Published October 4, 2026 in Market Update

Baytown's larger market is moving, even with higher rates

By April Aberle

Real estate, Baytown/Crosby/Highlands Buy Box

Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates surged above 7% for the first time since January 2025. That is real pressure on buyers. But the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 215 homes sold in ZIP 77521 in the three months ending July 31, 2026, up 5.4% from the same period a year before. Buyers are still moving when the price makes sense.

This market covers five ZIP codes: 77520 and 77521 in Baytown, 77523 in Baytown's eastern edge, 77532 in Crosby, and 77562 in Highlands. Each one tells a slightly different story. Here is what the numbers say, ZIP by ZIP.

The big picture: supply is tighter than it looks

Nationally, Realtor.com counted over 1.16 million homes for sale in September 2026 and noted that 20.8% of listings took a price cut, the highest share since October 2022. Locally, the picture is different. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows inventory falling in four of the five ZIP codes here. Less supply, with sales rising, is a meaningful shift.

Four of the five ZIPs are at 4.9 months of supply or below. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows supply fell in all five ZIPs compared with the same three months of 2025. That matters more than the national headline.

77521 Baytown: the busiest ZIP in this market

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 215 homes sold in 77521 in the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is up 5.4% from a year before. The median sale price was $272,290, up 2.8%. Homes for sale fell 16.8%, and months of supply dropped by a full month to 3.8.

One honest note: median days on market stretched to 47 days, 16 days longer than the same period last year. Homes are still selling, but buyers are taking a little more time. The share that went under contract within two weeks fell 8.8 points to 20.5%. Price your home right and it will move. Price it high and you will feel that extra time.

77523 Baytown east: strong sales growth, but homes sit longer

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 220 homes sold in 77523, up 19.6% from a year ago. That is the second-largest sales jump in this market. The median sale price rose 7.2% to $390,545, the highest in the buy box.

Days on market stretched to 67 days, 10 days longer than last year. New listings fell 23.5%, the sharpest drop of any ZIP here. Fewer homes coming to market, but the ones that do are taking longer to sell. Buyers have options, but not unlimited time if supply keeps tightening.

77532 Crosby: most sales, fastest-moving supply

Crosby led this market in volume. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 396 homes sold in 77532, up 20.4% from a year before. Supply dropped to 3.4 months, the tightest of any ZIP here.

There is one honest admission: the median sale price fell 6.2% to $249,990. More homes for sale, up 9.6%, and more new listings, up 23%, gave buyers a little more choice. Sellers got 94.9 cents on the dollar on average. The volume is there, but pricing discipline matters.

77562 Highlands: small market, but moving fast

Highlands is the smallest ZIP in this buy box. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 23 homes sold in 77562 in the three months ending July 31, 2026. But the signals are strong. Median days on market fell 32 days to just 33 days. Nearly 1 in 4 homes went under contract within two weeks, up 12.3 points from a year ago.

The median sale price rose 9% to $258,900. Pending sales jumped 22.7%. This is a small sample, so one or two sales can move the numbers. But the direction is clear: Highlands is tightening.

77520 Baytown: the one ZIP where buyers have more room

ZIP 77520 is the only ZIP in this buy box with 6 or more months of supply. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 6.1 months in the three months ending July 31, 2026, down 0.7 months from a year before, but still the highest here. The median sale price was $195,350, up 2.3%.

There is good news too. Median days on market fell 23 days to 45 days. The share of homes selling above list price rose 6.1 points to 16.2%. And nearly 3 in 10 homes, 29.5%, went under contract within two weeks. So while 77520 gives buyers more options, well-priced homes are still moving.

How these ZIPs compare side by side

What the national backdrop means here

Realtor.com reported that 20.8% of listings nationally took a price cut in September, the highest share since October 2022. The Federal Housing Finance Agency put U.S. home price growth at 2.6% year over year through July 2026. Most of the ZIPs here are outpacing that number.

Rates above 7% slow some buyers. But the Real Estate Data Aggregator shows this market absorbing that pressure better than the national picture suggests. Supply is tighter here than the national inventory count implies.

One more thing worth saying: a ZIP code median is a starting point, not a finish line. One street can read very differently from the number above. A home's condition, lot, and exact location within a ZIP all shape what it is worth and how long it takes to sell.