San Antonio Housing Market Update: August 17 to August 23, 2026

If you're relocating to San Antonio and waiting for the housing market to suddenly become “perfect,” this week's numbers are a good reminder that the better strategy may be understanding where the opportunities are right now.

San Antonio continues to give buyers something they haven't always had: options, time and negotiating room.

For the week of August 17 through August 23, 2026, 6,501 single family homes were active across the San Antonio MLS, 2,059 properties recorded price changes, and sellers contributed nearly $10,000 on average toward buyer expenses on closed transactions.

At the same time, mortgage rates remain one of the biggest affordability challenges for buyers.

Here's what the numbers mean if you're buying a home or planning a move to San Antonio.

This Week's San Antonio Housing Market Numbers

According to this week's San Antonio MLS activity:

🏡 6,501 homes were active

🆕 999 new listings

↩️ 161 homes came back on the market

📉 2,059 price changes

📝 391 homes entered Active Option

⏳ 714 homes went pending

🔑 663 homes sold

❌ 253 listings were cancelled

There were more than three times as many price changes as closed sales during the week.

That doesn't mean every seller is desperate to negotiate, but it does tell us something important: pricing matters, and a substantial number of sellers are adjusting their expectations.

For buyers, especially those relocating from another state and trying to understand San Antonio from a distance, that can create opportunities that aren't obvious from simply scrolling through listings online.

What Did Homes Actually Sell For?

Of the 663 single family homes included in the week's closed sales:

Median sold price: $305,000

Average sold price: $384,259

Median price per square foot: $157.18

Average price per square foot: $181

Median days on market: 61 days

Average days on market: 84 days

Median list price to sold price ratio: 98.83%

The median home sold for approximately $5,000 below its final list price.

But that number only tells part of the story.

Buyers Are Still Receiving Almost $10,000 in Seller Concessions

This continues to be one of the most important numbers I watch each week.

The average seller concession was $9,933.68, while the median was $8,905.

For buyers, concessions can sometimes be more valuable than negotiating the same amount off the purchase price.

Depending on the loan program and transaction, seller contributions may potentially be used toward allowable closing costs, prepaid expenses or an interest rate buydown.

For military families using VA financing, concessions can be especially important because VA rules provide additional flexibility for certain allowable seller paid expenses.

This is why I don't approach an offer by automatically asking, “How far below asking price can we go?”

The better question is:

How do we structure this offer to create the best overall financial outcome for the buyer?

Sometimes that's price.

Sometimes it's closing costs.

Sometimes it's a rate buydown.

And sometimes it's a combination.

Mortgage Rates Are Still the Affordability Wild Card

Mortgage News Daily's August 21 survey showed:

30 year conventional: 6.77%

15 year conventional: 6.61%

30 year FHA: 6.33%

30 year VA: 6.35%

Rates had moved slightly higher, with the 30 year conventional rate increasing 0.01 percentage point and VA increasing 0.02 percentage point.

That's another reason I encourage relocating buyers to think about the monthly payment rather than just the purchase price.

A seller agreeing to contribute toward a temporary or permanent rate buydown may have a greater impact on the monthly payment than a modest reduction in the home's sales price.

Your lender can run those scenarios before you write an offer so you can compare the actual numbers.

San Antonio Is Looking More Like a Balanced Market

The weekly numbers aren't occurring in isolation.

The San Antonio Board of REALTORS® reported that the broader San Antonio area had reached approximately 6.13 months of housing inventory in June, a level generally associated with a more balanced housing market.

That's very different from the ultra-competitive market buyers experienced a few years ago.

It means buyers can often compare more homes, evaluate resale versus new construction and be more selective about location and condition.

It does not mean every home is negotiable.

A well-priced, updated home in a desirable neighborhood can still attract strong interest.

But buyers generally have more room to make thoughtful decisions than they did when inventory was extremely limited.

Relocating to San Antonio? Don't Compare Homes by Price Alone

This is probably one of the biggest mistakes I see people make before moving here.

