The shot clock in Houston feels shorter right now. In December 2025, the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land median days on market hit 64 days, up from 59 a year earlier, which means more time for buyers to negotiate and compare options. That shift shows up fast in your DMs and open houses, so your Houston real estate marketing has to explain value in seconds, not paragraphs, per FRED’s Realtor.com-based series. I’m Jordan Lee, Senior Writer at ReadTomato.

Houston real estate marketing should treat days-on-market like game film.

When days-on-market stretches, buyers watch more “tape.” They scan photos, skim remarks, then move on. So your listing needs a first-possession play: one clear hook, one clear “why now,” one clear next step. You can even frame it like a Rockets set, because selective buyers are not slow, they are simply waiting for the right shot, which matches the “market of exceptions” idea in the latest Realtor.com monthly housing readout.

Houston real estate marketing must win the rebounding battle on rates.

Rates still affect confidence, even when the buyer has leverage. Freddie Mac’s weekly survey put the 30-year fixed at 6.16% as of January 8, 2026, which is lower than a year ago but still high enough to make shoppers picky. That pickiness shows up as “show me the full deal terms” energy, not “sell me the dream,” per Freddie Mac’s PMMS release. So box out with clarity: payment range, seller help options, closing timeline.

Houston real estate marketing should call the play before Washington does.

Policy headlines can distract clients, but they also create content angles. On January 9, 2026, the House passed H.R. 5184, the Affordable HOMES Act, aimed at rolling back DOE energy standards for manufactured housing. Supporters frame it as cutting cost and red tape, per the official House committee post from Energy and Commerce. Critics argue it could raise utility bills for families over time, which you can see in the pushback from ACEEE.

Houston real estate marketing should use the “leverage shift” to pre-qualify.

Even if supply policy improves later, Houston buyers already have leverage today. MBA’s weekly survey showed applications fell over a two-week period in early January, which is another sign that shoppers are careful and comparison-driven, per the MBA update hub. That means your marketing needs to screen in serious buyers by answering the hard questions upfront, not after three showings.

Houston real estate marketing can run a “concession menu” without giving away the game.

Here’s a seller-friendly “menu” that protects net while making buyers feel they scored:

Offer a rate buydown credit with clear limits and a tight expiry window, so urgency stays on your side, per recent rate sensitivity coverage from AP News.

Offer repair credits instead of repairs for speed and control, then cap it with clean documentation.

Offer title policy or closing-fee help tied to a faster close date, so the concession buys time certainty.

Houston real estate marketing should run a 25-second “Deal Terms” reel.

Use this as your quick fast-break script, then pin it to the listing highlight:

“HOUSTON agents, here’s the Q1 truth: buyers have options, and stale listings get skipped. This week, I’m using a ‘Deal Terms’ video: price, concessions, what the seller will do, and what they won’t. It pre-qualifies serious buyers and stops the tire-kickers. If you can’t explain the deal in 20 seconds, the market will explain it for you.”

If you want this to feel brand-safe across your team, a light refresh through Content Cleaning helps older posts match today’s negotiation reality without rewriting everything.

Houston real estate marketing should anchor to real Houston moments.

You already have a built-in weekend storyline: Pelicans @ Rockets on Sunday, January 18, 2026 at Toyota Center. That gives you a “client entertainment” hook and a simple caption theme: “Great seats, better terms.” You can cite the official event listing from Toyota Center and turn it into one post, one Reel, one email invite.

Houston real estate marketing should connect to MLK weekend with clarity, not noise.

Houston’s civic calendar is also a trust builder this year. The city is promoting the first unified MLK Unity Parade on Monday, January 19, 2026 in downtown Houston, which is a clean way to show community presence without forcing a hard sell, per the City of Houston MLK page. Tie it back to housing in one line: “Unity means clear terms, fair timelines, fewer surprises.”

Houston real estate marketing should track the “assist” that creates the close.

Your content is not just awareness now. It’s an assist that sets up the finish. When the 10-year yield hovers around the low 4% range, mortgage headlines swing fast and buyer certainty swings with them, per the latest reading on FRED’s 10-year constant maturity series. So keep your weekly cadence simple: one market stat, one deal term, one next-step CTA.

Houston real estate marketing can be easier with a weekly take calendar.

If you want a repeatable way to turn local stats, federal policy, and Houston events into posts that sound like you, the Hot Take Engine is built for that “new week, new angle” rhythm.

We’ve seen this work for others. Want to see it for yourself? Contact Us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marshall Gill is a Partner at ReadTomato and a branding and marketing strategist focused on making marketing messages customers actually click. Since 2002, he has helped brands in tourism, hospitality, oil and gas, tech, and real estate turn expertise into clear, search-ready content that attracts, educates, and connects with customers.