Waco, Texas · The Baylor Bubble

The Baylor Bubble, by the numbers

Every house, condo, and small multifamily inside the Bubble — what's available, what's selling, and how this year stacks up against the last three. Updated every month, straight from the MLS.

David A. Harris, Sr. · Campus, Realtors, Kelly, Realtors · Over $60 Million Sold in the Baylor Area · Data through July 31, 2026

David Harris, REALTOR, Campus, Realtors, Kelly, Realtors

Welcome to the Baylor Bubble

The Baylor Bubble as owners know it, drawn to the block — pan, zoom, and click any zone for detail. Adapted from the First to Know map by David A. Harris, Sr.

If you own or invest here, you know the Bubble has layers: the Inner Bubble pressed against campus, the South East Bubble across University Parks, the Outer Bubble running out toward 18th Street, and a Current & Future Expansion area to the southwest — with Baylor-owned property woven through the middle. Speight, James, Bagby, Wood, and the numbered streets tie it all together.

A note on the lines: after their freshman year, Baylor students are free to live anywhere they choose. The Baylor Bubble is simply where I see most students who want to stay close to campus end up living. These boundaries aren't an official designation — they're just what I've come to know from years of working this market, and I update them as the neighborhood grows.

Inner BubbleSouth East BubbleOuter BubbleFuture ExpansionBaylor-owned

Based on information from the North Texas Real Estate Information Systems, Inc., as of September 1, 2026. Data deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS or NTREIS. Statistics compiled by David A. Harris, Sr., Campus, Realtors, Kelly, Realtors.

The Bubble Report

David Sr.'s 60-second read on the month. A new edition publishes the first week of every month. Shareable edition →

No. 3 · September 2026

107 Days the median house now for sale in the Bubble has already been listed — and it still hasn’t sold. For condos that number is 57.

On September 1 there were 73 Baylor Bubble properties for sale — 37 houses, 29 condos and townhomes, 7 multifamily — down from 78 on July 31. A year ago that same count was 50, two years ago 27, three years ago 25. Inventory here has nearly tripled in three years.

What has not moved is how much actually sells. Total sales inside the Bubble by academic year: 89, then 92, then 87 for the year that just ended. Three years, essentially flat, while the number of things for sale went up threefold. That is the whole story of this market in one sentence, and everything below follows from it. August itself produced three sales — one house and two condos — tied for the quietest August of the four years I chart. Nine properties are under contract heading into September.

Here is what that arithmetic does to sellers. Of the 37 houses for sale right now, 24 have been listed more than ninety days and 24 have cut their price — and those are not the same 24, they overlap by eighteen. Across the whole market, 38 of 73 have cut. Condos are in better shape: median 57 days on the market, 11 of 29 past ninety. Median days on market for what actually sold over the past twelve months: 59 for houses, 59 for condos, 95 for multifamily. Both are slower than a year ago, when the house median was 32 days and the condo median 39 — houses have taken much the bigger step back.

There is a harder number behind all of that. Of every Bubble listing that reached an outcome between January and August, 42 percent expired without selling — the highest share in the ten years I have data for, above even the 2017–2019 stretch before the boom, and seven times the 2022 low. The ones that expired had sat a median of 173 days first, and better than two-thirds of them had already cut their price on the way down. Cutting late does not rescue a listing that started too high. And expiring is usually the end of the story: of the 106 listings that have expired here since January 2024, only 18 percent have since sold at that address, and about half never came back on the market at all.

For parentsTwenty-nine condos to compare and better than a third have already cut their price. Speed still exists for the right listing — the fastest sale in August went under contract inside two weeks — so grind hard on anything that has sat since spring, but don’t slow-play a fresh one that is priced honestly.
For investorsSeven multifamily listings and a 95-day median to close — nobody is rushing you. Only three of the seven have been out past ninety days, so the deep discounts are thinner here than in the house market, where two-thirds of the listings have aged past ninety days and just as many have cut. That is where I would be hunting this fall.
For ownersBetter than half this market has already cut its price, and buyers are absorbing about the same number of properties they did three years ago. If you list this fall you are priced against those cuts, not against last spring’s hopes. Price it right in week one, or plan on month four and a real chance of expiring. If you don’t need to sell, nothing here forces your hand.

