Sunset Oaks: Entry-Level Homes and Affordability in November

What does it take to afford a home in Sunset Oaks today? The median sale price for entry-level homes (the bottom quartile) sits at $258,832 across 42 closed sales in the rolling six months ending Oct 31, 2026. With current mortgage rates at 7.18% per Freddie Mac, monthly principal and interest payments on a standard loan start around $1,403. ALEX Intelligence applied a scenario model to show how buydowns affect affordability for this price tier. A 3-2-1 buydown reduces the initial monthly payment by $393 in year one at a total cost of $9,588 (3.7% of the sale price). A 2-1 buydown offers a smaller reduction, saving $269 per month in year one for $4,872 total (1.88% of price). The data shows that while prices have risen 9.4% compared to the same window last year, the market has also cooled slightly with median prices down 2.2% from the prior six-month period. Days on market dropped significantly by 66.3% versus the prior period, suggesting faster turnover for qualified buyers who can navigate current financing costs. For those looking at homes under $258,832, the path to ownership requires careful calculation of monthly payments against income, especially as rates remain above 7%. The median price per square foot is $154.86, with homes averaging 1,627 square feet in this segment. https://alex.realestate Want a closer look? Reply or call George at 713.918.9951 and we'll set up a 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