The DFW Housing Market Is Splitting in Two — Where Does Your Home Fall?

Ask a few people how the housing market is doing right now, and you might get completely different answers.

One person may tell you homes are sitting longer. Someone else may say buyers are still competing for the right property. Another homeowner may be hearing that prices are softening.

The funny thing is, they could all be right.

One of the biggest things I’m seeing in today’s market is that your home’s price point can make a huge difference in how it performs.

Nationally, the market has been moving along two very different tracks. And here in North Texas, we’re seeing our own version of that story.

So if you’re thinking about selling a home in Mansfield, Texas, Arlington, Texas, or another South DFW community, don’t assume the national headlines tell you exactly what will happen with your house.

The Housing Market Isn’t Moving the Same Way at Every Price Point

The latest national numbers make the divide pretty clear.

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, existing-home sales fell 2% in August compared with July and were down 1.2% from a year earlier. At the same time, inventory increased to its highest level since 2019, giving buyers more options than they’ve had in quite a while.

But those numbers don't tell the whole story.

When you break the market down by price point, the picture gets much more interesting.

Earlier 2026 data from NAR showed sales at the lower end of the market struggling while sales of homes priced at $750,000 and above were growing at double-digit rates. That’s consistent with other research showing that luxury buyers have remained more active while affordability pressures continue to weigh heavily on entry-level buyers.

Zillow found that starter-home sales were down 5.4% year over year in May, while luxury-home sales were up 6.2%. Starter-home inventory was also increasing while luxury inventory was shrinking.

That’s a pretty big difference depending on which side of the market you’re standing in.

Why Are Higher-Priced Homes Seeing More Activity?

There’s a pretty simple reason for part of this.

Today's mortgage rates affect everyone, but they don't affect every buyer in the same way.

A first-time buyer who is trying to purchase a $300,000 or $400,000 home has to make the entire payment work based on their income, savings and current expenses.

A move-up buyer may be bringing significant equity from the sale of their current home.

A higher-income buyer may have more flexibility in their monthly budget.

And someone purchasing a higher-priced home may have investments or other assets that make today's rates less of a barrier.

Redfin's latest luxury-market research shows just how different the high end can look. For the three months ending May 2026, luxury-home prices increased 4.7% year over year, compared with a 1.5% increase for non-luxury homes. Pending luxury sales were also up 5.2%.

That doesn't mean every expensive home is flying off the market.

Price and presentation still matter.

But it does mean the pool of buyers at the higher end may be behaving differently than buyers who are trying to break into the market for the first time.

And North Texas Has Its Own Story

This is where I think it's especially important to be careful with national headlines.

The Dallas-Fort Worth market isn't simply following the national market step for step.

According to Realtor.com, active listings across DFW were down 4.4% year over year in August, while national inventory was up 3.6%. The median DFW list price was about $425,000, and homes were taking a median of 58 days to sell.

MetroTex data for July also showed that the median DFW home price was essentially flat year over year at $399,000, while closed sales were down 8.6%. The majority of sales fell in the $300,000-to-$399,999 range.

So if you're a homeowner in North Texas, I wouldn't look at a national headline that says “home sales are down” and automatically assume your home is losing value.

The more important question is: What is happening with homes like yours?

That means looking at your specific city, neighborhood, price range, property type and competition.

What I'm Seeing in Mansfield and Arlington

Even two communities that are right next to each other can tell different stories.

In Mansfield, Texas, Redfin's latest data shows a median sale price of about $465,000 for the three months ending August 2026. Homes were taking about 44 days to sell, and the number of homes sold was down 15% from the same period last year.

In Arlington, Texas, the median sale price was about $334,000, with homes taking around 38 days to sell. Arlington's median sale price was up 1.3% year over year, although the number of homes sold was down slightly.

Those are two very different price environments within the same South DFW region.

And even those citywide numbers don't tell us exactly what will happen with an individual home.

A $325,000 home in Arlington may be competing against a completely different group of properties than a $600,000 home in Mansfield.

That's why I don't like giving sellers a blanket answer when they ask, “How's the market?”

The better question is, “How is the market for my home?”

Why Pricing Matters More Than Ever

If you're selling a home in the more affordable or entry-level portion of the market, today's slower buyer activity makes pricing especially important.

Buyers have more choices than they did a few years ago, and they are paying close attention to monthly payments.

That means an overpriced home can sit while a similar home down the street gets the attention.

And once a listing has been sitting for several weeks, sellers may find themselves having to make a price adjustment later rather than positioning the property correctly from the beginning.

The same principle applies at the higher end—but the strategy may look different.

Luxury and move-up buyers may have more purchasing power, but they are still looking for value. A higher price doesn't automatically mean buyers will overlook dated finishes, poor presentation or a home that simply doesn't compare well with the competition.

Pricing isn't about picking the highest number you can justify. It's about understanding what today's buyers are actually willing to pay for your particular home.

Presentation Still Matters

This is another area where I think sellers sometimes underestimate the market we're in.

When buyers have options, your home has to give them a reason to choose it.

That doesn't necessarily mean spending a fortune on renovations.

It may mean decluttering, improving curb appeal, making a few strategic repairs, getting professional photography, creating a strong online presence or addressing something buyers are consistently reacting to in your area.

The goal is to make sure your home doesn't get lost in the comparison shoppers are doing online.

Because buyers aren't looking at your house in isolation.

They're looking at your house versus everything else they could buy for the same monthly payment or purchase price.

What This Means If You're Thinking About Selling

If you're considering selling in Mansfield, Arlington, Burleson, Kennedale, Grand Prairie or another North Texas community, I wouldn't let a national headline make the decision for you.

The market is not one-size-fits-all.

If you're selling an entry-level home, you may need to be particularly strategic about pricing and presentation because affordability is limiting the number of buyers who can comfortably make a purchase.

If you're selling a move-up or higher-priced home, you may be in a segment where buyers are still relatively active—but that doesn't mean you can simply name your price and expect multiple offers.

And if you're somewhere in the middle, your competition and the specific neighborhood may matter more than any national statistic.

This is why I always want to look at the local numbers before recommending a listing price.

The Bottom Line

If you feel like you're hearing conflicting stories about the housing market right now, you're not imagining it.

The market really is moving differently depending on price point.

And here in North Texas, the national story is only part of the picture.

Your home's value and selling timeline depend on much more than the overall market. Your location, price range, condition, competition and buyer pool all matter.

If you're wondering what today's market actually means for your home in Mansfield, Texas, Arlington, Texas, or another DFW community, let's look at the numbers together. The national headlines are interesting, but your specific market is what really matters.

Source & Attribution

This article was inspired by information originally published by Keeping Current Matters (KCM) and incorporates current housing-market data from the National Association of REALTORS®, Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and MetroTex. National and local market conditions can change, so current data should always be considered when evaluating an individual property.