real estate report

Houston new home prices are falling while sales climb, report says

Houston's housing market is showing good signs ahead of summer, according to the report.

Photo by André François McKenzie on Unsplash

A new HomesUSA.com report tracking the sales of new homes in the Houston metro has revealed a promising increase in May's new home sales, and improving prices are allowing new homes to sell at a slightly faster rate than in April.

The New Home Sales Report tracks three-month moving averages across Houston's housing market and also tracks real estate data in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.

New home sales in Houston rose to 2,169 closed transactions in May, up from 1,958 in April, and they sold for near asking price with the average sales-to-list price ratio at 95.34 percent. The average price for a new home in the Houston area fell to $398,646 last month, a $4,355 decrease from April, the report found.

Current new home prices are still over $5,000 more expensive than they were this time last year, but the month-to-month downward trend could help ease prices further into the summer.

The average days on market — meaning the average time it takes to sell a new home — also showed a slight improvement month-over-month, at 108.90 days, down from 110.70 days in April.

New homes in the city are taking longer to sell now than they were a year ago, when the days on market was 96.26 days in May 2025. However, the report adds clarification that new homes typically spend more time on the market than existing homes because many are listed for sale while still under construction.

HomesUSA.com CEO Ben Caballero predicted May's new home sales could be "the highest for the year if interest rates remain at the current level or higher."

"May brought another encouraging increase in Houston new home sales, but the market is about where it was a year ago," he said. "Houston builders are seeing homes sell a little faster than they did in April, which is good news. But higher inventory, stubborn mortgage rates and mixed year-over-year comparisons show this spring market still requires patience, pricing discipline and close attention to buyer demand."

Houston nearly leads the nation with the second-highest rate of new home construction in 2026.

real estate report housing market real estate home for sale

Seaside Living and More

Shuttered Corpus Christi Schlitterbahn will become $800M seaside community

Rendering courtesy of Whitecap

The former site of Schlitterbahn's Corpus Christi location is being transformed into Whitecap, an $800 million master-planned community.

The site that once housed Schlitterbahn's short-lived Corpus Christi location is being transformed into Whitecap, an $800 million master-planned community with waterfront homes, a shopping and entertainment district, and a marina designed to withstand Category 5 hurricanes.

Rendering courtesy of Whitecap

The former site of Schlitterbahn's Corpus Christi location is being transformed into Whitecap, an $800 million master-planned community.

The project by Ashlar Development LLC and partner Diamond Beach Holdings LLC is Corpus Christi’s first master-planned coastal community and is expected to include more than 600 residences.

Located less than four hours from Houston and about 30 minutes from Corpus Christi International Airport, the development is aimed at buyers looking for primary homes, vacation properties, and investment opportunities.

Schlitterbahn opened its Padre Island location in 2016 with hopes of bringing its popular waterpark brand to the coast. But financial troubles and leadership disputes complicated the project early on. After the park closed in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, it never reopened, and the site was demolished in 2021.

Now, the former waterpark site is being redeveloped into a waterfront residential community.

"The owners saw extraordinary potential in this uniquely positioned property,” Terence Johnson, executive vice president of Ashlar Development, tells CultureMap. “By transforming a former golf course and water park into Whitecap, they've created a luxury canal community that balances exceptional waterfront living with the preservation of valuable coastal habitat for migratory birds and wildlife.”

The first phase of homesite sales is now underway. Buyers can choose from custom and semi-custom home options featuring a contemporary coastal aesthetic with materials such as concrete and glass.

Located just minutes from Whitecap Beach, the community sits along five miles of navigable canals, with most homesites offering water views, direct canal access, and backyard docks.

A pool and fitness center are already completed, with future plans including a café, event space, sports courts, a dog park, and a marina district with shopping, dining, entertainment, a yacht club, and dry boat storage.

A 30-acre nature preserve will sit at the center of the development, providing habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.