August: prices eased, and buyers got more room.

Headlines about the Austin market often disagree because they measure different places. The metro covers five counties; the City of Austin is just the city. Here is what the August 2026 report from Unlock MLS said for both, compared with August 2025.

The numbers

Source: Unlock MLS, August 2026 Central Texas Housing Report. Metro and city figures are for residential homes sold in August 2026.

If you're buying

Prices were lower than a year ago in both the metro and the city, and sellers were taking a bit less off their asking price than before: homes closed at 93.2% of list price on average across the metro, up from 92.2%. So there is room to negotiate, but less than last summer. Pending sales, homes under contract but not yet closed, rose 1.5%.

If you're selling

Five months of inventory means buyers still have choices. Homes priced to the market sell; homes priced for last year's market sit. Active listings across the metro were down 6.5%, so a well prepared home faces a little less competition than it did a year ago.

If you're renting

Metro rent held flat at a $2,150 median, and active lease listings were down 27.9%. Fewer choices can mean less time to decide, so have your application paperwork ready before you tour.

What to watch

A metro median can move one way while your street moves another. If you are deciding whether to wait or move now, the useful number is the one for your neighborhood and price range, and that is a short conversation, not a headline.