real estate report

New real estate report shows big spike in active Austin home listings

The number of homes for sale in the Austin area has reached its highest level in 13 years.

Potential homebuyers on the prowl for a house in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown area have a lot more inventory to choose from than usual. Active listings rose to over 12,000 residential properties in May, according to the latest real estate report from Unlock MLS and the Austin Board of Realtors (ABoR).

The spike in active listings is a 37.7 percent year-over-year increase from May 2023, the report said, with more than 5,200 new home listings added last month in a 16.3 percent increase from this time last year. Median prices for homes in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown MSA dipped to $459,450 in May after they reached nearly $470,000 in April.

This glut of available housing allows buyers a greater level of selectivity when choosing their next (or first) home, according to Unlock MLS and ABoR housing economist Clare Losey. But it's not clear enough to determine whether it's a buyers' or sellers' market.

"Although it may appear to be a buyer's market from the outside, it’s important to understand the context behind these statistics, including higher interest rates resulting in a reduction in purchasing power," Losey said.

While the number of active listings in the are up, the number of sold homes went down in May. 2,968 residential homes were sold last month, showing a 12.8 percent drop from May 2023.

Central Texas housing trends in May 2024

In Travis County, 1,308 homes were sold last month, which is a stark 18.8 percent less than last year. Median prices rose to $555,000. Active home listings continued skyrocketing to 6,276 homes in May, which is nearly 47 percent more year-over-year.

Over in Williamson County, exactly 1,000 homes were sold last month, with median prices stabilizing at $435,000 for the second month in a row. There were more than 1,600 new home listings on the market, representing a near 18 percent increase from May 2023, bringing the total number of active home listings to 3,375.

After residential home sales flattened across Hays County in April, sales rose just slightly to 466 in May. Median prices slipped 2.5 percent year-over-year to $389,850. Active listings rose 27.2 percent year-over-year to an even 1,800 homes with the addition of 733 new listings on the market.

Home sales in Bastrop County took the biggest hit across all five counties, with only 138 total homes sold in May in a 9.8 percent drop from this time last year. Median prices fell 5.4 percent year-over-year to just under $350,000. There were 633 active listings on the market last month, and 216 new home listings, showcasing a slight 1.4 percent decrease in new inventory when compared to last year.

Home sales in Caldwell County flattened in May, amounting to 56 homes sold for a median price of $281,990. There were 128 active homes on the market, and 61 new home listings, which contributed to a year-over-year plateau in new inventory.

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Homebuyers can afford to be picky as Austin housing inventory rises

Photo by Avinash Kumar on Unsplash

Housing economist Clare Losey said the most significant factor affecting home sales in Austin is high mortgage rates.

The latest real estate report from Unlock MLS and the Austin Board of Realtors (ABoR) has revealed housing inventory is still on a steady rise in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos MSA, creating more choices for potential homebuyers as they navigate a high interest rate market.

Residential home sales dipped by a mere 1.5 percent year-over-year from October 2023, amounting to 2,248 closed sales in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos MSA. Median prices have also dropped to $430,000, or 3.2 percent less than this time last year. More than 3,300 new home listings were added on the market — a 7.4 percent increase from 2023 — bringing the total number of active home listings to 11,599.

According to Unlock MLS and ABoR housing economist Clare Losey, Ph.D., October's mortgage rates stood at 6.4 percent and are showing no signs of a significant drop in the near future. Even heading into 2025, Losey says potential homebuyers who are biding their time in the hopes of seeing rates plummet "may be in for a long wait."

"In the meantime, sellers must recognize that bringing buyers to the table requires a more aggressive pricing approach," Losey said. "Even in a more balanced market, buyers with limited purchasing power are struggling to meet current price expectations."

As for the overall health of the Central Texas housing market, 2024 Unlock MLS and ABoR president Kent Redding labeled recent news reports that called Austin "ground zero" for a downturn as an "extreme over-exaggeration."

"Austin led the state and nation in record-breaking home price growth and sales activity during the pandemic," Redding said. "For three years, near-zero housing inventory, numerous offers above list price and a rapid-paced market raised home prices and left little negotiating power for buyers. During this record-setting growth, ABoR and Unlock MLS consistently emphasized the unsustainability of the rapid growth, and now, our market is working to balance those extremes."

Central Texas housing trends in October 2024

In Travis County, 979 homes were sold last month — a slight 2.5 percent increase from last year. Median prices remained flat year-over-year at $510,000. Active home listings continued growing to 5,702 homes, which is 9.4 percent more year-over-year.

In Williamson County, 807 homes were sold in October, with median prices steadily dropping to $420,000. There were 1,028 new home listings on the market, showing a 4.5 percent increase from October 2023, bringing the total number of active home listings to 3,369.

Residential home sales dropped by nearly eight percent in Hays County in October, totaling 315 sales. Median prices also fell 5.5 percent year-over-year to $359,000. Active listings rose 6.6 percent year-over-year to 1,740 homes with the addition of 534 new listings on the market.

Meanwhile, 114 homes were sold in Bastrop County last month, which is 4.4 percent more than this time last year. Median prices dropped by a single percentage point year-over-year to $355,000. There were 654 active listings on the market in October, and 152 new home listings, representing a 1.3 percent slip in new inventory when compared to last year.

Only 33 homes were sold in Caldwell County in October to reflect a near 14 percent decline year-over-year from October 2023. Median prices fell to $262,990, which was a 13.5 percent decrease from last year. There were 136 active homes on the market last month, and 40 new homes added on the market.

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