Published October 11, 2026 in Market Update

Hill Country Edge has fewer listings, but sales are still moving

By Scott Peck

Real estate, Tier 2 - Prem North /Hill Country Edge- Strong Value steady exp. cherry picked prospects

Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.40% as of October 8, 2026. That is a real number that shows up in every buyer's monthly payment. Yet the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 719 homes sold across Hill Country Edge in the three months ending August 31, 2026, up 7.3% from the same three months in 2025. Demand held. That tells you something.

At the same time, the Real Estate Data Aggregator showed only 1,026 homes for sale across the six ZIP codes, down 6.1% from a year before. Fewer listings with more sales means buyers are competing for what is out there. Pricing your home right still matters more than ever.

How each ZIP code is reading right now

The story shifts a lot depending on which street you are on. Here is what the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted in each ZIP code for the three months ending August 31, 2026.

Where things moved fast and where they slowed down

ZIP 78258, which covers Stone Oak and the neighborhoods around it, was the quickest market here. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted a median of 41 days on market, and 32.7% of homes went under contract within two weeks of listing. Nearly 1 in 5 homes sold above list price there.

ZIP 78261, out toward Cibolo Canyons and the far north, had the tightest supply. The Real Estate Data Aggregator showed just 3.3 months of supply, down 2.3 months from a year ago. Sales jumped 26.1% year over year. That is a meaningful shift.

Two ZIP codes worth a closer look

ZIP 78256, which covers Westover Hills and the neighborhoods just west of Loop 1604, is moving more slowly. The Real Estate Data Aggregator showed 7.8 months of supply there, up 3.6 months from a year ago. Only 20 homes sold in the period, down 25.9%. Sellers here need to be patient and priced right.

ZIP 78070, which covers Spring Branch and the Hill Country edge along the Guadalupe River corridor, also showed 7.8 months of supply. The median sale price came in at $394,950, down 30.8% from a year ago. That is a big shift. It likely reflects a mix change in what sold, not a collapse in value. But it is worth watching.

What rates are doing to the picture

Freddie Mac reported the 30-year fixed rate at 7.40% as of October 8, 2026. CNBC reported the average contract rate for conforming loans climbed to 7.49% the week of October 7, 2026. Those are real headwinds for buyers.

The National Association of Realtors reported that existing home sales nationally dipped 2.0% in August 2026 from the month before. But year-to-date through the first eight months of 2026, national sales were still up 1.6%, according to the National Association of Realtors. Hill Country Edge's 7.3% sales gain beats that national trend.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported that U.S. house prices rose 2.6% from July 2025 to July 2026. Most of the ZIP codes here are tracking close to or ahead of that pace on price, with a couple of exceptions worth knowing about.

What this means if you own a home here

The big picture is steady. Sales are up. Inventory is down. Buyers are still active even at 7.40%. But not every ZIP code reads the same, and not every street inside a ZIP code reads the same either.

In 78258 and 78261, well-priced homes are moving quickly. In 78256 and 78070, sellers are sitting longer. The difference between those two worlds can come down to one street, one price point, or one feature a home has or does not have.