Infill / development · October 1, 2026
Brian Copland
Austin infill development: what actually pencils
Austin infill in September 2026: the city median was $573,450 and the metro median was $415,000, with 5.09 months of city inventory.
In September 2026 the City of Austin median sale price was $573,450 on 822 sales, with 5.09 months of inventory. The Austin metro median was $415,000 on 2,435 sales, with 5.32 months of inventory.
If you are turning a Central Austin lot into two or three homes, or buying a small multifamily near a future station, the code allows more than it did five years ago. Exit price still has to come from this month's comps, not from 2021.
September sales
City months of inventory was 5.09, up from 4.62 in August and 4.43 in July. Use the submarket, not the metro median, when you underwrite a specific street. The September Austin market note has the city and metro counts.
| Metric | City of Austin* | Austin metro |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $573,450 | $415,000 |
| Homes sold | 822 | 2,435 |
| Months of inventory | 5.09 | 5.32 |
| Median days on market | 54 | 61 |
* Source: AgentIntel, Unlock MLS via MLS Grid, September 2026, residential, City of Austin and the Austin metro, pulled October 26, 2026.
What you can build
HOME Phase 1: up to three units on many single-family zoned lots, modernized two-unit rules, tiny homes recognized. Confirm lot history and zoning before you pencil yield. The city's HOME overview is the starting document.
HOME Phase 2: small-lot single-family as small as 1,800 square feet in SF-1, SF-2, and SF-3, plus streamlined infill subdivision in some cases. Overlays, including Wildland-Urban Interface and displacement-risk tracts, may add constraints.
Near Project Connect, ETOD can add height with on-site affordable units, in some tiers up to about 120 feet. Citywide compatibility distance was reduced to 75 feet in the May 2024 changes. DB90 can take some commercial and mixed-use sites to 90 feet with affordability. Model the obligation. Bonus height is not free floor area.
Fees that show up in the first spreadsheet
Austin Water: for lots platted after October 1, 2023, the published combined water and wastewater impact fee has been about $7,700 per service unit. Older plats are on a different schedule. Confirm the current fee, the meter size, and the plat date.
Street Impact Fee varies by service area and land use. ADUs on an existing site often do not trip the fee because they usually do not hit the 10 PM-peak-trip threshold. Run the estimate anyway.
Parkland dedication or fee-in-lieu can trigger on new residential lots and units. Income-restricted units may be exempt. Ask the Parks and Recreation Department early.
Check these before you go hard
Protected trees: generally 19 inches DBH and up. Heritage: 24 inches for listed species. Removals need permits and mitigation. Order the tree survey before earnest money gets serious.
Critical Water Quality Zones, floodplain, Wildland-Urban Interface, and the displacement-risk dashboard. Neighborhood plans, conservation combining districts, historic overlays, and private covenants can override what base zoning appears to allow. Read the title.
Permit path
Four units or fewer can often skip a full site plan and go through building permit and residential review. Mixed-use and larger multifamily usually need a site plan. HOME added Site Plan Lite and Infill Plat for qualifying small-lot resubdivisions.
Development Services targets we plan against: completeness check about 10 business days, about 45 days to a complete file, formal review about 30 days, and an update about 15 days. Complexity still moves the calendar. Rezoning and a density bonus still add time. Drainage: June 16, 2025 is the lot-creation cut date we check. Lots created before that date can fall on a different review path than lots created after it, and a constrained watershed can still need a grading plan. Confirm the current rule for the plat.
- Zoning, lot size, plat date
- Yield under HOME 1, HOME 2, or a small-lot split
- Water impact and Street Impact Fee
- Tree survey
- Floodplain, Wildland-Urban Interface, Critical Water Quality Zone, displacement risk
- Title restrictions and historic triggers
- ETOD or DB90 affordability if you are chasing height
Questions
What was the Austin median sale price in September 2026?
The City of Austin median was $573,450 on 822 sales. The Austin metro median was $415,000 on 2,435 sales.
How many months of inventory did Austin have in September 2026?
The city had 5.09 months of inventory, up from 4.43 in July. The metro had 5.32 months.
What Austin water impact fee should an infill budget include?
For lots platted after October 1, 2023, the published combined water and wastewater impact fee has been about $7,700 per service unit. Older plats are on a different schedule. Confirm the current fee, the meter size, and the plat date.
What should be checked before an Austin infill contract goes hard?
Protected trees, floodplain, and overlays can change the yield. Order the tree survey before earnest money gets serious, and read the title for private restrictions.