by:

• Subdivision — master-planned communities command premiums
• Age — homes built in the last 5 years vs 20+ years
• Features — pool, upgraded finishes, lot size
• Proximity — distance to I-35, schools, retail

A good CMA accounts for these differences through adjustments, not blanket averages.

What This Means for Your CMAs

1. Use recent data — 6-month comps are better than 12-month in a shifting market
2. Score your comps — the most similar properties should carry the most weight
3. Adjust for differences — don’t just show 5 sold properties and call it a day
4. Include photos — sellers want to see what you’re comparing their home to
5. Be specific about the submarket — “Austin” is too broad. Kyle is different from Dripping Springs.

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MLSBot pulls from 1.17M+ ACTRIS listings and scores comps by location, size, age, and features. See how it works.