Two $400,000 homes can have very different monthly payments.

Why?

Property taxes.

Texas doesn't have a state property tax. Instead, property taxes are imposed locally by cities, counties, school districts and special purpose districts.

That means the total tax rate can change considerably depending on exactly where a home is located.

A home in San Antonio, Cibolo, Schertz, New Braunfels, Boerne or an unincorporated area may have a very different tax structure even when the purchase prices are similar.

Some newer communities may also have additional taxing districts.

When I'm helping relocation clients compare homes, I look at more than purchase price. We need to compare the estimated payment, taxes, HOA expenses and other recurring costs.

Texas' Homestead Exemption Is Another Number Newcomers Should Know

If the home becomes your primary residence and you qualify, Texas' residence homestead exemption can reduce the taxable value used to calculate certain property taxes.

For 2026, Texas requires school districts to provide a $140,000 residence homestead exemption. Some local taxing entities may offer additional exemptions.

Another important point for buyers moving here midyear: qualifying homeowners who purchase after January 1 may be able to receive the general residence homestead exemption for the applicable portion of that tax year if the previous owner wasn't already receiving the exemption.

That's something many buyers moving from another state don't realize.

Your Commute Should Be Part of Your Home Search

San Antonio is geographically large, and a home that looks “close” on a map doesn't necessarily mean the commute will feel close during rush hour.

That's particularly important for buyers considering the northeast corridor toward Schertz, Cibolo and New Braunfels.

TxDOT's I 35 Northeast Expansion continues to reshape this corridor. Current transportation planning includes major projects along I 35 and Loop 1604, with additional improvements planned through the remainder of the decade.

If you're moving here for Randolph AFB, Fort Sam Houston, BAMC, USAA, UTSA, the Medical Center or another major employer, I recommend choosing your target areas after we talk about your commute.

A beautiful home can become much less appealing if you spend two hours a day getting to and from work.

Resale vs. New Construction Is Still a Major San Antonio Buyer Decision

Relocating buyers should also compare resale homes with new construction before making a decision.

Builders may offer financing incentives, closing cost assistance or other promotions that can change the monthly payment significantly.

But incentives shouldn't be the only factor.

You also need to compare:

property taxes

HOA costs

lot location

included upgrades

future phases of construction

commute

school boundaries

resale competition

estimated monthly payment

A builder's advertised interest rate may look incredible, but the house still needs to make sense for your family's long term plans.

And yes, you can have your own Realtor represent you when purchasing new construction. Ideally, your agent should be involved before your first visit to the builder.

What This Week's Market Means for San Antonio Buyers

This week's numbers tell me buyers should be paying attention to leverage, not just interest rates.

More than 2,000 price changes occurred.

Homes spent a median of 61 days on the market.

The median sale closed below the final list price.

And sellers contributed almost $10,000 on average toward buyer expenses.

Those are meaningful negotiating signals.

Instead of trying to perfectly time mortgage rates, buyers may be able to use today's market conditions to negotiate a better overall deal and potentially refinance later if rates eventually decline.

Of course, refinancing isn't guaranteed, which is why the payment needs to work for you today.

Moving to San Antonio?

Buying a home from another city or state isn't just about finding something you like online.

You need to understand where to live, what your commute will actually look like, how property taxes affect your payment, which communities fit your lifestyle, whether new construction makes sense and where you may have negotiating leverage.

I've helped 225+ families relocate to San Antonio, including military families PCSing to the area and civilian families moving here for work, family and a change of lifestyle.

My goal isn't simply to help you find a house.

It's to help you understand San Antonio well enough to make a confident decision about where and what to buy.

If you're planning a move to San Antonio, reach out before you start narrowing down neighborhoods. We can build your search around your commute, budget, lifestyle and priorities so you're looking in the right places from the beginning.

Weekly housing statistics are based on the San Antonio MLS data provided for this report. Mortgage rates shown are from Mortgage News Daily and can change daily. Rates, concessions, taxes and financing options vary by property, borrower, lender and transaction.