Counts and days-on-market only, for-sale property only — sold prices are confidential under MLS rules.

Single-family homes

Each academic year gets its own color — the bold blue line with the dot is the current year (Aug 2026 – Jul 2027), which has only just begun, so it runs short.

Based on information from the North Texas Real Estate Information Systems, Inc., for the period August 2023 through August 2026. Data deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS or NTREIS. Statistics compiled by David A. Harris, Sr., Campus, Realtors, Kelly, Realtors · Last updated September 1, 2026.

Condos & townhomes

The chart parents watch: condo availability built all year — and the year still finished with a four-year high in sales.

Based on information from the North Texas Real Estate Information Systems, Inc., for the period August 2023 through August 2026. Data deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS or NTREIS. Statistics compiled by David A. Harris, Sr., Campus, Realtors, Kelly, Realtors · Last updated September 1, 2026.

Multifamily · 2+ units

Duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and small apartment buildings. Sales are shown by quarter — monthly counts are too small to read fairly.

Based on information from the North Texas Real Estate Information Systems, Inc., for the period August 2023 through August 2026. Data deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS or NTREIS. Statistics compiled by David A. Harris, Sr., Campus, Realtors, Kelly, Realtors · Last updated September 1, 2026.

Listings that gave up

Every listing here eventually does one of two things: it sells, or it comes off the market without selling. This is the share that came off without selling — the clearest single measure of how hard it has become to move a property inside the Bubble — and what happened to those listings afterwards.

What happens after a listing expires

The 106 for-sale listings that expired inside the Bubble since January 2024, and where each one stands today

51%
never came back
on the market
21%
are listed
again right now
18%
eventually sold
at that address
10%
relisted and
expired again

The ones that did sell took a median of 250 days from the day they expired to the day they closed, and only 12 of the 19 managed it inside a year. Matched by address across every listing in the database; a property relisted under a differently-written address would not be caught, so the “never came back” share is a ceiling. The window is twenty months, so listings that expired recently have had less time to return.

Based on information from the North Texas Real Estate Information Systems, Inc., for the period January 2017 through August 2026. Expired listings only — listings the seller cancelled or withdrew are not counted, because those records only exist from mid-2024 and would overstate the recent years. Data deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS or NTREIS. Statistics compiled by David A. Harris, Sr., Campus, Realtors, Kelly, Realtors · Last updated September 1, 2026.

Own property near campus?

The charts tell you what the market is doing. These two tell you what to do about it.

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The Baylor Property Check

What would your property actually bring in today's Bubble? A straight answer built from closed sales in these exact blocks going back to 2003 — not a portal estimate that thinks 76706 is one neighborhood.

David Sr. replies personally and will get back to you soon. No obligation.

For Baylor parents

Student graduating in May?

Every parent-owned property in the Bubble has a four-year clock. When it runs out, you have three plays:

  • 1Sell into the spring parent wave. January–March is when next year's parents shop hardest — listing then puts you in front of the most motivated buyers of the year.
  • 2Hold and rent. The Bubble's tenant pool resets every August. Keep the property working while you decide.
  • 31031 exchange. Roll the gain into your next property and defer the tax bite — talk to your CPA about the timelines.

Not sure which play is yours? Start with the free Property Check. →

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Coming: Bears and Buildings — David A. Harris, Sr.'s playbook for buying and selling in the Baylor Bubble. Alert subscribers will hear about it first.

The agent behind the numbers

I'm David A. Harris, Sr. with Campus, Realtors, Kelly, Realtors — and the Baylor Bubble is not a side market for me, it's the market. I've spent over a decade helping Baylor parents buy places their students actually live in, helping investors build portfolios on these blocks, and helping owners time their exit. The charts on this page come from my own MLS research, updated by hand every month, because nobody else publishes this neighborhood's numbers.

