This Week in New Braunfels
City Manager Search Moves Forward Following Retirement Announcement
New Braunfels City Council is now in the process of defining a timeline and selection process for the city's next City Manager after an extended transition period was established following the current manager's planned retirement announcement. The extended window was designed to give Council adequate time to conduct a thorough search rather than rush a replacement. No timeline for the hire has been publicly confirmed as of this week.
Remnants of Tropical Depression Edouard Bring Heavy Rain to the Region
The remnants of Tropical Depression Edouard moved through Texas this week, bringing heavy rain and flash flooding conditions that affected portions of the state including areas near New Braunfels. More than 30,000 customers lost power in the storm's broader wake as the system pushed east. Residents in low-lying areas near the Comal and Guadalupe Rivers should remain aware of lingering flood risk as ground saturation remains elevated.
Institutional Investors Increasing Presence in San Antonio–New Braunfels Corridor
A report from The Real Deal published September 4 notes that institutional investors are purchasing a growing share of single-family homes in the San Antonio–New Braunfels corridor, driven by affordability pressures and housing supply constraints that work in corporate buyers' favor. This trend runs counter to what's happening in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin, where investor market share has declined. The dynamic adds a layer of competition for individual buyers already navigating a tight inventory environment.
San Antonio–New Braunfels Metro Leads Texas in New Home Construction
A Realtor.com report ranks the San Antonio–New Braunfels metropolitan area first in Texas for new home construction activity, reflecting the region's continued population growth and housing demand. The ranking comes alongside a separate Redfin finding that mid-September has historically been the optimal window for buyers to negotiate deals in San Antonio. New construction inventory, including projects in New Braunfels such as M/I Homes' builds, continues to add supply to a market that needs it.
Mortgage Rates Hold Steady Just Below 6.5%
National mortgage rates remained essentially flat this week, holding just below 6.5% in line with steady inflation figures, according to reporting from Fox San Antonio. For buyers in New Braunfels, the rate environment remains meaningfully higher than the pandemic-era lows that shaped recent market expectations, though stabilization at this level does make monthly payment calculations more predictable. No significant rate movement is anticipated in the immediate near term based on current inflation trends.
Real Estate Market
The New Braunfels market is navigating a set of competing pressures right now. Supply is growing — new construction from builders like M/I Homes is adding homes, and the San Antonio–New Braunfels metro's top ranking in Texas for new home starts reflects genuine builder activity in the area. At the same time, institutional investors are absorbing a growing share of available single-family inventory in this corridor specifically, even as their presence shrinks in other major Texas metros. For an individual buyer, that means you may be competing not just with other households but with well-capitalized corporate entities operating on different financial timelines and risk tolerances.
Rates holding just below 6.5% provide at least some planning stability. That's not a comfortable rate by historical standards, but predictability has value — buyers who've been waiting for a dramatic drop may be waiting longer than the data currently justifies. The Redfin finding that mid-September is historically the strongest negotiating window for buyers in this metro is worth noting, though local conditions always vary from regional averages. Sellers in New Braunfels who priced aggressively during the low-inventory period of 2022–2023 may find the current environment requires more patience or more flexibility on price.
The city manager leadership transition is worth monitoring from a longer-range planning perspective. New Braunfels has been one of the fastest-growing cities in the country for several years, and the city manager role has significant influence over infrastructure investment, development approvals, and growth management priorities. Who fills that seat — and what their priorities are — will have downstream effects on how the city handles the development pressures that are already reshaping its edges. That's not an immediate market mover, but it's the kind of governance question that shapes a community's trajectory over the next five to ten years.