If you’re trying to read the Houston housing market in September 2026, here’s the short version: prices are holding steady, there are more homes for sale than a year ago, and buyers are taking their time. The Houston Association of Realtors released its September numbers on October 14, and its own summary was that home prices remain steady as buyers navigate elevated mortgage rates. Let me walk you through the figures in plain English and what they mean if you’re thinking about buying or selling this fall.
What prices did in September
The median price of a single-family home in the Houston area was $325,000, essentially unchanged from $325,990 a year ago (a dip of about 0.3%). The average price rose 0.7% to $421,311, up from $418,256. When the median sits still and the average edges up slightly, it tells me the middle of the market is flat and the higher end is moving a little. There was no citywide spike and no citywide slide.
More homes on the market
There were 40,192 active single-family listings across the Houston area, up 6.3% from a year ago. That works out to 5.5 months of inventory, compared with 5.1 months last September. HAR notes that the national supply was 4.8 months, so Houston has more cushion than the country as a whole. A market around six months of supply is generally considered balanced, so we are drifting a little closer to that line.
On the demand side, pending listings (homes under contract that haven’t closed yet) fell 11.6% to 6,789, and single-family sales came in at 7,030, down 5.7%. HAR’s read is that some buyers are taking more time before they commit.
How long homes are taking to sell
Homes took an average of 58 days to sell in September, up from 56 days a year ago. It’s a small change, but it fits with everything else above. Well-priced homes still sell in a reasonable window, while overpriced ones are the ones that sit.
Rates are the story this month
Freddie Mac’s 30-year fixed rate averaged 6.86% in September, up from 6.35% a year earlier. HAR calculated that, with 20% down on a median-priced home, the monthly principal and interest payment rose $83.12 to $1,705.41. That is about $997 more per year. As HAR Chair Theresa Hill put it, higher mortgage rates are making buyers look more closely at what they can comfortably afford. I’m seeing the same thing in my conversations with buyers, who are focused on the monthly payment more than the list price.
What this means if you’re buying right now
You have a wide selection, steady prices, and homes that take a little longer to sell, which usually means more room to negotiate. You can often keep your inspection and option period and ask about help with closing costs. The rate is the piece to plan around. Before you tour, talk with a lender about what payment feels comfortable at today’s rate, so you shop with a real number. I put together a longer look at the timing question in Is It a Good Time to Buy a House in Houston?, and my guide to buying a home in Houston walks through each step in order.
What this means if you’re selling right now
With 6.3% more listings and fewer contracts being signed, your home is competing with more choices than a year ago, and buyers are watching their payment closely. The homes that do well are priced to recent comparable sales and presented at their best. Pricing to last year’s expectations tends to lengthen the days-on-market number. When we sit down, I’ll show you what has actually sold near you in the last 60 to 90 days and build the price from that. Here’s how I approach selling a home in Houston from the first conversation through closing.
The bottom line
September 2026 was a steady-price month with more inventory and softer demand, shaped mostly by higher mortgage rates. Whether that is good news depends on which side of the table you’re on, and the right move still comes down to your specific home, neighborhood, and timeline. You can pull the current numbers yourself from HAR’s Monthly Housing Update. If you’d rather talk it through for your situation, that’s what I’m here for.
Thinking about a move in Houston? Let’s talk.
Tell me what you’re weighing, whether that’s buying, selling, or just timing the market, and I’ll give you a clear read on what these numbers mean for your home and your plans. No pressure, no obligation.
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Kevan Pewitt · REALTOR® & Broker · Houston Prime Realty
Kevan Pewitt is a licensed Texas REALTOR® and Broker. Houston Prime Realty supports Equal Housing Opportunity. Market figures are from the Houston Association of Realtors and are general and current as of publication; verify current conditions for any specific home.
Last updated: October 2026
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