Why November and December Can Be a Smart Time to Buy a House in San Antonio

Most people assume spring is the time to buy a house in San Antonio. The yards are green, the open-house signs are out, and everyone seems to be moving. November and December can quietly work in your favor too, as long as you go in with a plan and clear eyes about what this season can and cannot do for you.

I am Betsy Nava-Flores, a Broker Associate and REALTOR® with Harvest Real Estate Group (eXp Realty, LLC) in Helotes, and I have helped people buy and sell homes around San Antonio for 26 years. This guide walks through what the current numbers say, what a slower season can open up for you, and the steps that keep the holidays from tripping up your closing. It is general information, not legal, tax, or lending advice.

Here is where the San Antonio market stood heading into the holidays. The local numbers come from the San Antonio Board of REALTORS® (SABOR) September 2026 figures, as reported by Texas Public Radio on October 16, 2026.

• More homes to choose from. SABOR counted about six months of housing inventory in September. In plain terms, at the current pace of sales it would take about six months to sell every home on the market.
• More time to decide. Homes spent an average of 88 days on the market, close to three months.
• A little less competition. Home sales in September came in slightly below September 2025.
• Prices. The median home price was about $302,000, roughly 2% lower than a year earlier.
• Mortgage rates. Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey put the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.24% for the week of October 29, 2026, up from 6.17% a year earlier.

Put together, these numbers describe a San Antonio market where you have more homes to look at, and more time to look at them, than buyers had a year ago. Borrowing costs more, and that is the trade-off to plan around.

When fewer buyers are out shopping, the conversation with a seller changes. A home that has sat on the market through the start of the holidays often belongs to a seller with a real reason to move before the new year. That opens room to negotiate on more than price. Depending on the home and the seller, you might ask for:

• help with your closing costs,
• repairs found during the inspection and option period,
• a seller-paid rate buydown, which lowers your interest rate for the first years of the loan or for its full term,
• a closing date that fits your move.

None of these is guaranteed. Some sellers will say no, and some homes will still draw several offers. But a buyer who shows up in December with a pre-approval and a clean, clear offer may be one of only a few offers the seller sees, and that is a good place to negotiate from.

A higher rate changes your monthly payment, so work out the real numbers before you fall for a house. Here is a simple example: on a $300,000 loan with a 30-year fixed rate, principal and interest come to about $2,044 a month at 7.24%, compared with about $1,832 at 6.17%. That is roughly $213 more each month, before property taxes and insurance. The example uses Freddie Mac's weekly averages from late October 2026 and late October 2025. Your own rate depends on your credit, your down payment, and your loan type.

Buyers have a few ways to handle a higher-rate season:

• Ask about a buydown. Seller credits can pay down your rate, and depending on the numbers, that can be worth more to you than the same dollars taken off the price. Ask your lender to show you both side by side.
• Compare loan types. Conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA loans price differently. A lender can show you the payment on each one.
• Make sure today's payment works. If rates fall later, refinancing may be an option, but it has costs and it is never guaranteed. Buy a home whose payment you can carry at today's rate.

The biggest risk of buying a home in November or December is usually the calendar, not the market. Lenders, title companies, appraisers, and inspectors take time off, and offices close for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. A closing timeline that would hold in October can stretch when several people involved are out at once.

Protect your timeline with a few habits:

• Ask your lender and title company about their holiday schedules before you choose a closing date.
• Avoid setting your closing on the last business day before a holiday, when there is no room for a delay.
• Keep your finances still. Do not open new credit cards, finance holiday gifts or furniture, or change jobs until after you close, because your lender may check your credit and employment again right before closing.
• Get homeowners insurance quotes early, since you need a policy in place to close.

1. Get pre-approved by a lender, and ask what rate and monthly payment they can show you today.
2. Set your monthly payment ceiling, including property taxes, insurance, and any HOA dues.
3. Widen your search. Compare homes across San Antonio and the Hill Country towns around it, not only one ZIP code.
4. Look closely at homes that have been on the market for a while, and ask your agent why they have not sold.
5. Write an offer that asks for what matters most to you, whether that is price, repairs, closing costs, or a rate buydown.
6. Choose a closing date with the holiday schedule in mind.
7. Keep your credit and your job steady until the day you close.

If this is your first purchase, my page for first-time home buyers in San Antonio covers the basics in more detail, and my step-by-step home buying process shows how we get you ready before you tour a single house.

San Antonio is home to Joint Base San Antonio, and military orders do not follow the real estate calendar. If you are reporting this winter, a slower market can give you more homes to choose from and a little more time to decide. Tell your lender your report date up front, ask how quickly they can close a VA loan, and build in extra room for the holidays. I hold the Military Relocation Professional designation, and my page for VA and military home buyers explains how I help people buy on a deadline.

If you are wondering whether this winter is the right time to buy a house in San Antonio for you, call me at 210-889-7495 or use the contact page. We will look at the homes on the market today, your budget, and your timeline together, and I will tell you plainly if waiting makes more sense for you. You can also read how I approach buying a home with Harvest Real Estate Group.