Austin's real estate market began the new year with a strong month of stable housing prices, an increase in active residential listings for sale, and a spike in pending sales, according to Unlock MLS' latest Central Texas Housing Report.

Pending sales for homes in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metropolitan statistical area (MSA) surged 10.1 percent from January 2025, the report found, totaling 2,349 pending transactions last month.

Unlock MLS suggests the increase in pending sales means buyer demand is strengthening across Central Texas, corroborated by a 1.4-month decrease in the months of inventory (meaning the time it would take for all houses to sell in the region). The report says this shift indicates the current growing demand for housing is "absorbing" the new supply of homes that go on the market.

"Active listings [in the MSA] remained relatively steady at 10,083 properties while the median home price held at $400,495, down 2.3 percent from January 2025," the report said. "Together, the data points to a market environment where buyer demand is keeping pace with new listing activity."

Here is the City of Austin housing summary from January 2026 and its comparison to the previous year, per the report:

• Residential homes sold: 509, an 8.8 percent decrease from January 2025
• Median price for residential homes: $522,500, a 5 percent decrease from January 2025
• New home listings on the market: 1,169 homes, a 12 percent decrease from January 2025
• Active home listings on the market: 3,262 homes, a 0.7 percent decrease from January 2025
• Pending sales: 797, a 9.3 percent increase from January 2025
• Months of inventory: 3.9 months, a 2-month decrease from January 2025
• Total dollar volume of homes sold: $369,492,808, a 9.4 percent decrease from January 2025
• Average close to list price: 90.8 percent, down from 91.3 percent in January 2025

"Instead of sharp year-over-year swings, inventory and pricing are moving within a consistent range, allowing the market to operate under more typical conditions," O'Grady said. "This kind of environment creates a more sustainable foundation for long-term growth across Central Texas."

County-wide Central Texas housing trends in January 2026
Home sales in Travis County fell 12.4 percent year-over-year with 684 homes sold, and median prices also dropped 6.3 percent from last year to $445,000. There were 4,462 active listings on the market, and 1,624 new listings. Pending sales grew 11.1 percent from January 2025 to 1,044 pending transactions.

In Williamson County, 536 homes were sold in January, down 16.1 percent from January 2025, and median prices faintly dipped 0.4 percent to $403,500. There were 821 pending home sales last month, 3,091 active home listings, and 1,063 new home listings on the market.

Hays County home sales decreased significantly year-over-year by 18.5 percent, representing 234 closed sales, and median prices dropped 4 percent from last January to $344,500. There were 483 new listings added across the county last month, and 1,567 active home listings. Pending sales grew 9.1 percent to 347 pending transactions.

Bastrop County saw the biggest year-over-year decrease in home sales in the entire Central Texas region in January. Only 77 homes were sold in Bastrop County last month, marking a 20.6 percent decline from January 2025. Median prices fell nearly 3 percent to $335,970. Active listings in the area totaled 711 homes, an increase of 18.5 percent from the year before, and 225 new listings were added on the market. Unlike the four other Central Texas counties, pending sales in Bastrop County fell 13.8 percent to 100 pending transactions in January.

Only 35 homes were sold in Caldwell County in January, which is a 6.1 percent increase from the previous year. Median prices plummeted 17 percent year-over-year to $237,491. There were 75 new home listings put on the market last month, and 252 total active listings. The number of active home listings is a shocking 70.3 percent increase from January 2025, according to the report. Pending sales increased 8.8 percent to 37 transactions.