San Antonio Ranks Third in Home Sale Cancellations
San Antonio Ranks Third in Home Sale Cancellations
Here’s What Sellers Can Do About It
Redfin’s latest analysis reveals San Antonio sellers are feeling the sting of contract cancellations — and it’s happening at a record pace. In December, buyers canceled 20.6% of pending home sales in San Antonio, placing the city third nationally behind Atlanta (22.5%) and Jacksonville (20.6%). Nationally, buyers canceled roughly 40,000 purchase agreements in December — 16.3% of all homes under contract, the highest December rate since 2017.
What’s driving cancellations? “Home sellers outnumber buyers by a record margin,” says Redfin economics research head Chen Zhao. “Buyers have options and will walk away if they believe they can find a better or more affordable home.” Buyers also use inspection reports to back out when affordability is the real issue.
Sellers can take proactive steps to reduce cancellation risk:
Order a pre-inspection and fix or disclose issues upfront. Consider a pre-appraisal to validate your pricing. Require a mortgage pre-approval letter from every buyer. And if your home sits in an HOA, make sure buyers fully understand those financial commitments before submitting an offer — surprise HOA fees kill deals.
Smart preparation keeps your sale on track.
A Measured Start to 2026 in 78209 Real Estate
Housing sales for preowned homes in 78209 kicked off 2026 with a quieter market — typical for January. Closed sales dipped to 17 (down from 25 in December), and total dollar volume came in at $9.9M versus $17.2M the prior month.
The average sale price settled at $581,847, significantly down from December’s $708,819 while the median sale price softened slightly to $510,000 from $550,000. Homes are taking longer to sell — median days on market jumped to 115 versus 84 in December — a reminder that patience pays in this zip code.
A couple of bright spots in January was sellers got 96.2% of their last list price, up from 94.3%, and price per square foot rose to $294 from $251. While some pricing softened month over month, strong price-per-foot growth suggests continued demand for well-positioned homes in this coveted San Antonio zip code.
With 5.3 months of supply and 137 homes available, buyers have solid options. Ready to make your move in 78209? Let’s connect — I’ll provide a free, personalized market report to help you buy or sell with confidence. This report uses data from LERA MLS and focuses on single family homes with traditional sales in the 78209 zip code during January 2026.
Is the Housing Market Finally Turning a Corner?
Homebuyers are seeing encouraging momentum after years of affordability pressure. Mortgage rates have fallen to roughly 6.09% on a 30-year fixed loan — down from more than 7% a year ago — while wages are rising faster than home prices.
“Housing is becoming more affordable. Are we there yet? No. But we’re on the right path,” real estate economist Ken Johnson told ABC News.
NAR’s Housing Affordability Index has improved for seven straight months and now sits at its highest level since 2022. Decisive buyers can also negotiate meaningful savings. Redfin reports that buyers in 2025 secured average discounts of 7.9% off original list prices — the largest in 13 years.
Inventory remains a hurdle both nationally and for some San Antonio buyers. Many homeowners hesitate to sell because they don’t want to give up historically low mortgage rates for today’s higher ones — a dynamic known as the “lock-in effect.”
