Brazos County: How Rates and Buydowns Shape Buying Power in November

What does a 7.18% mortgage rate mean for a buyer in Brazos County today? With the median closed price at $394,182 across 33 sales in the rolling six months ending Oct 31, 2026, monthly principal and interest on a loan amount of $315,346 would be about $2,136. ALEX Intelligence modeled two common buydowns to show how payments shift at this rate. A 3-2-1 buydown costs $14,580 (3.7% of the median price) and reduces the first-year payment to $1,538, saving $598 per month; a 2-1 buydown costs $7,404 (1.88% of price) and lowers the first-year payment to $1,728, saving $408 per month. These figures are ALEX Intelligence estimates based on the median sale price and do not include taxes, insurance, or fees. The market context matters: 33 closed sales in the last six months show a median close-to-original-list ratio of 98.2%, with 75.8% selling below original list. Compared to the prior six-month window, the median price is down 8.0% while days on market fell 66.7%. The current rate environment means buydowns can be a practical tool to improve affordability without changing the purchase price. All mortgage-rate figures and buydown costs are sourced from Freddie Mac for the week of 2026-11-05. These model outputs are estimates, not appraisals, and actual payments vary by credit profile and loan terms. Want a closer look? Reply or call George at 713.918.9951 and we'll set up a showing. Coverage: most home sales in Brazos County are listed in another MLS, which ALEX does not receive yet. The figures in this post count only sales listed in Unlock MLS (ABOR), so they describe part of the local market, not all of it. 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