Is Now a Good Time to Sell in Texas Hill Country?

Is it a good time to sell a home in New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, or Bulverde in 2026?

The short answer: yes — but with a different playbook than three years ago. The Hill Country market has shifted from an extreme seller's market toward a more balanced environment. Inventory has risen across Texas, days on market have lengthened from their pandemic lows, and buyers have more negotiating room than they did in 2021–2022. That doesn't mean it's a bad time to sell — it means pricing accurately and preparing your home well are no longer optional.

What the Most Recent Data Actually Shows

I want to be straight with you about the numbers here. Granular, city-level MLS stats for New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, and Bulverde aren't fully available through public sources — the most reliable figures come from agent-level MLS dashboards, and I pull those for every client before we talk strategy. What I can share is the broader picture, clearly timestamped so you know exactly what you're looking at.

The Statewide Backdrop

The most recent compiled statewide report, Texas REALTORS®' Q4 2024 Texas Housing Market report, shows median home prices essentially flat year-over-year — a significant shift from the rapid appreciation of 2020–2022. More importantly, months of inventory increased across Texas through 2024, giving buyers more choices. That said, inventory remained below the six-month threshold that would signal a fully balanced market. These are Q4 2024 figures — the latest publicly compiled statewide data available as of July 31, 2026 — and they don't describe today's conditions precisely, but they set the directional context.

At the national level, NAR's research data confirms the same pattern: existing-home inventory and days on market rose from historically low levels in 2021–2022 into 2023–2024 as interest rates increased and demand normalized. The Hill Country isn't immune to those forces.

New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, and Bulverde — What We Know

These three submarkets are tracked through SABOR (San Antonio Board of REALTORS®) and Central Texas MLS data. Full statistical dashboards require REALTOR® membership — which is exactly why having a local agent pull your specific numbers matters. Here's what portal-level data and local brokerage market summaries show as of early-to-mid 2025 (the most recent visible snapshots as of July 31, 2026):

Market	Price Trend vs. Pre-2020	Days on Market Trend	Inventory Trend	Key Dynamic
New Braunfels	Still substantially higher	Lengthened vs. 2022 peak	Rising from 2021–22 lows	SA/Austin commuter demand; multiple buyer segments
Canyon Lake	Still substantially higher	Seasonal — shorter in Q2–Q3	Rose from extreme 2021–22 lows	Waterfront vs. off-water pricing gap; strong seasonality
Bulverde	Still substantially higher	Lengthened vs. 2022 peak	More active listings than 2021–22	Higher price points; rate-sensitive move-up buyers

Source: Portal-level data from Zillow Research and Redfin Data Center; local brokerage MLS summaries. These are directional estimates, not official MLS statistics. Most recent data visible as of July 31, 2026 reflects early-to-mid 2025 snapshots.

Here's what that table tells me as someone who works these markets daily: values are still meaningfully higher than they were five years ago. Sellers who bought before 2020 or even in 2020–2021 are generally sitting on real equity. The question isn't whether there's value to unlock — it's whether your timing, pricing, and preparation will capture it.

Canyon Lake: Seasonality Is Real

I want to flag Canyon Lake specifically because it behaves differently from New Braunfels and Bulverde. It's a vacation-and-second-home-heavy submarket, which means seasonality drives buyer activity more than almost anywhere else in the corridor. Showing activity picks up sharply in Q2 and Q3 as buyers shop in good weather and families plan summer use. Waterfront and deep-water-frontage properties move faster and at different price dynamics than off-water homes in the same ZIP code.

If you're selling a Canyon Lake property, your listing window and your pricing strategy need to account for whether you're waterfront, cove, hilltop view, or off-water — these aren't interchangeable categories. I walk every Canyon Lake seller through that segmentation before we set a price.

What This Market Means for Your Selling Decision

The Shift That Matters Most

In 2021–2022, sellers could overprice, skip prep work, and still field multiple offers. That window is closed. What we have now is a market where well-priced, well-presented homes still sell — and overpriced or under-prepared homes sit, accumulate days on market, and eventually sell for less than they would have at a realistic opening price.

That's not a reason to wait. It's a reason to be strategic. Every month you delay is a month of carrying costs — mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance — against an equity position that isn't guaranteed to grow from here.

Bulverde: Rate Sensitivity Is a Real Factor

Bulverde's higher price points attract move-up buyers who are more sensitive to interest rate changes than entry-level buyers. When rates spike, those buyers pause. When rates ease, they re-enter. If you're selling in Bulverde, your timing strategy should factor in where rates are when you list — not as a reason to indefinitely wait, but as context for how aggressive or patient your pricing should be. This is exactly the kind of conversation I have with Bulverde sellers before we agree on a list price.

The Process Side: What Texas Law Requires Before You List

One thing I see sellers underestimate is how much prep the legal and disclosure side requires. In Texas, Texas Property Code Section 5.008 requires sellers of residential property (one dwelling unit) to deliver a written Seller's Disclosure Notice to the buyer on or before the effective date of the contract.

If you fail to deliver it before the buyer signs, they have the right to terminate the contract within seven days of receiving it — a risk no seller wants to take. The TREC Seller's Disclosure Notice (Form OP-H) satisfies the legal minimum. But in New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, and Bulverde, most transactions use the more detailed TXR 1406 Seller's Disclosure Notice, published by Texas REALTORS® — it includes additional questions on flooding history, environmental hazards, and HOA information that buyers' agents expect to see fully completed.

