Texas new homes sell slightly faster for fifth straight month despite declining sales
HomesUSA.com reports fewer pending sales as average prices decline and inventory holds steady
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DALLAS, Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Texas new homes sold slightly faster in September for the fifth consecutive month, even as sales and pending sales declined, according to the latest HomesUSA.com Texas New Home Sales Report. The statewide average Days on Market decreased by one day to 108 days from 109 days in August.
Statewide new home sales dropped to 5,221 from 5,658 in August, down 7.7%, while pending sales fell to 5,465 from 5,880, a 7.1% decline. All four major Texas markets recorded fewer new home sales and pending sales in September.
The HomesUSA.com Texas New Home Sales Report exclusively uses data reported to the local Multiple Listing Services, the most comprehensive, current, and accurate information, from the REALTOR® Associations of North Texas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. All averages are based on three-month moving averages to capture seasonality and remove anomalies.
“September’s new home sales and pending sales decline follows normal seasonal expectations, but the slowdown is more pronounced than usual, no doubt because mortgage interest rates are moving in the wrong direction,” said Ben Caballero, CEO of HomesUSA.com and the nation’s top-ranked real estate agent. “With mortgage rates pushing 7.5%, and 8% on the horizon, the challenges facing builders and buyers are a serious concern.”
“Builders are a resourceful lot that can adjust to changing market conditions. They have dealt with lower prices and slower sales before, but it takes its toll. In all my years in real estate, I don’t recall the rate of consolidation that has occurred this year. Time will tell if that is due to market stress or a developing trend. I will say I am shocked at some of the companies being bought out. I have noticed it is the privately held builders being bought by publicly traded homebuilding companies,” Caballero added. “The bright spot for buyers, particularly cash buyers, is that there are still plenty of new homes to choose from, and builders are working hard to earn their business.”
The average new home price statewide declined to $419,016 in September from $424,371 in August, a decrease of $5,355 or 1.3%. Compared with September 2025, when the statewide average was $428,433, new home prices were 2.2% lower.
Pending sales, a measure of future sales activity, fell 11.7% year-over-year from 6,189 in September 2025. New home sales were 6.2% below their September 2025 level of 5,564.
According to the HomesUSA.com New Home Sales Index, the statewide average Days on Market fell for the fifth straight month, from 109 days in August to 108 days in September. New homes that sold spent two fewer days on the market than in September 2025, when the average was 110 days.
Active listings were essentially flat in September at 37,056, compared with 37,031 in August. The statewide sales-to-list-price ratio edged up to 97.81% from 97.74%, showing that new homes continued to sell close to their asking prices.
Compared with September 2025, statewide active listings declined 0.7% from 37,323. The September sales-to-list-price ratio was higher than the 96.70% recorded a year earlier.
HomesUSA.com’s Texas New Home Sales Report and New Home Sales Index are typically issued on or before the monthly U.S. Commerce Department’s New Residential Sales Report, scheduled for release on October 27, 2026. See census.gov/construction/soc/schedule.html.
About the Report
The HomesUSA.com monthly report covers closed sales recorded in MLSs by the 10th day of the following month. The report features 3-month moving averages for six essential market data points, including DOM, sales volume, sales prices, sales-to-list price ratio, pending sales, and active listings. We also provide a master chart for the 12-month moving averages for comparison. Caballero explains that the 3-month moving average indices track market seasonality, while the 12-month moving average removes seasonality and tracks the longer trend.
DAYS ON MARKET: Selling times improve for the fifth straight month
Days on Market declined to 108 days statewide in September from 109 days in August, the fifth consecutive month new homes spent less time on the market. September’s average was also two days below the 110 days recorded in September 2025.
Austin posted a decline to 97 days from 101 in August, while Dallas-Fort Worth improved to 129 from 132. Houston was essentially flat at 96 days compared with 97, and San Antonio rose to 102 days from 98. Dallas-Fort Worth continued to record the longest marketing times among the four major Texas markets.
Note: New homes typically spend more time on the market than existing homes because many are listed while still under construction. Each MLS may calculate DOM differently, so direct comparisons may not always be reliable. (Chart: Texas New Homes Days on Market)
NEW HOME SALES: Sales decline in all four markets
New home sales declined statewide to 5,221 in September from 5,658 in August, a 7.7% month-over-month decrease. Compared with September 2025, when 5,564 new homes were sold, sales fell 6.2% year-over-year.
All four major Texas markets recorded fewer sales in September. Dallas-Fort Worth fell to 1,702 from 1,891 in August, Houston declined to 1,733 from 1,862, San Antonio decreased to 1,052 from 1,124, and Austin dropped to 735 from 782. Houston led the major markets in September. (Chart: Texas New Home Sales)
NEW HOME PRICES: Statewide average price declines
The statewide average new home price fell to $419,016 in September from $424,371 in August, a decrease of $5,355 or 1.3%. Compared with September 2025, when the average price was $428,433, prices declined 2.2% year-over-year.
