When deciding when to list your home in Austin, understanding historical trends in pending property data can offer valuable insights. This data can help you anticipate market behavior, spot patterns, and optimize your timing for a more successful sale. By analyzing pending property statistics from the past two decades, we can better predict when the most activity occurs in the Austin real estate market, giving sellers a clearer idea of when to list for the best results.
Starting in 2000, Austin’s real estate market was relatively small, with a minimum of 1,216 pending properties in January and a peak of 2,833 in June. This trend of increased activity during the spring and summer months continued throughout the early 2000s. In 2004, for example, pending properties reached a high of 3,194 in June, while in January of the same year, there were only 1,906 pending properties. This consistent pattern of low activity in the winter and high activity in the summer holds for most years, pointing to spring and summer as historically active times for real estate transactions.
The mid-2000s saw an even stronger increase in pending properties. In 2005, Austin reached a maximum of 3,959 pending properties in June, while in the same month in 2006, the number increased to 4,538. However, following the financial crisis in 2008, pending properties dropped, reflecting a slower market. In 2009, the number of pending properties in June was only 3,123, with the lowest number of 1,568 recorded in November of that year. This decrease highlights how economic factors can dramatically impact real estate markets.
Despite the downturn during the financial crisis, Austin’s market began recovering in the early 2010s. By 2013, pending properties had once again surpassed 4,000, with a peak of 4,723 in March. This recovery continued throughout the decade, with a high of 4,794 pending properties in June 2015. Austin’s real estate market continued to flourish through 2019, peaking at 5,641 pending properties in May.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented changes to real estate across the country, and Austin was no exception. In June 2020, pending properties reached their all-time high of 6,388. Buyers sought homes in Austin’s competitive market, driven by low mortgage rates and a desire for more space. This spike in activity during 2020 shows the impact that major events can have on housing demand. However, following this surge, the number of pending properties began to decline, reflecting a return to more balanced market conditions. By 2023, pending properties reached a peak of 4,461 in May, a notable decrease from the heights of 2020.
Looking at the data from 2000 to 2024, we can see a clear seasonal trend. Generally, the spring and summer months, particularly between March and June, see the highest number of pending properties. For instance, May consistently sees a peak, with numbers like 4,461 in 2023, 5,641 in 2019, and 4,794 in 2015. On the other hand, winter months, such as December, tend to have lower activity, with fewer pending properties across all years. This pattern suggests that the best time to list your home in Austin is during the spring or early summer, as the market tends to be more active, and you are more likely to see an increase in potential buyers.
By listing your home when pending property activity is at its highest, you increase the likelihood of attracting multiple offers and selling your home quickly. The data supports this strategy: the highest numbers of pending properties consistently occur in the warmer months, when buyers are more active and searching for homes. In 2025 we are predicting based on the data that March will be the optimal time to sale your home in Austin. Even in years with economic downturns or global events, this pattern remains true, making spring the optimal times to list your home in Austin.
