Published October 17, 2026 in Market Update

Lufkin has more choices now, even with sales still down

By April Aberle, REALTOR® | RE/MAX Crossroads Realty

Real estate, Lufkin

The biggest shift in Lufkin right now is simple: there are a lot more homes to choose from. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 212 homes for sale across Lufkin in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is up 29.3% from the same period a year ago. At the same time, only 36 homes actually sold, down 41% year over year. More supply, fewer sales. That changes things for everyone.

Those pending sales are worth pausing on. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 141 pending sales across Lufkin, up 131.1% from a year ago. Contracts are being signed. Buyers are active. They are just taking more time, and they have more options to compare before they commit.

Rates are making buyers careful

Part of what is slowing closings is the cost of borrowing. CNBC reported the average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed mortgages at 7.50% in mid-October. Fannie Mae, as reported by CNBC, is forecasting that rate to average 7.4% for the fourth quarter of 2026 and 7.5% for all of 2027. Those are real numbers that shape what a buyer can afford. When rates are high, buyers slow down and compare more carefully.

Nationally, Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates climbed above 7% for the first time since January 2025. Price cuts hit 20.8% of listings in September, the highest share since October 2022, according to Realtor.com. Active listings topped 1.16 million homes nationally that same month. Lufkin is not alone in this shift.

The two sides of Lufkin tell different stories

Lufkin's two ZIP codes are moving in different directions on price, and that matters if you are setting a number or making an offer.

In 75901, the Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median sale price at $310,000, up 14.8% from a year ago. That sounds strong. But only 14 homes sold, down 44%, and months of supply reached 19.7. Prices held up, but the pool of buyers who closed is small.

In 75904, the median sale price fell to $237,300, down 17.5% from a year ago, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Homes there sold a little closer to their asking price, averaging 98.3% of list. Days on market came in at 53, which was 32 days shorter than the same period last year. More homes sold there, 22, and 20% went under contract within two weeks of listing. That is up 14.1 points from a year ago.

What this means if you are selling

With 212 homes competing for 36 buyers, the homes that sold were priced to match what buyers could actually pay. In 75901, sellers averaged 96.1% of their list price, down 1.7 points from last year. That small gap adds up fast if you start too high. In 75904, sellers averaged 98.3%, up 1.7 points. The homes that sold well were priced right from the start.

Realtor.com reported that 20.8% of listings nationally took a price cut in September, the highest since October 2022. A cut can work, but it costs you time. In a market with 19.7 months of supply in 75901, time is not free.

What this means if you are buying

You have real options right now. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 175 new listings across Lufkin in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is up 80.4% from a year ago. More choices, and homes are sitting longer. The median in both ZIPs was around 53 to 54 days. You have time to look carefully and compare.

Rates are high, so know your number before you start. CNBC reported the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.50% in mid-October. That shapes your monthly payment more than the list price does. Get pre-approved first, then shop.

The national picture, in brief

The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported that U.S. house prices rose 2.6% from July 2025 to July 2026, and 0.3% from June to July on a seasonally adjusted basis. Prices are still moving up nationally, just slowly. Lufkin's two ZIPs show that local results can look very different from a national headline.

These are Lufkin-wide numbers for the three months ending August 31, 2026. One street, one neighborhood, one home can read very differently from the ZIP code average. If you want to know where your home or your search sits inside these numbers, I am glad to take a closer look with you.