Analyzing Lakeway's Real Estate Market: Price Drops and Inventory Trends

Lakeway, Texas, is experiencing significant price adjustments in its residential real estate market. As of October 8, 2024, there are 119 active residential listings, with a notable 68.1% of these properties having undergone price reductions. This data reveals a trend where sellers are adjusting their prices to align with current market conditions. In fact, the average price drop is approximately $122,000, which equates to a 9.6% reduction from the original list price. The median price reduction stands at $76,000 or 7.9%, indicating substantial markdowns that could potentially attract more buyers.

When examining the overall market, listings are distributed across various price brackets, with the majority falling between $700,000 and $1,300,000. Price reductions are spread across all price ranges, but higher cuts are often seen in the upper price brackets. Specifically, the $550,000 to $700,000 range exhibits high buyer activity, with an Activity Index of 29%, indicating strong interest from potential buyers at these price points. In contrast, properties priced above $1,300,000 have lower buyer interest, reflected in their higher average Months of Inventory. This metric, which measures how long it would take to sell all properties on the market at the current sales pace, varies widely depending on price. Properties in the $700,000 to $850,000 range have up to 11 months of inventory, whereas those around $400,000 show only 3 months, indicating a faster turnover for lower-priced homes.

Looking at the broader Central Texas region, Lakeway stands out with the highest percentage of price reductions. Other areas like Cedar Creek and Georgetown also have a significant portion of listings with price drops, but Lakeway’s 68.1% is unparalleled. For comparison, Cedar Creek and Cedar Park both show over 60% of active listings with price reductions, but their average price drops are $50,000 and $42,000, respectively, much lower than Lakeway’s $122,000 average.

Days on market is another critical factor in assessing market dynamics. In Lakeway, the average time a listing spends on the market is 145 days, with a median of 103 days. This duration indicates that while price cuts are prevalent, properties are not being absorbed at a particularly quick pace. Over half of the listings are vacant, which may appeal to buyers looking for immediate occupancy, while 16.81% of the active listings are new constructions. Only a small fraction, 2.52%, are tenant-occupied properties, suggesting that most properties on the market are intended for direct home buyers rather than investors.

The report also highlights trends in market activity over the past year. The Activity Index has been increasing steadily from October 2023 to October 2024, indicating a growing interest in Lakeway properties, though inventory levels remain high. This shift suggests that while the market is experiencing high levels of inventory, buyer activity is gradually improving.
Price reductions in Lakeway are not limited to one type of property or price range, but the most common cuts range between 5% and 15%, making up over 42% of listings with price drops. Properties with reductions exceeding 25% are rare but do exist, particularly in higher-priced homes where the dollar value of reductions can reach significant figures.

As Lakeway’s market adjusts, it’s clear that sellers are becoming more competitive with pricing to attract buyers. With these substantial markdowns, prospective buyers have an opportunity to purchase homes at prices that reflect current market realities. However, the extended days on market and substantial months of inventory suggest that the Lakeway market remains highly favorable to buyers, with a diverse range of options available. Sellers might need to continue adjusting prices and expectations as the market evolves, especially with the current level of inventory and buyer interest in mind​