Where starter homes are cheapest in Texas

🕰 Happy Tuesday to you loyal readers!

Today's newsletter is 573 words, a 2.5-minute read.

1. Where starter homes are cheapest in Texas

According to a recent analysis by BestMoney, Corpus Christi and San Antonio offer the cheapest starter homes among Texas’ major metros. Meanwhile, Houston has the largest inventory of starter homes on the market, delivering some of the best value for buyers.

In Austin, starter homes offer more square footage compared to other parts of the state, but they also come with the highest price tags.

Nationally, Texas ranked among the states where buyers have the easiest time finding starter homes. The report found that only about 17.5% of houses and townhomes in a typical market qualify as “starter homes”, less than one in five properties.

2. Median age of first‑time homebuyers falls to 35

New data from Redfin show the median age of first-time buyers fell to 35, down from 36 in 2024 and below a recent peak of 38 in 2018.

The median age of repeat buyers also declined, dropping to 47 from 52 the previous year, which had marked a 25-year high.

The report attributes this modest decline to small improvements in housing affordability, including a slight easing of home‑sale price growth and a modest drop in average mortgage interest rates.

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3. Catch up quick

🌆 Millennials are flocking to these 3 Texas cities. (MySA)

🚀 Top real estate lead generation companies for 2026. (AgentAdvice)

🏠 More Americans are inheriting their homes. (Cotality)

📈 Nearly 62% of home views came from out-of-market buyers. (Realtor.com)

4. Compass Coming Soon listings to appear on Redfin

Under a new three-year agreement between Compass and Rocket, Compass’s “coming soon” listings will be shown on Redfin starting immediately.

Those listings won’t display days on market or price-cut history, and they will only be available on Compass websites and Redfin until the seller decides to advertise more widely. Redfin will also alert home shoppers when there are other private Compass listings that meet their search criteria, which they can view by contacting Compass.

As part of the partnership, Redfin will direct some buyer leads to Compass agents. Rocket, will offer a discount to buyers who work with a Compass agent and take out a mortgage with Rocket.

5. Half of Americans struggle to pay rent or mortgage

Nearly 49% of U.S. residents report struggling to afford their regular rent or mortgage payments, according to a Redfin-commissioned survey conducted by Ipsos.

The burden varies by generation, with Gen Z adults hit hardest, about 67% say they struggle to cover housing costs. By comparison, 53% of millennials and 54% of Gen Xers report difficulty, while 36% of baby boomers say they struggle.

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