Pendings Up 5.4% Year Over Year

Austin Pending Sales Show Renewed Buyer Activity in 2025

The Austin real estate market is signaling renewed demand as pending sales rise above last year’s levels. As of August 19, 2025, daily pending listings stand at 4,294 properties under contract. This represents a 5.4 percent increase compared to the same day in 2024, when 4,074 homes were pending. In real terms, 220 more properties are moving under contract than at this time last year. Because pending sales typically lead closings by thirty to sixty days, this measure provides one of the clearest forward-looking indicators of market activity in Austin.

The year-over-year increase highlights a meaningful change in buyer behavior. More shoppers are writing offers that sellers are accepting, suggesting that demand is absorbing a larger share of available homes than it did last summer. This shift also points to a stronger closing pipeline in the weeks ahead. A year ago, the Austin housing market faced elevated inventory and cautious buyers, creating longer selling times and increased price adjustments. Today’s rise in pending sales indicates that conditions have improved and that buyers are more confident in moving forward.

Seasonal patterns add another layer to the story. Late summer often brings a modest increase in transactions as families complete school-year planning and rate watchers take advantage of more favorable payment conditions. The month-over-month momentum in pending activity confirms that showing traffic is translating into contracts at a faster pace than in August of last year. This rhythm underscores the importance of monitoring weekly data, as it provides early signals of where the market is headed before those changes appear in pricing trends.

The implications for both buyers and sellers are clear. For sellers, correctly priced and well-presented homes are more likely to receive offers quickly, reducing the need for repeated adjustments. For buyers, the rise in pendings means competition for high-quality listings will increase, leaving less room for aggressive discounting in the most desirable segments. Homes that require significant work or carry title complexities may still face longer market times, but move-in-ready properties are already benefiting from stronger demand.

From an investment standpoint, the lift in pending activity helps reduce absorption risk in key submarkets. More contracts today translate into faster stabilization for mid-priced homes near jobs, schools, and transit hubs. Tracking the ratio of new listings to pendings each week also offers valuable insight into the balance of supply and demand. When pendings absorb a larger share of new listings, it shortens lease-up times and lowers exit risk for resales.

Looking ahead, stability in the Austin housing market will depend on whether this increase in pendings is sustained. If the 5.4 percent year-over-year gain continues, it will first appear as fewer price reductions on new inventory. Over time, it will show up as firmer list-to-sale ratios in neighborhoods with healthy demand. While pending strength alone does not guarantee appreciation, it does reduce downward pressure and helps set a foundation for steadier pricing into the fall.

The bottom line is straightforward. With daily pending listings up to 4,294, the Austin real estate market is showing a constructive signal. Buyers are engaging more than they were a year ago, sellers have an opportunity to capture attention with accurate pricing, and agents can use today’s data to anchor forward-looking strategies. As always, pending sales remain one of the clearest leading indicators of what is to come.