Kissing Tree: How Mortgage Rates Affect Buying Power in November

What does a 7.18% mortgage rate mean for buyers in Kissing Tree right now? With the median home price at $481,490 across 36 closed sales in the rolling six months ending October 31, 2026, monthly payments are higher than they were a year ago when rates were lower. A standard 30-year fixed loan with 20% down on this median price results in a principal and interest payment of $2,609 per month at the current rate. ALEX Intelligence modeled two common buydown scenarios to show how these payments change. For a home priced at the median, a 3-2-1 buydown costs $17,808 upfront. This reduces the interest rate to 4.18% in year one, dropping the monthly payment to $1,879 and saving $730 per month compared to the standard loan. The savings decrease to $499 in year two and $255 in year three as the rate steps up. A 2-1 buydown is a lighter option at $9,048 total cost. It lowers the rate to 5.18% in the first year, reducing the monthly payment to $2,110 and saving $499 per month. In the second year, the rate moves to 6.18%, with a savings of $255 per month. These figures are ALEX Intelligence estimates based on median sale prices and current market rates, not appraisals. While these buydowns improve affordability temporarily, the median price in Kissing Tree has dropped 10.0% compared to the prior six-month period and is 14.9% lower than the same window last year. Days on market have also increased significantly, rising 90.1% from a year ago, suggesting buyers have more time to evaluate these financing options before committing. 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