San Antonio prices fell to $332,867 from $339,473 in August, while Houston declined to $406,408 from $414,275. Dallas-Fort Worth decreased to $465,663 from $469,398, and Austin remained essentially flat at $466,663 versus $466,073. Austin was the highest-priced of the four major markets in September. (Chart: Texas New Home Prices)
PENDING SALES: Buyer activity declines in September
Pending sales, a measure of future sales activity, declined statewide in September to 5,465 from 5,880 in August, down 7.1% month-over-month. Compared with September 2025, when pending sales totaled 6,189, they were down 11.7% year-over-year.
All four major Texas markets had fewer pending sales. Dallas-Fort Worth declined to 2,013 from 2,202 in August, Houston fell to 1,542 from 1,616, Austin dropped to 956 from 1,031, and San Antonio decreased to 954 from 1,032. Dallas-Fort Worth continued to lead the major markets in pending sales. (Chart: Texas Pending Home Sales)
ACTIVE LISTINGS: Inventory holds steady statewide
Active listings were essentially flat in September at 37,056 versus 37,031 in August, an increase of only 25 listings or 0.1%. Compared with September 2025, when statewide active listings totaled 37,323, inventory was 0.7% lower year-over-year.
Dallas-Fort Worth posted an increase to 8,938 active listings from 8,729 in August, while Austin was essentially flat at 6,067 versus 6,075 and Houston was also the same way at 16,092 versus 16,133. San Antonio declined to 5,959 from 6,094. Houston continued to account for the largest number of active listings among the four major markets. (Chart: Texas Active Listings)
SALES-TO-LIST PRICE RATIO: Homes continue to sell near asking price
Texas new homes continued to sell close to asking price in September, as the statewide average sales-to-list-price ratio edged up to 97.81% from 97.74% in August. The ratio also rose from 96.70% in September 2025.
Houston rose to 97.64% from 97.38% in August, while Austin was essentially flat at 97.89% compared with 97.82%. Dallas-Fort Worth was also essentially flat at 97.50% versus 97.57%, and San Antonio was also the same way at 98.56% versus 98.57%. San Antonio continued to have the highest sales-to-list-price ratio among the major markets. (Chart: Texas Sales-to-List Price Ratio)
About the HomesUSA.com New Home Sales Index
The HomesUSA.com New Home Sales Index is reported as both a 3-month and 12-month moving average of the Days on Market for new homes listed in the local Multiple Listing Services (MLSs) for Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Created by Ben Caballero in December 2017, it is the first Days on Market index to track the Texas new home market based on activity in its largest markets and includes homes listed while under construction. (Chart: 12-Month Moving Averages)
About HomesUSA.com®
HomesUSA.com is America’s perennial top brokerage for new-home sales, founded by Ben Caballero, the most productive real estate agent in U.S. history and a three-time Guinness World Records title holder. Ranked by RealTrends as America’s top real estate agent for home sales since 2013, Caballero invented SpecDeck®, HomesUSA.com’s mission-critical builder technology used by more than 70 home builders in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio. The AI-enhanced platform helps builders sell homes faster leveraging the newest home sales technology. Caballero is the only individual real estate agent ever to top $3 billion in annual residential sales – four consecutive times (2022-2025). Ben’s podcast series is available widely, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music and YouTube. Learn more at HomesUSA.com, on X @bcaballero or @HomesUSA and on Facebook /HomesUSAdotcom.
Note for journalists: You may contact Ben Caballero directly by email at ben@homesusa.com.
REALTOR® is a federally registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
Media Contact:
Kevin Hawkins
(206) 866-1220
kevin@wavgroup.com
Image: Ben Caballero
https://bit.ly/ben-caballero-photo
Individual Chart images:
Chart: Days on Market – Thru September 2026: https://homesusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/DOM-Chart.png
Chart: New Home Sales – Thru September 2026: https://homesusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/New-Home-Sales-Chart.png
Chart: New Home Prices – Thru September 2026: https://homesusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Home-Prices-Chart.png
Chart: Pending Home Sales – Thru September 2026: https://homesusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Pending-Sales-Chart.png
Chart: Active Listings – Thru September 2026: https://homesusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Active-Listings-Chart.png
Chart: Sales-to-List Price Ratio – Thru September 2026: https://homesusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Sales-Price-Ratio-Chart.png
Chart: 12-Month Moving Averages – Thru September 2026: https://homesusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/12MonthChart-DataOnly.png
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