Fort Bend and Katy improved this week — and the gap across Houston got smaller
Five straight weeks of rising price cuts, but this week the distance between Houston’s softest and firmest sub-markets narrowed instead of widening — 14.4 points down to 12.6.
This week in HoustonWhat actually changed since last Wednesday
Greater Houston (9-county metro) · single-family · live listing data · per HAR MLS via Repliers
16,905 homes on the market here are asking less than they did the day they listed — 45.4% of everything for sale, median cut 4.6%. That is 73 more than last week, and the fifth straight week the share has climbed.
Sub-marketsHow that splits across the metro
These eight buckets are built on HAR’s own numbered market areas and cover every single-family listing in the MLS. Sorted by how much of each one has already cut, the spread runs from 35.6% inside the Loop to 48.2% out in Fort Bend. Median sale price and average days on market: trailing 90 days of closed sales per HAR MLS. Price-cut share and active counts: live listing data as of the send date.
| Sub-market | Active · new this week | Median sale | Avg DOM | Cut price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Bend / SouthwestRichmond · Missouri City · Fulshear · Sugar Land · Rosenberg · Sienna · Stafford | 4,963 · 384 | $365,000 | 48 | 48.2% ▼0.8 |
| Katy / WestKaty · Cypress · Copperfield · Jersey Village · Brookshire · Waller · Hockley | 5,379 · 496 | $353,085 | 44 | 48.1% ▼0.1 |
| NorthConroe · The Woodlands · Montgomery · Spring · Magnolia · Willis · Klein · Tomball | 6,872 · 540 | $359,968 | 52 | 47.3% ▲0.3 |
| Bay Area / CoastGalveston · League City · Clear Lake · Friendswood · Texas City · Dickinson · Crystal Beach | 3,628 · 243 | $355,000 | 54 | 47.1% ▲0.7 |
| NortheastHumble · Kingwood · Atascocita · Baytown · Crosby · Porter · New Caney · Cleveland | 6,492 · 523 | $273,411 | 52 | 45.7% ▲0.2 |
| South / PearlandPearland · Manvel · Angleton · Alvin · Rosharon · Pasadena · Deer Park · Southbelt | 3,585 · 288 | $300,000 | 55 | 44.9% ▲1.0 |
| Northwest / Cy-FairGreater Heights · Northside · Northwest Houston · Cypress North · Tomball · Hockley · Waller | 3,134 · 264 | $375,000 | 50 | 40.4% ▲1.0 |
| Inner Loop / CentralMontrose · Midtown · Museum District · Bellaire · West U · Galleria · Memorial · Spring Branch | 3,149 · 289 | $465,000 | 42 | 35.6% ▲1.0 |
Sub-markets are groupings of HAR MLS market areas; the eight together cover the full 9-county metro.
Market snapshotGreater Houston at a glance
9-county metro · single-family · trailing 90 days · per HAR MLS via Repliers · as of Aug 26, 2026
RatesThis week’s mortgage rates
The 30-year sits at 6.74%, essentially flat for a third straight week. On a $350,000 home with 10% down, principal & interest runs about $2,041 a month. Rates are not what is moving right now — asking prices are, and that is where your room is this fall. FHA is at 6.32%.
Source: Mortgage News Daily — 30-yr fixed and FHA as of Aug 25, 2026. Run your own numbers on my calculator.
From the blogA named storm in the Gulf can freeze your closing
A hurricane does not have to hit Houston to stall your sale — it just has to be named and sitting in the Gulf. Insurance carriers stop binding new policies, the NFIP runs on its own clock, and no lender funds without proof of coverage. We are in the thick of the season now, so here is how the timing actually works, and what to do if you are already under contract.
Read the hurricane season guide →
On the marketThree worth a look that week
Prices and status as of the send date; listings may have since sold or changed.
$98/sqft against the area’s $138 median, on a third-acre cul-de-sac lot. First time on the market in 38 years — roof and HVAC replaced in 2017, water heater this year, and a whole-house generator. Heads up: HOA $735/yr · taxes $8,165 (2025). Flood history was not confirmed on the disclosure — ask before you write an offer.
$138/sqft against Sugar Land’s $177 median — the widest gap in this price band that week. Study with french doors, primary suite down, four bedrooms and a game room up. Heads up: leased at $2,900/mo through March 2025, so expect landlord-grade finishes rather than owner upgrades. HOA $910/yr · taxes $9,118 (2025).
Started at $599,900 back in January and sat at $549,000 — an 8.5% reduction against a metro median cut of 4.6%, close to double the typical seller adjustment, on a 2022 build. Heads up: relisted four times since January; 209 days on the market in total, not the few days the newest MLS number suggests. It was also listed for lease at $3,250/mo. Tamarron MUD — taxes $14,374 (2.62% of price) plus $1,300/yr HOA.
Your equityYou don’t have to be selling to know your number
With about 5.6 months of supply, pricing and preparation decide everything right now. Even if a move is a year out, it’s worth ten minutes to know where you stand.
LocalAround Houston that week
- 2026 Houston Mariachi Festival — Fri 8/28 through Sun 8/30, Brown Theater at Wortham Center, from $29. Three nights, three different bills, closing with UTRGV’s Mariachi Aztlan and Ballet Folklorico.
- Buddy Guy Blues Festival — Sat 8/29, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Buddy Guy with Gary Clark Jr., Jimmie Vaughan, Ally Venable and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram.
- Jill Scott · To Whom This May Concern — Sun 8/30 & Mon 8/31, Smart Financial Centre, Sugar Land, with special guest Akeem Ali.
Buying, selling, or investing this year? Book a 15-minute call — I’ll send back something useful: a value on your home, a shortlist that fits, or the numbers on a deal. No pressure, no pitch.
