Amy Nixon, a commentator on real estate trends, highlighted ongoing issues with the North Texas housing market in a series of posts on March 20, 2026. Nixon described the prevalence of so-called “Zombie listings”—homes that cycle on and off the market repeatedly over several years.
In her first post, Nixon stated, “There are a lot of Zombie listings in North Texas. Many Zombie homes have been pulled off market and put back on in some form or another since 2023. Example: Listed for sale in 2023, pulled in 2024. Listed for rent later in 2024. Pulled. Listed for sale again in 2025.” She noted that this pattern reflects broader instability and uncertainty within the local housing sector.
Nixon elaborated further later that day, writing, “In many cases, these perfectly livable single family homes in nice family neighborhoods have been unoccupied for the last 2-3 years due to investment cycles and investor activities. It’s not a very efficient use of shelter resources.” This observation points to how investment-driven strategies can leave otherwise usable homes vacant for extended periods.
Later on March 20, Nixon also commented on price trends in Dallas and similar markets: “On a positive note, prices are beginning to come down in earnest in many markets, like Dallas. Lots of inventory with price discovery being led by the ‘must-sell’ existing homeowners.”
The phenomenon of zombie listings is not unique to North Texas but has been observed nationwide as investors purchase properties intending to flip or rent them out but delay doing so when market conditions shift. These cycles can lead to an increase in vacant homes even as demand for affordable housing remains high across many regions.
