OCTOBER MARKS THE HOUSTON AREA’S FIFTH CONSECUTIVE MONTH OF POSITIVE HOME SALES
Average price hits an October high as increased pending sales and declining months inventory signal ongoing market stability
HOUSTON — (November 16, 2011) — The Houston real estate market has added reason to be grateful this Thanksgiving season after logging a fifth straight month of positive home sales in October. The year-over-year increase in single-family homes sales, coupled with a rise in pending sales and continued decline in months inventory, signals a market that is benefitting from a healthy absorption of housing inventory. Adding to the positive report is an average price that achieved an all-time high for an October in Houston.
According to the latest monthly data prepared by the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR), October sales of single-family homes rose 9.1 percent versus one year earlier. All segments of the housing market, from the sub-$80,000 to the $500,000 and above, experienced growth. On a year-to-date basis, sales were up 3.4 percent.
“The further we distance ourselves from last year’s tax credit as we analyze the local housing data, the clearer an indication we get of market performance, and the latest numbers show a healthy sales climate for an autumn in Houston,” said Carlos P. Bujosa, HAR chairman and VP at Transwestern. “As long as the Houston economy continues to strengthen with additional job growth, we can be cautiously optimistic about the state of the housing market going into the new year.”
The average price of a single-family home rose 1.1 percent from October 2010 to $208,506, the highest level for an October in Houston. The October single-family home median price—the figure at which half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less—was unchanged from the October high of $150,000 it reached in 2010.
Foreclosure property sales reported in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) increased 6.0 percent year-over-year in October. Foreclosures comprised 22.0 percent of all property sales, up slightly from the 19 to 20 percent range they have maintained since May of this year. The median price of foreclosures in October was flat at $80,600.
October sales of all property types in Houston totaled 4,815, up 8.9 percent compared to October 2010. Total dollar volume for properties sold during the month rose 10.9 percent to $962 million versus $867 million one year earlier.
The month of October brought Houston’s overall housing market positive results when all sales categories are compared to October of 2010. Increases in the volume of closed and pending sales reflected more normal, seasonal trending after several months in which the data was distorted by the 2010 tax credit that led to a sharp decline in home sales after it expired. Total property sales and total dollar volume rose on a year-over-year basis while the average price climbed to an historic high for an October in Houston.
Month-end pending sales for October totaled 3,092. That is up 9.6 percent from last year and portends another positive month when the November sales figures are tallied. The number of available properties, or active listings, at the end of October declined 12.0 percent from October 2010 to 46,674. The inventory of single-family homes dropped to its lowest level since April 2010—6.6 months, compared to 7.7 months one year earlier. That means it would take 6.6 months to sell all the single-family homes on the market based on sales activity over the past year. The figure is significantly better than the national inventory of single-family homes of 8.5 months reported by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). These indicators all reflect a balanced real estate marketplace for Houston.
| CATEGORIES | OCTOBER 2010 | OCTOBER 2011 | PERCENT CHANGE |
| Total property sales | 4,420 | 4,815 | 8.9% |
| Total dollar volume | $867,182,719 | $961,640,986 | 10.9% |
| Total active listings | 53,039 | 46,674 | -12.0% |
| Total pending sales | 2,821 | 3,092 | 9.6% |
| Single-family home sales | 3,741 | 4,080 | 9.1% |
| Single-family average sales price | $206,165 | $208,506 | 1.1% |
| Single-family median sales price | $150,000 | $150,000 | 0.0% |
| Months inventory* | 7.7 | 6.6 | -14.1% |
October sales of single-family homes in Houston totaled 4,080, up 9.1 percent from October 2010. This marks the fifth consecutive increase of the year following a 1.4 percent rise in June, 15.3 jump in July and increases of 28.8 percent and 15.2 percent in August and September, respectively. On a year-to-date basis, sales are ahead 3.4 percent.
