The Headline Numbers
March 2026 was the month Austin's spring market shook off the winter slowdown. The Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metro posted a median sale price of $426,220, a 3.0% decline from March 2025 but a meaningful step up from February's $412,000. Closed sales held essentially flat year over year, while homes under contract surged, the clearest sign that buyers are returning ahead of the busy season.
| Metric (Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos MSA) | March 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $426,220 | -3.0% YoY |
| Closed sales | 2,593 | +0.5% YoY |
| Pending sales (under contract) | 3,253 | +11.9% YoY |
| Active listings | ~10,867 | rising |
| Months of inventory | 5.5 | down from 6.5 in Feb |
| Average days on market | ~85 | down from 91 in Feb |
| Average price per square foot | $253 | -3.4% YoY |
A quick note on geography: the figures above cover the full five-county metro. The City of Austin proper sells at a much higher median, $550,000 in March, because the city limits skew toward central, higher-priced housing. We break out the city and the major suburbs further down.
The official report numbers here come from the Unlock MLS March and Q1 2026 Central Texas Housing Report, the authoritative source for Central Texas. Aggregators like Redfin and Zillow report a higher "Austin" median (around $530,000 to $542,000) because their "Austin" geography tracks the city, not the metro. Both data sets point the same direction: prices down modestly year over year, activity picking up.
What Changed From February
February's median sat at $412,000 with 6.5 months of inventory and an average of 91 days on market. March improved on all three counts. The roughly $14,000 jump in the median is partly seasonal (spring listings tend to be larger, nicer homes) and partly a genuine firming of demand.
The standout shift was velocity. Pending sales reached 3,253, up almost 12% from a year earlier, and months of inventory dropped a full point from February to 5.5. When pending contracts climb while inventory falls, it usually means the next month or two of closings will be stronger. Days on market eased from 91 to about 85, still slow by 2021 standards but moving in sellers' favor.
| Metric | February 2026 | March 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $412,000 | $426,220 |
| Months of inventory | 6.5 | 5.5 |
| Average days on market | 91 | ~85 |
| Close-to-list ratio | ~92% | ~92% |
Year-Over-Year Picture
On an annual basis, Austin is still correcting. The metro median is down 3.0% from March 2025, and average price per square foot fell 3.4%. This is consistent with the broader Texas pattern, where the Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M has noted that price declines in Austin and San Antonio have hovered in the 2% to 3% range.
The multi-year trajectory matters more than any single month. Austin's metro median peaked near $552,000 in May 2022 during the pandemic frenzy. As of March 2026, the metro sits roughly 24% below that peak, one of the sharpest corrections of any major U.S. market.
| Period | Approx. metro median | Vs. May 2022 peak |
|---|---|---|
| May 2022 (peak) | ~$552,000 | 0% |
| March 2025 | ~$439,000 | ~-20% |
| February 2026 | $412,000 | ~-25% |
| March 2026 | $426,220 | ~-24% |
The correction has been good news for affordability. Buyers priced out in 2022 are finding the same neighborhoods 20% to 25% cheaper, and that reset is part of why the 2026 housing market forecast reads more favorably for buyers than any year since the boom.
Sub-Market Breakdown
The metro median hides wide variation. The City of Austin sits well above $500,000, while several Williamson and Travis County suburbs offer medians near or below $400,000. The figures below blend Unlock MLS metro data with Zillow and Redfin city-level snapshots for March 2026; suburb medians can swing month to month on lower sales counts, so treat them as directional.
| Sub-market | March 2026 median | YoY trend | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Austin (proper) | $550,000 | down ~7% | Central, higher-priced housing |
| Round Rock | $396,000 | down ~5% | Strong value near Dell campus |
| Cedar Park | $480,750 | down ~9% | Leander ISD, family demand |
| Leander | ~$402,000 | down YoY | New construction supply |
| Georgetown | ~$431,000 | roughly flat | Sun City and Wolf Ranch growth |
| Pflugerville | ~$378,000 | down YoY | Most affordable Travis County path |
A few neighborhood notes for buyers comparing areas:
- Round Rock homes remain one of the better value plays in the metro, with a median below $400,000 and meaningful buyer leverage.
- Cedar Park homes carry a premium tied to Leander ISD, but the year-over-year price slide there has been steeper than the metro average.
- Georgetown homes have held up better, supported by Sun City demand and steady relocation interest.
- Pflugerville homes continue to offer the cheapest route into Travis County for first-time buyers.