A sparse or missing disclosure is a red flag to experienced buyers' agents in this market. I make sure every seller I work with has a complete, accurate disclosure ready before we go live.

Note: Section 5.008 does include statutory exemptions — court-ordered sales, certain estate and family transfers, new construction that has never been occupied, and others. If you inherited a property or are selling through an estate, your situation may qualify for an exemption, but you should confirm that with your attorney before assuming it applies.

Closing in Comal and Bexar County

Most New Braunfels and Canyon Lake closings record through the Comal County Clerk. Bulverde properties, depending on location, may record through Comal County or the Bexar County Clerk. Your title company — regulated by the Texas Department of Insurance — handles the title search, escrow, closing documents, and deed recording. Title insurance premium rates in Texas are promulgated by TDI, meaning every title company charges the same rate based on the sales price — that part isn't negotiable. Other closing cost allocations (escrow fees, survey, HOA transfer fees, home warranty, concessions) are negotiable in the contract and vary deal to deal. Who selects the title company is also typically negotiated between the parties in the contract.

Your specific net proceeds depend on your home's condition, location, price point, timing, and what you negotiate in the contract. That's not a number I can give you on a blog — but it is exactly what I work through with every seller in a one-on-one consultation before they decide to list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is now a good time to sell my house in New Braunfels, or should I wait until next spring?

As of July 2026, the Hill Country market is more balanced than it was at its 2021–2022 peak, but home values remain substantially higher than pre-pandemic levels. Waiting for "a better market" carries real carrying costs and no guarantee of appreciation. The stronger argument for timing your sale is your personal financial picture and your home's condition — not a prediction about where prices go next. A current market analysis specific to your neighborhood will tell you more than any general forecast.

How long are homes taking to sell right now in Canyon Lake and Bulverde?

Days on market in both areas have lengthened compared with the 2022 peak, based on the most recent local brokerage MLS summaries available as of July 31, 2026. Canyon Lake shows strong seasonality — homes tend to move faster during Q2 and Q3 when lake-buyer activity peaks, particularly for waterfront and view properties. Bulverde's higher price points mean marketing times can extend further when interest rates rise. For current, address-specific days-on-market data, you need a live MLS pull — that's something I provide at no cost before any listing conversation.

What does months of inventory mean, and how does it affect my sale in the Hill Country?

Months of inventory measures how long it would take to sell all current active listings at the current pace of sales. Below three months typically favors sellers; above six months typically favors buyers; three to six months is considered balanced. Texas statewide inventory rose through 2023–2024 according to Texas REALTORS®, but remained below the six-month mark. In practice, what matters for your sale is the inventory level in your specific price range and neighborhood — not the statewide average.

Do I have to fill out the TXR Seller's Disclosure if I'm selling my home in New Braunfels?

Texas law under Property Code Section 5.008 requires a written disclosure for most residential sales of one dwelling unit. The TREC form (OP-H) satisfies the legal minimum, but in New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, and Bulverde, the more detailed TXR 1406 form is the local standard in agent-handled transactions. Certain transfers — including some estate sales, court-ordered sales, and family transfers — may be exempt under Section 5.008(e). If you think an exemption might apply to your situation, confirm it with a real estate attorney before proceeding without a disclosure.

Who picks the title company in a Texas Hill Country home sale — me or the buyer?

In Texas, who selects the title company is a negotiable term in the purchase contract — there's no statute that automatically assigns the choice to one party. Local custom in Comal and Bexar County deals can vary, and it's often addressed in the initial offer or counteroffer. Your listing agent should walk you through how this is typically handled in the current negotiating environment so you know what to expect before you receive an offer.

Are lakefront homes at Canyon Lake selling faster than regular homes in 2026?

Historically, yes — waterfront and deep-water-frontage properties at Canyon Lake have shown different pricing dynamics and shorter marketing times than off-water homes in the same area, particularly during peak spring and summer showing seasons. That pattern held through the most recent local market data available as of July 31, 2026. Whether it holds for your specific property depends on access type, lot configuration, and current inventory of comparable waterfront listings — which is a conversation worth having before you set a price.

If you inherited a property in Bulverde and are wondering about disclosure requirements, the same Section 5.008(e) exemptions noted above may apply to certain estate transfers. Talk to a real estate attorney to confirm your specific situation before assuming you're exempt.

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The Hill Country market in 2026 rewards sellers who go in with accurate data, a realistic price, and a complete listing package — not those who wait for a market that looks like 2021. If you're weighing whether to list in New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, or Bulverde, the best first step is a current market analysis specific to your address, not a general forecast.

Schedule a no-pressure discovery call with The Carter Team at carterteamtx.com/schedule — we'll pull your neighborhood's current numbers and walk you through exactly what selling looks like for your home right now.

Drake and Michelle Carter lead The Carter Team, a full-service real estate group serving the South and Central Texas Hill Country corridor — including New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, Bulverde, and surrounding communities — with genuine local guidance for buyers, sellers, and relocating clients.

Keller Williams Heritage · 361-720-0340

Equal Housing Opportunity. Drake and Michelle Carter are licensed Real Estate Agents regulated by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC). TREC Information About Brokerage Services | TREC Consumer Protection Notice. This article is general information only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm your specific numbers and situation with your attorney, tax advisor, lender, or escrow/closing officer.