Which counties are buyer's markets and which are seller's markets?
Built from Allen Markel's own listing data · Texas Premier Realty ·
Short answer
By months of inventory: Austin County 8.2 (buyer's market), Waller County 7.0 (buyer's market), Grimes County 5.6 (balanced market), Fort Bend County 5.1 (balanced market), Harris County 5.1 (balanced market), Montgomery County 5.1 (balanced market). More months of supply usually means more room for buyers to negotiate; fewer means sellers have the edge.
The numbers
Months of inventory and market label: Austin County 8.2 months, Buyer's market; Waller County 7.0 months, Buyer's market; Grimes County 5.6 months, Balanced market; Fort Bend County 5.1 months, Balanced market; Harris County 5.1 months, Balanced market; Montgomery County 5.1 months, Balanced market.
How to use them
Every buyer and seller in the Houston area is weighing a different set of trade-offs, and waiting to decide is often the costliest choice. For which side of the market you are on in the Houston area, talk to us to find the right option for your circumstances.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Austin County | 8.2 months, Buyer's market |
| Waller County | 7.0 months, Buyer's market |
| Grimes County | 5.6 months, Balanced market |
| Fort Bend County | 5.1 months, Balanced market |
| Harris County | 5.1 months, Balanced market |
| Montgomery County | 5.1 months, Balanced market |
Common follow-up questions
What is a balanced market?
Many analysts treat about four to six months of supply as balanced.
Does the label apply to every home?
No. Price bands and communities within a county can behave very differently.
Sources
Talk it through with Allen
A short call can turn a general answer into one for your address, your timeline and your numbers.
Related questions
Which Houston-area county has the most homes for sale?
Harris County has the most homes for sale right now, 20,402, followed by Montgomery County (6,871), Fort Bend County (5,329). Across the six counties we cover, 33,981 homes are for sale.
Read answerWhich county near Houston has the highest and lowest median home price?
Over the last six months, Fort Bend County had the highest median sale price at $389,900 and Grimes County the lowest at $300,000.
Read answerWhich county sells homes fastest?
By average cumulative days on the market for homes now listed, Fort Bend County is shortest at 97 days and Austin County longest at 119 days.
Read answerWhich county has the most homes with price cuts?
Montgomery County has the highest share of active homes with a price cut, 49%, and Harris County the lowest, 42%. A price cut shows the first asking price needed adjusting.
Read answerHow many homes sell each year in each Houston-area county?
In the 12 months to August 2026, closed sales were Harris County 45,175, Montgomery County 15,167, Fort Bend County 11,826, Waller County 1,900, Austin County 267, Grimes County 208.
Read answerWhat is the price per square foot in each Houston-area county?
Median price per square foot of homes sold in the last six months: Grimes County $194, Austin County $180, Fort Bend County $170, Montgomery County $168, Waller County $168, Harris County $161.
Read answer
Answers describe transactions and public data. They are not legal, tax or financial advice.