New Braunfels: How Rates and Prices Shape Buying Power in October

What does a 7.32% mortgage rate mean for buyers in New Braunfels today? With the median closed price at $331,500 across 13 sales in September, and rates holding steady, financing costs are a primary driver of monthly affordability. ALEX Intelligence modeled buying power using the current median sale price and the prevailing 7.32% rate from the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey dated October 22, 2026. At these terms, the principal-and-interest payment on a $265,200 loan is $1,822 per month. Buyers can reduce that burden with buydowns. A standard 3-2-1 buydown costs $12,348 (3.72% of the median price) to lower the rate in year one, saving $506 monthly, then reducing the rate further in years two and three. A shorter 2-1 buydown costs $6,276 (1.89% of price) to reach a lower rate in year one and a higher rate in year two. The market context matters: median prices fell 17.0% from the prior month and 17.6% from last September, while days on market rose 29.1% month-over-month and 26.8% year-over-year. These shifts suggest that rate-sensitive buyers may find more negotiating room now than in previous months. This analysis uses ALEX Intelligence estimates based on median sale price and current rates; it is not an appraisal or a guarantee of future payments. Want to see this home? Call or text George at 713.918.9951 for a private showing. Coverage: most home sales in New Braunfels 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