Oxford realtor Rexanne Collins marks 10 years in North Mississippi housing market

Ten years in the North Mississippi housing market has given Rexanne Collins a front-row seat to the pressures shaping Oxford real estate, where first-time buyers, retirees and relocating families compete for limited homes and rising prices. Based in Oxford with Keller Williams Realty, Collins has built her residential practice in a city where every listing can feel tied to the next Ole Miss move-in, school calendar shift or out-of-town relocation.

That matters because Oxford is still growing. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city’s population at 26,801 in July 2024, up 5.4% from the 2020 base of 25,427. The University of Mississippi reported fall 2024 enrollment of 27,124 students across its seven campuses, then said fall 2025 enrollment rose to 28,405, with 5.2% growth at the Oxford and regional campuses. In a market shaped by those numbers, the City of Oxford says its Planning Department handles zoning, annexation, subdivision of property and historic preservation as part of orderly growth and development.

The result is a housing market where timing and local knowledge can matter as much as price. Census QuickFacts lists Oxford’s median value of owner-occupied housing units at $385,700. ATTOM reported a median home price of $532,812 in Oxford as of April 22, 2025, while Redfin put the January 2025 median sale price in ZIP code 38655 at $489,000. Those figures help explain why an experienced agent can be more than a salesperson in Lafayette County. Collins’ decade in the business has been built on repeat clients and referrals, the kind of trust that often carries more weight than a fast transaction in a tight market.

Oxford’s housing pressure has also pushed the issue into city policy. The Oxford Affordable Housing Commission was formed by the Board of Aldermen on June 15, 2021, and its 2024-2025 annual report says it was created in response to the city’s growing need for safe, affordable housing. The commission’s work underscores how housing in Oxford is no longer just a private market question. It is a civic one, with realtor Brooke Worthy serving as volunteer co-chair alongside city officials and housing advocates.

For Collins, the 10-year milestone lands in a market where ordinary buyers and sellers are navigating higher values, tighter options and more competition than a decade ago. In Oxford, experience now functions as a practical advantage, not a sales pitch.