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DFW Market Brief, September 2026: Builders Push, Resale Recalibrates, Rentals Tighten

Writer: Brandon Scribner
Brandon Scribner
6 hours ago
4 min read

The Dallas-Fort Worth residential market closed September 2026 with the three segments moving in different directions. Builders brought more homes to market and pushed prices higher even as closings fell sharply. Resale sellers began giving back on price while inventory kept drawing down. Lease tightened further, with rents now closing above the average asking price.


Volume stayed soft everywhere, with closed sales down month-over-month in all three segments. Mortgage rates held at 6.41%, still 16 basis points below last year, which is material relief for qualifying buyers heading into the fourth quarter.


🏠 New Construction: Builders Push Price as Closings Slide


New construction flipped back from last month’s pullback. Builders raised list prices again, sold prices followed, and new listings climbed. But closings dropped hard, both month-over-month and year-over-year. Supply widened to 4.81 months, and homes are taking longer to sell.


Key New Construction Market Trends:


  • Active Listings: 9,025, up 2.3% MoM and down 7.8% YoY.


  • Average List Price: $570.66K, up 4.3% MoM and 4.2% YoY.


  • Average Sold Price: $472.1K, up 2.8% MoM and 3.0% YoY.


  • New Listings: 2,720, up 8.2% MoM and down 6.9% YoY.


  • Closed Sales: 1,670, down 13.0% MoM and 23.4% YoY.


The gap between builder asking prices and actual closing prices is now close to $99K, the widest in the report. Homes are selling at 93.5% of original list after 86 days on market. Builders are adding supply and raising asks while fewer buyers are closing, and that mismatch rarely holds for long. For buyers, the sold price is still what matters at the negotiating table, and new construction remains the deepest pocket of leverage in the metroplex.


🏘️ Resale: Sellers Recalibrate as Inventory Keeps Drawing Down


Resale moved the opposite way from new construction. List prices eased month-over-month and are now more than 7% below last September, which suggests sellers are pricing to the market rather than ahead of it. Sold prices dipped slightly month-over-month but are still up 2.3% year-over-year. Active inventory fell again, and new listings held roughly flat.


Key Resale Market Trends:


  • Active Listings: 26,672, down 1.5% MoM and 6.7% YoY.


  • Average List Price: $523.12K, down 1.8% MoM and 7.1% YoY.


  • Average Sold Price: $465.5K, down 0.7% MoM and up 2.3% YoY.


  • New Listings: 8,749, down 1.9% MoM and 3.0% YoY.


  • Closed Sales: 5,360, down 6.7% MoM and 4.3% YoY.



At 5.71 months of supply, resale sits just inside the seller’s side of the balanced line. The other signals are softer: days on market stretched to 61 and sellers are holding 93.5% of original list. That is now the same share new construction buyers are getting. Underlying values are still up year-over-year, but the gap between list and sold has widened to roughly $58K. Sharp pricing and positioning from day one matter more than ever.


🔑 Lease: Rents Close Above Ask as the Shortage Deepens


Lease remained the tightest corner of the market and got tighter. Active inventory fell month-over-month and is now a full 20% below last September. Closed rents rose again and are up nearly 6% year-over-year. They are now landing slightly above the average asking rent, the clearest sign of landlord pricing power in the report.


Key Rental Market Trends:


  • Active Listings: 10,725, down 1.6% MoM and 20.0% YoY.


  • Average List Price: $2.46K, down 0.7% MoM.


  • Average Sold Price: $2.5K, up 0.7% MoM and 5.9% YoY.


  • New Listings: 5,642, down 10.5% MoM and 8.9% YoY.


  • Closed Leases: 3,776, down 14.0% MoM and 9.5% YoY.



Properties are leasing at 97.0% of original list in 41 days, still the fastest and most price-resilient segment by a wide margin. New lease supply fell double digits month-over-month, and supply sits at just 2.38 months. Landlords continue to set the terms.


📈 Market Outlook


September shows the market pulling apart. Builders are betting on demand, adding inventory and raising prices, but closings are telling a different story. Resale sellers are adjusting expectations while supply keeps tightening, so prices are recalibrating without collapsing. Lease keeps compounding its shortage, with rents now clearing above ask.


  • Mortgage Rate: 6.41%, flat month-over-month and 16 basis points below last year. Rates are steady and still offer material relief for qualifying buyers.


  • Negotiation Window: Buyers hold equal percentage leverage in new construction and resale (both 93.5% of original). New construction offers the bigger dollar gap and the longest days on market. Lease leaves almost no room (97.0%).


  • Inventory Profile: New construction at 4.81 months is balanced and loosening. Resale at 5.71 months sits just on the seller’s side. Lease stays firmly landlord-favorable at 2.38 months.


  • Coming Soon: 373 new-construction and 373 resale listings are in the pipeline, plus 190 lease. The lease bench is deeper than last month heading into Q4.


Important Note:

This analysis is based on data from NTREIS (North Texas Real Estate Information Systems) as of September 30, 2026.  Market conditions can change rapidly, and this report is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a guarantee of future market performance.    

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