Broken out by segment, October sales of homes priced below $80,000 rose 4.8 percent; sales of homes in the $80,000-$150,000 range climbed 11.5 percent; sales of homes between $150,000 and $250,000 were up 11.8 percent; sales of homes ranging from $250,000-$500,000 advanced 8.0 percent; and sales of homes that make up the luxury market—priced from $500,000 and up—ticked up 0.8 percent.
The average price achieved the highest level ever for an October in Houston. At $208,506, the average price of single-family homes rose 1.1 percent compared to last October. At $150,000, the median sales price for single-family homes matched its all-time October high set in 2010. The national single-family median price reported by NAR is $165,600, illustrating the continued higher value and lower cost of living available to consumers in Houston.
HAR also breaks out the sales performance of existing single-family homes throughout the Houston market. In October 2011, existing home sales totaled 3,434, a 10.3 percent increase from October 2010. The average sales price was unchanged from last year at $194,997 and the median sales price was also flat at $139,500.
The number of townhouses and condominiums that sold in October jumped 16.9 percent compared to one year earlier, marking the fourth straight monthly sales increase. The first was a 25.3 percent rise in July, followed by a 20.5 percent increase in August and 14.6 percent gain in September. In the greater Houston area, 352 units were sold last month versus 301 properties in October 2010.
The average price jumped 13.0 percent to $163,221 from October 2010 to October 2011. The median price of a townhouse/condominium rocketed 22.7 percent to $132,500. Both average and median prices were the highest ever for an October in Houston.
The trend in soaring demand for lease properties throughout the Houston market continued in October. Single-family home rentals rose 24.8 percent compared to one year earlier and year-over-year townhouse/condominium rentals climbed 18.5 percent. HAR has reported throughout much of 2011 that this demand has been largely driven by steady improvement in the local employment landscape, with REALTORS® observing a surge in consumers relocating to Houston from around the U.S. According to the Texas Workforce Commission’s latest report, the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown Metropolitan Statistical Area gained 66,300 jobs in the 12 months ending September 2011. That represents an increase of 2.6 percent.
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The computerized Multiple Listing Service of the Houston Association of REALTORS® includes residential properties and new homes listed by REALTORS® throughout Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties, as well as parts of Brazoria, Galveston, Waller and Wharton counties. Residential home sales statistics as well as listing information for more than 50,000 properties may be found on the Internet at http://www.har.com.
The information published and disseminated to the HAR Multiple Listing Services is communicated verbatim, without change by Multiple Listing Services, as filed by MLS participants.
The MLS does not verify the information provided and disclaims any responsibility for its accuracy. All data is preliminary and subject to change. Monthly sales figures reported since November 1998 includes a statistical estimation to account for late entries. Twelve-month totals may vary from actual end-of-year figures. (Single-family detached homes were broken out separately in monthly figures beginning February 1988.)
Founded in 1918, the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR) is a member organization of real estate professionals engaged in every aspect of the industry, including residential and commercial sales and leasing, appraisal, property management and counseling. It is the largest individual dues-paying membership trade association in Houston as well as the second largest local association/board of REALTORS® in the United States.
Tags: houston home sales, houston housing market, houston real estate stats, sugar land home sales, sugar land housing market, sugar land real estate states
HOUSTON-AREA HOME SALES RISE FOR A FOURTH STRAIGHT MONTH
HOUSTON — (October 18, 2011) — Houston temperatures finally cooled a bit in September, but home sales remained hot. Sales of single-family homes climbed nearly 17 percent when compared to one year earlier and accounted for the fourth consecutive month of increased sales volume. The prices of those homes achieved all-time highs for a September in Houston. In addition, months inventory fell to the lowest level since May 2010 while pending sales rose and active listings declined. All are considered signs of a healthy and balanced housing market as the fall season gets underway.
According to the latest monthly data prepared by the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR), September sales of single-family homes rose 16.9 percent versus one year earlier. This increase followed home sales gains recorded in January, June, July and August of this year. All segments of the housing market, from the sub-$80,000 to the $500,000 and above, experienced positive sales in September. On a year-to-date basis, sales were up 3.2 percent.
