Hays County Market Heat Score: Cooling in October

Is the Hays County market cooling faster than expected? The ALEX Intelligence Market Heat Score for October 2026 reflects a distinct shift toward buyer conditions. This composite index weighs median days on market, sale-to-list ratios, inventory levels, and price reductions to gauge local momentum. The most significant driver is the surge in time on market. Median days on market jumped to 78 days, up 32.2% from September and 13.0% higher than October 2025. Homes are taking longer to sell as inventory accumulates; active listings now total 1,831, creating a 4.87-month supply of homes. This volume pushes the market away from the tight balance seen earlier in the year. Price dynamics also reflect this softening trend. The median close price settled at $365,000, down 0.9% from September and 6.4% lower than the same month last year. Just over one in eight sales achieved their original list price, with 87.5% closing below asking. While the market remains active with 290 closed sales, the combination of rising inventory and extended selling times indicates a cooling environment where buyers have gained leverage. ALEX Intelligence calculates this score by normalizing these four key metrics against historical baselines for Hays County. A score below 50 signals a buyer's market, while scores above 70 typically indicate strong seller conditions. The current reading suggests caution for sellers and opportunity for buyers who can negotiate on price and terms. 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