In August, active home listings in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos MSA housing market increased by 15.4%, while the median home price dropped by 4.4% to $439,990, according to Unlock MLS' August 2024 Central Texas Housing Report. These changes suggest more opportunities for buyers, although further decreases in home prices are necessary to significantly impact sales growth across the region.
"Buyers currently have more leverage in this market than previous years and it’s important for sellers to price their homes attainably to reflect current market conditions and attract more buyers," Clare Knapp, Ph.D., housing economist for Unlock MLS and the Austin Board of REALTORS®, said. "While the Federal Reserve may start cutting rates in September, don’t expect a meaningful decline in mortgage rates. Even if rates drop to 6%, it would only provide a modest 2% boost in buyer purchasing power. In today’s market, a moderation of home prices—rather than interest rates—is what will drive sales."
Kent Redding, 2024 ABoR and Unlock MLS president, emphasized the importance of working with a REALTOR® to find affordable and attainable housing options throughout the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos MSA.
"While communities in Central Texas have taken important steps this past year to improve our housing supply and lower the cost of housing, more steps need to be taken to implement solutions to address housing affordability. As always, working with a REALTOR® is important. As experts in this market, REALTORS® understand pricing dynamics and how to list and show a home that will help close the deal more quickly."
For more information or to download the August 2024 Central Texas Housing Report, visit ABoR.com/MarketStatistics.
Unlock MLS marks the intersection of knowledge, humanity, and home. For nearly 60 years, we’ve fostered the most complete, accurate, timely, and reliable real estate marketplace for the 18-county Central Texas region. In partnership with the 20,000 real estate professionals who power our MLS, we lead the industry in transparency, data integrity, and a people-first focus to make home buying, selling, and renting accessible and attainable for all. For more information visit UnlockMLS.com.