Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth Market Update: November 2026

It is the second week of October, and the fall story in Texas is a slow grind: mortgage rates just pushed to their highest level in months, Houston keeps serving up the most homes in years, and Dallas-Fort Worth's median is holding firm even as homes take longer to sell. Here is the latest monthly update for both markets, with every figure dated and its source named so you can check my work.

Houston: record supply, steady prices

The most recent official report from the Houston Association of Realtors covers August sales and was released September 9. It put the median single-family sale price at $330,000, down 1.5 percent from $335,000 a year earlier, with the average sale price at $426,760, up 1.2 percent. Active single-family listings stood at 38,947 homes, holding months of inventory at 5.3. Homes took a median 54 days to sell, up from 52 days a year earlier, and single-family closings ran 7,100 for the month, down 11.5 percent year over year. HAR framed the market as more balanced, with more supply than the region has seen in years. The official September report had not been published as of this writing, but two Houston analysts have put out early reads. Bexley Realty Group's October 7 analysis and ArriveHouston's October newsletter both peg the September median near $330,000, which would be a record for the month and up roughly 0.9 percent year over year, with inventory around 5.2 months of supply and homes taking about 55 days to sell. Treat those September numbers as preliminary until HAR posts the official release.

DFW: firm median, slower pace

For Dallas-Fort Worth, the latest NTREIS-based figures from The Dunnican Team put the metro median sale price at $389,000, up 0.7 percent year over year, with months of supply at a balanced 4.4, active listings down 5.7 percent and closed sales down 5.5 percent. On the listing side, Realtor.com data pulled through FRED shows a median listing price of $425,000 for the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro in August. Luxe Realty Group's September estimate runs higher, near $410,000 for the single-family median, roughly flat to slightly down from a year ago. The sources measure differently, but they agree on the direction: DFW prices are holding near their highs while the market has slowed enough to give buyers real negotiating room.

Mortgage rates: pushing past 7.4 percent

Freddie Mac's weekly survey averaged 7.40 percent for a 30-year fixed-rate loan in the week ending October 8, 2026, up from 7.28 percent the week before and 7.03 percent in late September. A year earlier the same survey averaged 6.30 percent, so today's borrower is financing roughly 110 basis points more than this time last October. Rates climbed steadily through September and the first week of October, and that pressure is a big part of why both markets feel slower.

What this means for buyers and sellers

For buyers, October is still a good month to be looking. More inventory and longer marketing times mean you can tour more homes and negotiate on terms, not just price. Ask for closing-cost help, ask about rate buydowns, and plan around a 7 percent plus rate being today's reality. For sellers, the market rewards honest pricing. Houston's median is roughly flat to down slightly from a year ago depending on the report, DFW is up about 0.7 percent on the NTREIS figures, and the homes moving first are priced against today's comparable sales, not last year's. A defensible list price, sharp presentation, and a willingness to talk terms beat a price cut later.

The bottom line

Neither market is breaking; both are settling into a more balanced rhythm after an extraordinary run. Houston has near-record supply and steady prices, DFW is holding value while slowing down, and rates are the biggest wildcard heading into the holidays. If you want to know what these numbers mean for your specific address, Sharcom Realty Group works Houston, Katy, and DFW every day. We will pull the current comparable sales for your neighborhood and give you a straight answer, no charge and no pressure.

Sources: Houston Association of Realtors, August 2026 Monthly Housing Update, released September 9, 2026; Bexley Realty Group, Is Houston a Buyer's or Seller's Market Right Now?, October 7, 2026, preliminary September data; ArriveHouston, October 2026 newsletter, preliminary September data; The Dunnican Team, DFW Metroplex Housing Market Update, NTREIS data; Realtor.com median listing price for the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro via FRED, August 2026; Luxe Realty Group, Dallas-Fort Worth Real Estate Market Report, September 2026; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week ending October 8, 2026.