Caldwell County: How Rates Affect Buying Power in October

Deal of the Week

Deal of the Week · 138 Talon DR, Luling TX 78648 · MLS #7607711 · Listed by Land Unlimited. ALEX valuation $209,000 is an ALEX Intelligence estimate, not an appraisal.

Deals of the Week by price quartile. The quartiles come from the last 12 months of closed sales here. Each pick has the top ALEX deal score in its price range. Lower quartile: under $215,000 138 Talon DR, Luling TX 78648 · MLS #7607711 Listed at $198,500, 3 bed, 2 bath, 1,426 sq ft. Listed 5% below the ALEX valuation; 11% under the local price per sq ft; price reduced 8% from original. See it on alex.realestate: https://www.alex.realestate/listing-detail/1182517710/138-Talon-DR-Luling-TX Lower-middle quartile: $215,000 to $243,000 435 Dubai Ave, Maxwell TX 78656 · MLS #5363213 Listed at $240,999, 4 bed, 2 bath, 2,162 sq ft. Listed 12% below the ALEX valuation; 18% under the local price per sq ft; price reduced 10% from original. See it on alex.realestate: https://www.alex.realestate/listing-detail/1189440275/435-Dubai-Ave-Maxwell-TX Upper-middle quartile: $243,000 to $340,000 1002 Golden ST, Maxwell TX 78656 · MLS #5894690 Listed at $267,160, 4 bed, 3 bath, 2,246 sq ft. Listed 8% below the ALEX valuation; 27% under the local price per sq ft; price reduced 5% from original. See it on alex.realestate: https://www.alex.realestate/listing-detail/1186265719/1002-Golden-ST-Maxwell-TX Upper quartile: $340,000 and up 661 Hidden Oak RD, Dale TX 78616 · MLS #6978163 Listed at $700,000, 3 bed, 3 bath, 1,920 sq ft. Listed 5% below the ALEX valuation; price reduced 20% from original. See it on alex.realestate: https://www.alex.realestate/listing-detail/1178529237/661-Hidden-Oak-RD-Dale-TX

Key figures · Caldwell County · September 2026

32 homes sold in Caldwell County in September 2026 (down 15.8% on a year earlier).

Median sale price: $269,490 (down 12.2% on a year earlier).

Median price per square foot: $151.

Median days on market: 46.

Median sale price as a share of the original list price: 92.5%.

249 homes for sale now, about 6.0 months of supply at the pace of the last six months.

Source: Unlock MLS, September 2026. Homes only (single-family, condo, townhome). Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

What does a 7.32% mortgage rate mean for a buyer in Caldwell County today? With the median closed price at $269,490 across 32 sales in September, ALEX Intelligence calculated monthly payments and buydown costs to show how financing terms change affordability. Using the standard scenario provided in the data for a 30-year fixed loan at 7.32%, the principal and interest payment is $1,481 per month. This baseline assumes no temporary rate reduction. A common strategy to lower initial payments is a buydown, where the seller or builder pays points to reduce the interest rate for the first few years. For this median price point, a 3-2-1 buydown costs $10,044 total (3.73% of the sale price). In year one, it lowers the rate to 4.32%, saving $412 monthly compared to the standard rate. The savings drop to $281 in year two and $144 in year three. A shorter 2-1 buydown costs $5,100 total (1.89% of price), reducing the rate to 5.32% in year one and 6.32% in year two, with savings of $281 and $144 respectively. These figures are ALEX Intelligence estimates based on the median sale price and current market rates; they are not appraisals. Buyers should weigh the upfront cost of a buydown against their cash flow needs and how long they plan to stay in the home. The data reflects September 2026 closed sales activity and current financing conditions as reported by Freddie Mac. Want to see this home? Call or text George at 713.918.9951 for a private showing. Data from Unlock MLS. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Model outputs are ALEX Intelligence estimates, not appraisals. Read more Central Texas market data on the ALEX blog: https://alex-companies.com/blog MIT, Nvidia, Google & IBM-Trained. Cross Domain-Expert: Quantum, AI, Ethics, Sovereignty, Intelligence, Philanthropy. Solepoint Planning. VUI AI Cloud Architect. AI Certifications Development. Quant/AI Instructor. Castor Venture Club Member. Associate Broker. George Arnold Alexander III, MPA Director, ALEX Companies Associate Broker, Alexander Tiffany Southwest, LLC dba ALEX.realestate, et.al. Texas License #574878-B · Broker License #565194-BB Broker, ALEX Real Estate · North Carolina License #367733 Independent Broker, ALEX Real Estate · Colorado License #II.100112456 [email protected] · +1 713.918.9951