The latest Central Texas Housing Report from Unlock MLS and the Austin Board of Realtors (ABoR) has indicated Austin's real estate activity in August is portraying a "more balanced" housing market with an increase in active listings, stable prices, and a rise in pending sales. And two national marketplaces, Zillow and Realtor.com, have already recently declared Austin is now a buyer's market.

The local housing report analyzed August data across the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metropolitan statistical area (MSA), the city of Austin, and the five Central Texas counties: Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, and Caldwell.

Across the Austin metro, median home prices in August rose just 1.3 percent year-over-year to $444,490, and there were 2,545 homes sold during the month. Pending sales rose 8.2 percent with 2,669 pending transactions in August. There were 3,691 new home listings on the market, adding to the total 14,220 active listings that were available throughout the Austin area last month.

"The market is showing healthy movement as we head into fall, and August’s data reflects growing buyer confidence even as overall sales volumes ease," said Unlock MLS research advisor Vaike O’Grady.

According to 2025 Unlock MLS and ABoR president Brandy Wuensch, Central Texas is heading towards "a steady and balanced market" that will present opportunities for both buyers and sellers. And potential buyers may be swayed to enter the housing market after the Federal Reserve announced the first rate cut in nine months on September 17.

"The market has adapted to today’s interest rates, which means success now depends on how consumers position themselves, not just on rate movements," Wuensch said.

This is the current status of the housing market in the city of Austin and its comparison to August 2024, per the report:

• 901– Residential homes sold, 2.0 percent more than August 2024.
• $590,000 – Median price for residential homes, 1.7 percent more than August 2024.
• 1,263 – New home listings on the market, 0.6 percent more than August 2024.
• 5,163 – Active home listings on the market, 11.5 percent more than August 2024.
• 934 – Pending sales, 16.3 percent more than August 2024.
• 6.3 – Months of inventory, 0.7 months more than August 2024.
• $696,515,302 – Total dollar volume of homes sold, 4.3 percent more than August 2024.
• 91.6 percent – Average close to list price, compared to 92.3 percent in August 2024.

Austin's new status as a buyer's market
Meanwhile, Zillow and Realtor.com have both recently hailed Austin as a buyer's market thanks to its improving affordability, pricing changes, and the recent influx in housing inventory.

Realtor.com noted Austin is one of seven major cities and "pandemic-era hot spots" where it would take more than six months to sell all the homes currently available on the market.

"Austin currently sits at 7.1 months of inventory, up 2.8 months from last year, compared to 5 months nationally," the report said. "Active listings in Austin are up 20.1 percent year over year and are 50.2 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels, joining just two other metros, Denver (up 64.2 percent) and San Antonio (up 53.4 percent), among the 50 largest to have for-sale inventory above this benchmark."

Austin had 6.3 months of inventory in August, confirming that the city is leaning toward a buyer's market. However, activity in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metro shows a different story.

"Active listings increased 13 percent year-over-year to 14,220 listings, though levels have started to trend downward month over month, keeping inventory under six months and the region in a more balanced market," the Central Texas Housing Report said.

Central Texas housing trends in August 2025
Home sales in Travis County dipped 2.7 percent year-over-year to 1,167 homes sold in August, and median prices rose 4.4 percent from last year to $525,000. There were 6,743 active listings on the market – a 13.2 percent hike from August 2024 – which included 1,754 new listings.

In Williamson County, only 858 homes were sold in August, and median prices dipped only 0.6 percent year-over-year to $425,000. Williamson County saw the largest year-over-year jump in active home listings out of all five Central Texas counties; there were 4,523 active home listings on the market in August, or nearly 21 percent more than this time last year.

Only 401 homes were sold in Hays County last month, and median prices fell 3.4 percent year-over-year to $369,000. There were 481 new listings on the market, and 1,831 total active home listings.

Bastrop County saw 102 homes sold in August, and pending sales rose nearly 22 percent from last year to 112 transactions. Median home prices fell 16.6 percent from this time last year to $366,000. Active home listings in Bastrop County added up to 774 homes, and 175 were new listings.

Caldwell County saw a the most dramatic drop in housing prices last month, with median prices decreasing by 24.1 percent year-over-year to $227,750. Only 30 homes were sold in the county last month, and there were 156 active home listings on the market.