If you are weighing the trade-offs between the city core and the suburbs, our best Austin suburbs comparison lays out commute times, school ratings, and price tiers side by side.
What Buyers and Sellers Are Seeing
The March data describes a market that is balanced but tilting back toward sellers at the margin. About 30% of active listings carried a price reduction at some point, and the close-to-list ratio held near 92%, meaning the typical seller still accepted roughly 8% under their original asking price after negotiation and cuts.
For buyers, that translates into real negotiating room. Seller concessions in the 2% to 3% range remain common, and homes that sit more than a few weeks are routinely repriced. Buyers who get pre-approved and move decisively on well-priced listings are finding the best terms in years. Relocators new to the area should start with our moving to Austin guide and the current homes for sale overview to calibrate expectations by price tier.
For sellers, the message is sharper: price it right on day one. The rising pending-sale count shows demand exists, but the homes capturing it are the ones priced to the comparable sales, not to 2022 memories. Overpricing in March meant joining the 30% of listings forced to cut later.
Mortgage Rate Context
Rates worked against buyers during March. The Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average opened the month near 6.00%, climbed to 6.11% by mid-March, and reached 6.22% by March 19, the highest reading in roughly four months at that point. The move was modest in absolute terms but enough to nudge monthly payments higher just as listings picked up.
To put that in dollars: on a $426,000 home with 20% down (a $340,800 loan), the jump from 6.00% to 6.22% adds roughly $48 a month to principal and interest, around $580 a year. Not decisive on its own, but it stacks on top of property taxes that run 1.8% to 2.3% across the metro. First-time buyers should look hard at the assistance programs and builder rate buydowns covered in our first-time buyer guide, where new-construction incentives can effectively lower the rate by a full point or more.
What to Watch in April
April is historically Austin's strongest listing month, and the March data sets it up well. Pending sales were already up nearly 12% heading in, which typically flows through to higher April closings. Expect the median to firm further as larger spring inventory hits the market and as families try to close before the next school year.
A few things to keep an eye on this month:
- Rates and the Fed. The next FOMC meeting lands June 9-10, 2026, so April brings no scheduled rate decision. Mortgage rates will move on inflation and jobs data instead. With the 30-year sitting in the low-to-mid 6% range, any cooling in rates would meaningfully boost April demand.
- Inventory direction. Months of supply fell to 5.5 in March. If new listings keep accelerating into spring, supply could hold steady even as sales rise, keeping the market roughly balanced rather than tipping sharply to sellers.
- The seasonal price firming. Austin medians almost always rise from late winter into late spring. A move back toward the $435,000 to $445,000 range in April would be consistent with normal seasonality, not a sign of a renewed boom.
When the official Unlock MLS report for April publishes in mid-May, we will recap it here. For the running monthly comparison, see our April 2026 market recap once it is live.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the median home price in Austin in March 2026?
The Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metro median sale price was $426,220 in March 2026, according to the Unlock MLS Central Texas Housing Report. That was down 3.0% from March 2025 but up about 3.5% from February's $412,000. The City of Austin proper, which skews toward higher-priced central housing, posted a median near $550,000.
Is the Austin housing market going up or down in 2026?
On a year-over-year basis it is still down modestly, with the metro median off about 3% from a year earlier and roughly 24% below the May 2022 peak. Month to month, though, prices and activity firmed in March as the spring season began. The pattern in early 2026 is best described as a corrected market that is stabilizing, not crashing and not booming.
How many homes were for sale in Austin in March 2026?
The metro had roughly 10,867 active listings in March 2026, which worked out to about 5.5 months of inventory, down from 6.5 months in February. A balanced market is generally considered to be around 5 to 6 months of supply, so Austin sat right at the edge of balanced conditions.
Is March 2026 a good time to buy a home in Austin?
For buyers with stable financing, conditions are favorable. About 30% of listings had price reductions, sellers were accepting roughly 8% under original asking on average, and concessions of 2% to 3% were common. The main headwind was mortgage rates, which rose to about 6.22% during the month, so locking a rate and negotiating on price both matter.
What are mortgage rates in Austin right now?
As of mid-April 2026, the Freddie Mac average 30-year fixed sits in the low-to-mid 6% range, after climbing to 6.22% in mid-to-late March. Rates moved up through March on stronger economic data. The next Federal Reserve meeting is June 9-10, 2026, so near-term rate moves will be driven by inflation and jobs reports rather than a scheduled Fed decision.