April closed sales rose 13.0% year over year while the median price slipped 1.1%. More deals happened without the market needing another price run-up.
April 2026 MSA data · Unlock MLS · published May 2026
01 : Market Pulse
Volume came back before pricing power did.
April was busier, but not hotter. That distinction matters more than the usual up-or-down market label.
66%
Buyer Advantage
5.2 months of inventory, 70 DOM, and a 94.5% close-to-list ratio gave buyers time and negotiating room even as sales increased.
34%
Seller Advantage
Closed sales rose 13.0% YoY while the median price fell 1.1%. Sellers got more transactions without regaining full pricing power.
40%
Renter Advantage · directional
Rent fell 4.5% YoY, but lease supply tightened. The locked May calculation produced 40%. No renter delta is shown while the two judgment-based renter inputs remain under refinement.
The May read: April proved that activity could improve without another price surge. More homes changed hands, but buyers still had time, inventory, and negotiating room.
$440KMedian sale price-1.9% YoY
4.7Months inventorybuyer-friendly supply
2,959Pending sales+13.0% YoY
61Average DOMslower market time
02 : Pressure Points
The market got busier without getting pricier
The most useful April numbers show why transaction volume and pricing power are not the same thing.
$440K-0.9% YoY
Median Sale Price
A slight decline, not a reset.
+
The MSA median came in at $440,000, down 1.9% year over year. The important part is what happened beside it: sales rose 13.0%. More buyers and sellers found a deal without the median needing to move higher.
2,959+13.0% YoY
Closed Sales
Transaction volume improved meaningfully.
+
Closed sales rose 13.0% year over year. That is the central April story: the market became more active without becoming materially more expensive.
13,42813,428 active
Active Listings
Enough supply remained to keep buyers selective.
+
The MSA carried 11,592 active listings and 4.7 months of inventory. That was enough supply to prevent the higher sales count from turning into a broad seller market.
61slower market time
Average Days on Market
Enough time for strategy. Not enough to ignore good listings.
+
Average market time was 67 days. A busier market did not suddenly become a fast market, which kept timing and pricing strategy relevant.
94.5%slower market time
Average Close-to-List
The market was still negotiating, not just accepting asking prices.
+
Homes closed at an average of 94.3% of original list price. More sales did not eliminate negotiation. Buyers and sellers were simply finding more workable terms.
03 : What Shifted
What April changed
More transactions did not erase buyer leverage. They showed that buyers and sellers were finding more workable middle ground.
+13.0%
More deals actually closed
April did not just generate more interest. It produced more completed transactions. That is a stronger signal than traffic or showing activity alone.
-1.1%
Price did not follow volume higher
The median slipped even as sales rose. That is why April reads as a healthier transaction market, not a return to seller-driven pricing.
-4.5%
Renters got price relief, not endless choice
Median rent fell to $2,100, down 4.5% YoY, while active lease inventory fell 7.3%. Lower rent did not mean a huge expansion in available options.
04 : County View
Where the metro told four different stories
Tap a county to see where demand was accelerating, where inventory stayed loose, and where closed sales told a very different story.
Travis County: buyers were active even as the median moved lower.
$515KMedian · -2.1% YoY
5.6Months inventory
+15.5%Closed sales YoY
94.7%Close-to-list
Haus take: Travis closed 15.5% more sales while the median fell 2.1%. More activity did not translate into broad pricing power, which is exactly the pattern the MSA was showing.
Williamson County: tighter supply and stronger pending demand.
$410KMedian · -4.3% YoY
4.5Months inventory
+9.7%Closed sales YoY
95.0%Close-to-list
Haus take: Williamson was tighter than the MSA at 4.5 months of inventory. Sales rose 9.7% while the median fell 4.3%, another example of activity improving without price acceleration.
Hays County: the outlier in the demand story.
$400KMedian · +5.7% YoY
4.9Months inventory
+7.8%Closed sales YoY
95.0%Close-to-list
Haus take: Hays moved differently. Sales rose 7.8% and the median rose 5.7%, giving sellers a stronger pricing story than Travis or Williamson.
Bastrop County: the most negotiating room in this group.
$334.5KMedian · slower market time
6.9Months inventory
+26.9%Closed sales YoY
92.3%Close-to-list
Haus take: Bastrop had the deepest negotiating room in this set: 6.9 months of inventory and a 92.3% close-to-list ratio, even as closed sales jumped 26.9%.
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05 : Your Move
What a busier market meant for your move
The same data can support different decisions depending on what you are trying to accomplish.
The opportunity was not lower prices everywhere. It was better terms with enough time to think.
April rewarded prepared buyers with time and choice, even as more transactions made it to the closing table.
Use market time70 DOM kept stale listings relevant.
Negotiate beyond priceThe close-to-list gap still left room for terms.
Watch local demandCounty conditions were already diverging.
The rent headline improved. The choice set did not.
Median rent fell 4.5% year over year, while active lease inventory fell 7.3%. Renters saw meaningful price relief without a major increase in available supply.
Compare total costRenewal and moving are not just rent numbers.
Watch availabilityFewer listings can matter more than a small rent decline.
Stay flexibleRenting can still be the better decision.
The Haus Index is named for the month it is published. The most current complete monthly Unlock MLS report available in May covers April.
What does a 66 Buyer Advantage score mean?
It is a directional leverage score, not a forecast. The current mix of inventory, price movement, market time, close-to-list behavior, pending activity, and sales pace leaned more favorable to buyers than sellers.
Why is the renter score labeled directional?
The May renter score is 40%. It is labeled directional because two renter sub-scores still use judgment rather than locked objective formulas. The score is published, but the month-over-month renter delta is intentionally suppressed.
How can sales rise while prices fall?
Because transaction volume and pricing power are different things. April had more completed deals, but buyers still had enough inventory, time, and negotiating room to keep the median from rising.
Data: April 2026 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos MSA sales and leasing data from Unlock MLS / Austin Board of REALTORS®. Detailed Unlock MLS / Austin Board of REALTORS market reports updated May 6, 2026.
