Austin’s white-hot housing market is easing off the boil, with the metro’s median home price slipping about 3 percent from March 2025 to March 2026. It is the lowest March median since 2021 and a clear sign that the pandemic-era sugar high is wearing off. Buyers are finally seeing more homes to pick from and a little less elbowing for the same listing in many neighborhoods.
Unlock MLS: Metro median at $426,220
According to Unlock MLS, the Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos MSA's March median came in at $426,220, a 3.0 percent decrease from March 2025. In the same report, released April 14, 2026, the metro's first quarter median landed at $415,300, down about 3.4 percent year over year. Active listings increased, months of inventory ticked up, and pending sales also climbed, a mix of numbers that nudged conditions closer to a balanced market instead of the one-way street sellers enjoyed a few years ago.
City prices dipped faster than the suburbs
Those shifts are showing up more sharply inside the city limits. According to Unlock MLS, the City of Austin's March median price was $550,000, a 6.8 percent drop compared with March 2025. The report calls it "the lowest March median price since 2021" and notes that the retreat is "creating a more accessible entry point for buyers" as options open up across more price points.
Inventory, rates and local reporting
According to the Texas Real Estate Research Center, a wave of fresh listings and higher inventory is pushing Texas markets toward more buyer-friendly conditions even as mortgage rates keep jumping around. Local coverage by KVUE spotlighted the Unlock MLS numbers and quoted agents who said the calmer pace is already changing how clients shop and write offers. If rates stop swinging quite so much, the increase in pending sales cited in the Unlock MLS release could translate into a steady, if more level-headed, spring market.
What this means for buyers and sellers
For buyers, the near-term upside is straightforward: more inventory to choose from and a bit more leverage when it comes to negotiating on well-priced homes. There is still competition, but it is less of a sprint and more of a brisk jog. Sellers who are anchored to peak frenzy pricing, however, may have to recalibrate expectations and sharpen their strategy on list price, staging and timing as shoppers compare more options before committing. The full March and Q1 2026 Central Texas Housing Report is available from Unlock MLS for readers who want the detailed county-by-county numbers.
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