Austin and San Antonio now rank among the nation’s strongest buyer’s markets, according to a new report from Redfin, as the number of houses for sale puts the smaller number of buyers in the driver seat.
San Antonio tops the list, with Austin following closely behind.
The Seattle-based real estate brokerage and data analyst’s Redfin’s October report found San Antonio had about 117% more sellers than buyers, the widest gap among the country’s 50 largest metros. Austin ranked second, with 115% more sellers than buyers. That was down slightly from September, when it held the top spot in the nation.
In San Antonio, Redfin estimated there were 18,467 sellers and 8,497 buyers. It put the median sale price at $303,896, down 0.6% from a year earlier. In Austin, it estimated 17,176 sellers and 7,999 buyers, with a median sale price of $449,647, up 2.1%.
Nationally, Redfin said there were 36.8% more home sellers than buyers last month, the largest such imbalance in records dating back to 2013. Redfin defines a market with more than 10% more sellers than buyers as a buyer’s market and one with more than 10% fewer sellers than buyers as a seller’s market.
“There’s a shortage of both first-time buyers and repeat buyers because mortgage rates and home prices have gone up so much in recent years,” said Matt Purdy, a Redfin Premier real estate agent. “At the same time, there are homeowners who need to sell because they have to relocate for a job or are getting divorced. Sellers want top dollar because they’re focused on recouping their investment, but buyers are focused on having a low monthly payment, so there’s this gap in expectations that’s making it hard for buyers and sellers to see eye to eye.”
The latest data from Unlock MLS also showed Austin’s market cooled in October after a strong September, with sales down nearly 10% from a year earlier as inventory rose to about 5.3 months.
Brandy Wuensch, 2025 president of both Unlock MLS and the Austin Board of Realtors, said earlier this month that the data reflect a market that is adjusting but remains healthy.
“Affordability challenges remain in Central Texas, but we’re seeing more buyers re-enter the market as pricing holds steady and inventory expands,” she said.
Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston also ranked among the top buyer’s markets, with nearly double and 43% more sellers than buyers, respectively. Redfin noted that Texas and Florida continue to lead the nation in new-home construction, leaving both states with more listings than there are buyers ready to act.