11+ years focused on the Baylor market 20+ years in real estate Over $60 Million Sold in the Baylor Area Serving parents & investors
Call or text (254) 640-4144 Email David

What clients say

Reviews from the parents, investors, and owners David A. Harris, Sr. has represented across the Baylor Bubble and greater Waco.

“David helped us find the perfect investment condo inside the 'Bubble'. He is an expert in campus housing and we highly recommend him. We found him honest, hard working and responsive. We will likely work with him again.”— Colorado Broker · Home Buyer
“I had the pleasure of working with David Harris Sr. while purchasing a condo in Waco, Texas, for my daughter, a student at Baylor University. As an out-of-state buyer, I was concerned about navigating the process from afar, but David made it seamless.”— Buyers from Alabama · Home Buyer
“We've worked with David on the purchase of several investment properties and couldn't be happier with the service he provides. He continually works tirelessly to make sure the buying process goes smoothly and represents our best interest without a fault.”— Rubin Stack · Home Buyer
“I would highly recommend David to anyone looking to buy or sell in the Baylor/Waco area. He worked very hard finding a buyer for our student rental and we had a contract in a very short time. I appreciated his professionalism during the process.”— James Wright · Home Buyer
“We would definitely recommend David to represent us if needed in the future. We had a complex sale of 4 units and his professionalism during the entire process was greatly appreciated. He was always responsive to my calls and texts and made sure our concerns or questions were handled immediately.”— Barbara Johnson · Home Seller
“David was recommended to us by a trusted real estate broker in the states. We live out of country and needed an expert that was good with communication. David communicated excellently between all parties.”— Owners in France · Home Seller
“I'm so glad that a friend recommended David. He's an outstanding realtor. He's responsive, provides nuanced and clear explanations, and a man of integrity. He's the kind of guy I'd like to have as a friend. I cannot recommend him highly enough.”— Sam Goff · Home Buyer
“Highly professional, knowledgeable, and communicative. We enjoyed working with David and appreciated his insights and desires to protect and represent our best interests. Strongly recommend.”— Greg Davis · Home Seller
“David was professional, knowledgeable about the market, and very responsive to all of our questions. Easiest sale we've ever been a part of. Highly recommend David!”— Jason Surdy · Home Seller
“David worked with us to sell our condo. He was very professional and honest in all his communications. He provided outstanding customer service and I would recommend him to anyone in the Waco market.”— David Talbert · Home Seller
“David is extremely professional and responsive to his client's needs. His market knowledge and guidance are part of what made our sale a smooth transaction. We would be happy to work with David again.”— Alicia Abel · Home Seller
“David got our house listed very quickly. He helped us price it properly and it sold well and fairly quickly.”— Jared Black · Home Seller
“David was extremely knowledgeable and helpful in representing us in the sale of our condo. He made the whole process very easy for us. Would recommend him without hesitation.”— Local Seller · Home Seller
“David was great. He was easy to get a hold of and very knowledgeable about some questions we had. He negotiated a great deal for both parties.”— Jason Smith · Home Buyer
“David was great! Real pleasure to work with, always honest and professional. Highly recommend!”— Leslie Sakai · Home Seller

How these numbers are made

Sold counts are closed MLS sales inside the Baylor Bubble, by month (multifamily by quarter). Every number on this site is property for sale. For sale counts are estimated by counting each listing's days-on-market backward from the day it left the market — whether it sold, expired, or was cancelled — to reconstruct when it was actively listed; today's active listings count from their current days-on-market. The newest months are live MLS snapshots. Tested against the live snapshots on file, this estimate reproduces the September 1 count exactly. Saved monthly snapshots replace the estimate going forward.

Charts are grouped by academic year (August–July) because that's the rhythm this market actually moves on. Property types: single-family homes; condos & townhomes; multifamily is anything with 2 or more units.