Published October 18, 2026 in Market Update

One part of this market is picking up while others are slowing

By Scott Peck

Real estate, Tier 4 - Central Prestige / I-35 NE Farm High Volume One offs, fill in volume , work opportunity

The National Association of Realtors reported that existing-home sales rose 1.5% in September 2026. That sounds encouraging. But inside this market, the story splits. One ZIP code is busier than ever. Another is pulling back. Your next move depends on which side of that line you are on.

These numbers cover the three months ending August 31, 2026. They come from the Real Estate Data Aggregator across five ZIP codes: 78209, 78212, 78230, 78154, and 78108.

The market as a whole

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 724 homes sold across these five ZIP codes. That is up 1.5% from a year ago. So the headline looks fine. But averages can hide a lot. Keep reading.

The ZIP that is picking up: 78154

ZIP 78154 had the strongest sales of any ZIP in this group. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 194 homes sold there, up 10.2% from the same three months in 2025. Pending sales hit 199, up 3.1%. Months of supply came in at 4.2, down 0.5 months from a year ago. Sellers there are still getting 98.1% of their list price on average.

Prices did slip. The median sale price in 78154 was $352,490, down 4% from a year ago. So more homes are selling, but buyers are getting a little more room on price. That is a fair trade-off for sellers who price it right.

The ZIP that is slowing: 78230

ZIP 78230 tells a different story. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 81 homes sold there, down 18.2% from a year ago. The median sale price dropped to $374,000, down 8.3%. Homes are sitting longer too. The median days on market was 61 days, which is 22 days longer than the same period last year. Pending sales fell 17.5%.

Not all bad news. Sellers in 78230 are still getting 97.2% of list price on average. And 31.7% of homes went under contract within two weeks of listing. That is the highest quick-contract rate of any ZIP in this group. So the right home, priced well, can still move fast.

How all five ZIP codes compare

ZIP 78209: the highest prices, and gaining ground

ZIP 78209 had the highest median sale price in the group. The Real Estate Data Aggregator put it at $562,500, up 14.8% from a year ago. That is a meaningful jump. Homes sold rose 4.3% to 147. Pending sales are up 6.4%. Days on market came in at 57, which is 5 days shorter than last year. The share of homes selling above list price climbed 3.1 points to 8.8%.

ZIP 78212: fewer sales, but homes are moving faster

ZIP 78212 had the fewest sales of the group. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 61 homes sold, down 12.9%. The median sale price dropped to $343,000, down 13.2%. That is a real dip. But here is what stands out: homes that did sell moved 23 days faster than a year ago. The share going under contract within two weeks rose 4.1 points to 17.1%. Fewer homes are selling, but the ones priced right are not sitting.

ZIP 78108: the most sales, but taking longer

ZIP 78108 had the most homes sold of any ZIP here. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 241 sales, up 6.2% from a year ago. The median sale price was $345,000, up 3%. That combination of more sales and rising prices is solid. The catch: homes are taking longer. The median days on market was 90 days, which is 22 days longer than last year. Buyers have more time to decide. Sellers need to account for that.

What the national picture adds

The National Association of Realtors reported that existing-home sales reached 3.99 million units in September 2026, up 1.5%. National inventory rose to 1.60 million homes. So more supply is coming onto the market across the country, and that matters for how buyers think about their options.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the U.S. unemployment rate held at 4.2% in September 2026, with 7.1 million people out of work. Payrolls added just 29,000 jobs. A slower jobs picture tends to make buyers more cautious, and that caution shows up in longer days on market.

Mortgage rates are adding pressure too. A market report from October 15, 2026 noted that the weekly average mortgage rate hit 7.4% on October 8, a three-year high. The same report put the typical monthly mortgage payment at $2,777. And 22% of sellers with active listings had already cut their asking price, the highest level on record according to that report. That is the national backdrop. It helps explain why some ZIP codes here are seeing softer demand.

What this means for you

These ZIP codes sit close to each other on a map. But the numbers tell different stories. A home in 78154 is moving in a busier market with tighter supply. A home in 78230 is competing in a market where fewer buyers are showing up. A home in 78108 is selling well but taking longer to get there. Pricing and timing need to match the ZIP, not the average.