The Two Questions Everyone Is Asking Right Now
By: Anna Untersee | June 2026
Whether you found this page through a search, a referral, or just stumbled across it while researching the Hill Country market -welcome. These are the two questions I hear more than any other, asked by nearly every homeowner and would-be buyer I talk to in Wimberley and the surrounding area.
What's going to happen to home prices? And is now actually a good time to buy?
I want to give you a real answer — not a cheerleader's answer. Here's what the data says, and more importantly, here's what it means for you.Question 1: What Will Happen to Home Prices in Wimberley?
The Bigger Picture First: Texas and Austin
The broader Texas market in 2026 is unambiguously softer than the pandemic years. Statewide, the median sale price is hovering around $341,800 and homes are sitting on the market an average of 82 days -up sharply from prior years. Inventory has nearly doubled from pandemic-era lows. It's what economists call a buyer's market, and sellers who are still anchored to 2021–2022 peak valuations are finding out the hard way that the market has moved on.
Austin, which drove so much of the Hill Country's pandemic-era price surge, has corrected meaningfully. After hitting near-peak medians above $600,000, Austin has pulled back and buyers have more options and leverage than they have since before COVID. That correction has rippled outward-but not evenly, and not uniformly into markets like Wimberley.
The Wimberley Story Is Different
Here's a snapshot of where the Wimberley market stands today:
Median asking price: $735,000
Active listings: ~200
Days on market: 79 days
Now zoom out. Looking at 10 years of actual MLS data for Wimberley ISD single-family homes-from 2,913 closed transactions between January 2016 and May 2026-a clear story emerges. Prices climbed steadily from roughly $300,000 in 2016, accelerated sharply through 2020 and into 2022 when the median touched close to $800,000, and have since corrected and stabilized in the $500,000–$600,000+ range. The same pattern is visible in Dripping Springs ISD data across 8,649 transactions -a dramatic run-up from around $450,000 to nearly $950,000 at peak, with a similar correction and stabilization in the $650,000–$750,000 range.
What this tells us is important: these markets ran hard, corrected, and found a floor. We are not in freefall. We are in a period of normalization — and that floor is well above where either market started a decade ago.
Why Wimberley Holds Its Value
What makes Wimberley unique is that it's a lifestyle market. People don't move here because it's the most affordable option. They move here for the cypress-lined Blanco River, for the food scene on the square, for the small-town americana pace of life that feels increasingly rare in Central Texas. For the neighbors who actually know your name, the Friday night football games, the way the light hits the hills in October. That kind of demand is stickier than purely economic demand. You can't build a Wimberley somewhere else. There's only one.
Wimberley's desirability, its finite land, and its genuine sense of community all act as price floors that don't exist in suburban tract-home markets. A dramatic crash here is unlikely. A continued normalization while inventory works through the system? That's what the data suggests.
Bottom line for sellers: Pricing strategy matters enormously right now. Homes that are priced right are still moving. Homes anchored to 2022 peak values are sitting.
Bottom line for buyers: This is a meaningful window — more inventory, more negotiating power, more time to make a thoughtful decision.
Question 2: Is Now a Good Time to Buy?
Here's something that may surprise you coming from a Realtor: market conditions don't actually matter as much as your personal circumstances.
A buyer in a strong financial position with a genuine long-term horizon doesn't need to perfectly time the market. A buyer who is stretching beyond their means and hoping to sell in 18 months faces real risk in any market.
Before we ever look at a property together, here's the framework I walk every client through:
1. Financial stability first. Do you have a down payment, a reserve, and pre-approval from a lender who understands this market? If yes, the conversation gets interesting fast.
2. Long-term plans. Are you planting roots here-whether that's a primary residence, a family retreat, or a place to eventually retire? The Hill Country rewards people who are here for the life, not just the transaction. The buyers I've seen fare best are the ones who fell in love with the place first and thought about the investment second.
3. A realistic look at rates. Rates are what they are, and they've been relatively stable for a while now. We don't see any compelling reason to believe they'll return to the 3% range we saw during the pandemic-that was an extraordinary and likely unrepeatable moment in monetary history. Your best bet is to let me connect you with a great lender who can walk you through what the actual numbers mean for your specific situation and plans. You might be surprised what the real monthly payment looks like.
4. Negotiating leverage. With homes averaging 79 days on market, today's buyers have negotiation power that simply didn't exist in 2021–2022. Price reductions, seller concessions, and inspection repairs are back on the table. You can actually be a thoughtful, methodical buyer.
5. Inventory and selection. More supply means more choices. You no longer have to waive inspections or write love letters just to lose to a cash offer. Take your time. Compare properties. Get an inspection.
6. One important caveat-the cream puffs still move fast. Here's something worth knowing: while the overall market has slowed, truly exceptional properties-the ones in great condition, well-located, priced correctly, with all the details done right-still tend to sell more quickly and can sometimes even attract competing offers. The market has gotten selective, not dead. If something special comes on and checks all your boxes, don't assume you have unlimited time. That's exactly where having a sharp, local agent in your corner matters most.
My Job Isn't to Sell You a House
My job is to be your trusted advisor -the person who gives you the honest read, helps you understand your options, and walks with you through one of the biggest financial decisions of your life.
Whether you're ready to write an offer this month or you're still 18 months from being ready to move, I'd rather have that conversation now. There's no obligation and no pressure-just good information and someone who genuinely cares about getting you to the right outcome.
Let's talk.
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Anna Untersee is a Hill Country real estate specialist based in Wimberley, TX. 10-year price trend data sourced from MLS records for Wimberley ISD and Dripping Springs ISD single-family residential transactions, January 2016 – May 2026. Additional market data referenced from Redfin, Texas Real Estate Research Center, and Bankrate. Information is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal or financial advice.