Published October 7, 2026 in Market Update

Homes are taking longer to sell in Freeport and Surfside Beach

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

Real estate, Freeport/Surfside Beach

The one number that changes everything right now is 95 days. That is how long the typical home in ZIP 77541, covering Freeport and Surfside Beach, took to sell during the three months ending July 31, 2026, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. A year ago, that same number was 23 days shorter. If you are thinking about listing, that gap matters for your plans.

Rates are adding pressure from the outside. CNBC reported that the average 30-year fixed rate reached 7.30%, and later climbed above 7.5%, the highest in three years. Realtor.com noted rates topped 7% for the first time since January 2025. Fewer buyers can stretch their budgets at those levels, and that shows up in how long homes sit.

What the numbers say about this market

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 65 homes sold in the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is nearly the same as a year ago, down just 1.5%. But the median sale price fell to $230,000, which is down 11.5% from the same period in 2025. Homes are still selling. They are selling for less, and they are taking longer to get there.

Sellers: pricing is doing more work than it used to

The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows that only 3.1% of homes sold above list price in this period. That is down 6 points from a year ago. Homes that went under contract within two weeks of listing fell to just 7.7% of sales, down 12.3 points. That is a real shift. Quick offers are rare right now. Most sellers are waiting.

Pending sales dropped 18.8% compared with the same period last year, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That tells you fewer buyers are moving forward right now. With 11.2 months of supply on the market, buyers have real choices. A home that is priced a little high will sit while others move.

Buyers: more time, but rates still sting

If you are buying in Freeport or Surfside Beach, you have more room to breathe than buyers did a year ago. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 238 homes for sale, even though that is down 15% from last year. There is still real inventory. Homes are sitting longer, so you have time to look carefully, ask questions, and think through the details.

That said, CNBC reported rates above 7.5% as of early October 2026. That is a real cost. Run the numbers on what a rate at that level means for your monthly payment before you set your price range. A $230,000 home at 7.5% looks different than it did when rates were lower.

One reminder for coastal buyers: homes in Surfside Beach and along the Brazosport coast carry windstorm insurance requirements through TWIA. Ask for the windstorm certificate, called a WPI-8, on any home you are considering. Elevation certificates matter too, both for insurance cost and for understanding flood risk. Flood zone and elevation are property by property, not street by street.

The national picture, for context

Nationally, the Federal Housing Finance Agency reported that U.S. house prices rose 2.6% from July 2025 to July 2026. That is a modest gain. Freeport and Surfside Beach moved in the other direction locally, with the median price down 11.5% over the same window, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Local conditions here are their own story.

What this means for you, in plain terms

If you are selling: price carefully from the start. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows homes are selling at 94.7% of list price on average. That is actually up slightly from last year, which means well-priced homes are still closing close to what sellers ask. The problem is the ones that sit. A home that needs a price cut loses time and momentum.

If you are buying: use the extra time wisely. Ask about flood zone, elevation, windstorm coverage, and any prior insurance claims. In this market, those details can affect your cost to own as much as the purchase price itself.