More Listings, Fewer Closings: D-FW Home Buyers Remain Cautious, Reports Show

Home prices in the D-FW housing market showed mixed movement last month as rising inventory and longer selling times had their different impacts on the various submarkets.

MetroTex Association of Realtors’ latest reports for the month of January showed that the median home price across the Metroplex fell by 2.9% year-over-year, clocking $375,000. Closed sales declined by 5.8%, though, signaling prospective buyers remain cautious even with more options on the market. Inventory ticked up by 3.7%.

January figures had homes staying an average of 109 days on the market, up a whole week from the start of the year in 2025.  

The cooling closing activity reflects a broader trend in buyer behavior nationwide. Just the month before, a record share of pending home sales fell through, with more than 16% of contracts canceled — and D-FW saw even higher fall-through rates in its flagship cities, as previously reported by CandysDirt.com. Nationally, there were 47% more sellers than buyers, another record number.

Homebuyers Getting Cold Feet, Pending Sales Fall Through at Record Rates

A recent Bank of America homebuyer report lends insight into the seeming uncertainty among prospective buyers and homeowners. The survey found that 60% of respondents were unsure whether now is a good time to buy, the highest level of uncertainty in three years. At the same time, many would-be buyers (75%) are holding off on purchasing in hopes that home prices and mortgage rates will drop further.

For those looking in the D-FW, some counties are showing more opportunity than others. In Dallas County, the median price inched up by 1% to $346,500. Meanwhile, closed sales dropped by almost 9%.

Prospective buyers in Collin County might find a better “deal,” despite a significantly higher median home price of $444,000. The median price fell by 5.2%, and listings surged nearly 15%. Homes stayed on the market, though, an average of 113 days, six more than in January 2025.

By contrast, more outlying counties continued to show price momentum. Ellis County recorded a 7.8% jump in median price to $425,950, while Rockwall County clocked an even higher 8.5% increase to $430,000 and a near 7% gain in closed sales. Both counties also posted higher months of inventory, suggesting a growing supply alongside sustained demand.

Tarrant County remained largely flat, with median prices unchanged at $342,000 and both listings and sales slipping 2.7% year-over-year.

It just goes to show that even if the housing market is rebalancing toward buyers on the whole, conditions remain highly localized. Significant movement on the mortgage rate front, however, could definitely shake things up. There’s plenty of pent-up demand, but affordability concerns remain top of mind for many buyers.

Those who can’t wait any longer and qualify can get some relief through grant programs offered by lenders. Bank of America, for instance, has a down payment grant available (capped at $10,000) that covers up to 3% of the home’s price. Another provides up to $7,500 for closing costs or to buy down an interest rate some.

Some $2.7 million in grants were issued in the Dallas area through Bank of America’s Community Homeownership Commitment program. Of the borrowers who used the program in 2025, 88% were first-time homebuyers and 96% were low- to moderate-income individuals. Since 2020, the lender has distributed nearly $27 million in housing grants to D-FW residents.