“The combination of increased closed and pending sales, fewer active listings and strong pricing suggests that we are entering the fall home buying season on strong footing,” said Carlos P. Bujosa, HAR chairman and VP at Transwestern. “HAR’s September report shows rebalanced supply and demand throughout the Houston housing market with diminishing traces of the distortions caused by last year’s federal home buyer tax credit.”
The average price of a single-family home ticked up 0.4 percent from September 2010 to $213,334, the highest level for a September in Houston. The September single-family home median price—the figure at which half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less—also reached a September high for the market, rising 1.6 percent to $157,500.
Foreclosure property sales reported in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) increased 2.4 percent year-over-year in September. Foreclosures comprised 19.4 percent of all property sales, which is consistent with the levels it has maintained each month since May when it was more than 22 percent. The median price of foreclosures in September was flat at $81,900.
September sales of all property types in Houston totaled 5,469, up 15.9 percent compared to September 2010. Total dollar volume for properties sold during the month jumped 16.0 percent to $1.1 billion versus $962 million one year earlier.
The month of September brought Houston’s overall housing market positive results when all sales categories are compared to September of 2010. Sales volume gains showed more normal, seasonal trending after several months in which the data was skewed by the 2010 tax credit that caused a dramatic drop in home sales following its expiration. Total property sales and total dollar volume rose on a year-over-year basis. Both average and median prices climbed to historic levels for a September in Houston.
Month-end pending sales for September totaled 3,120. That is up 3.2 percent from last year and suggests the likelihood of another positive month of sales when the October figures are tallied. The number of available properties, or active listings, at the end of September declined 11.5 percent from September 2010 to 47,812. The inventory of single-family homes was reduced to 6.8 months, its lowest level since May 2010, compared to 7.7 months one year earlier. That means it would take 6.8 months to sell all the single-family homes on the market based on sales activity over the past year. The figure is significantly better than the national inventory of single-family homes of 8.5 months reported by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). These indicators all reflect a balanced real estate marketplace for Houston.
The number of available properties, or active listings, at the end of August declined 11.5 percent from August 2010 to 48,752. The inventory of single-family homes was reduced to 7.1 months compared to 7.8 months one year earlier. That means it would take 7.1 months to sell all the single-family homes on the market based on sales activity over the past year. The figure is significantly better than the national inventory of single-family homes of 9.4 months reported by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).
| CATEGORIES | SEPTEMBER 2010 | SEPTEMBER 2011 | PERCENT CHANGE |
| Total property sales | 4,720 | 5,469 | 15.9% |
| Total dollar volume | $962,851,241 | $1,117,023,816 | 16.0% |
| Total active listings | 54,027 | 47,812 | -11.5% |
| Total pending sales | 3,023 | 3,120 | 3.2% |
| Single-family home sales | 3,965 | 4,635 | 16.9% |
| Single-family average sales price | $212,581 | $213,334 | 0.4% |
| Single-family median sales price | $155,000 | $157,500 | 1.6% |
| Months inventory* | 7.7 | 6.8 | -11.0% |
September sales of single-family homes in Houston totaled 4,635, up 16.9 percent from September 2010. This marks the fifth increase of the year following an 8.5 percent gain in January, 1.3 percent rise in June, and 15.2 and 28.3 percent increases in July and August, respectively. On a year-to-date basis, sales are ahead 3.2 percent.
Broken out by segment, September sales of homes priced below $80,000 rose 11.4 percent; sales of homes in the $80,000-$150,000 range climbed 21.8 percent; sales of homes between $150,000 and $250,000 were up 18.7 percent; sales of homes ranging from $250,000-$500,000 jumped 26.8 percent; and sales of homes that make up the luxury market—priced from $500,000 and up—advanced 2.3 percent.
Both average and median price achieved the highest levels ever for a September in Houston. At $213,334, the average price of single-family homes rose 0.4 percent compared to last September. At $157,500, the median sales price for single-family homes edged up 1.6 percent versus September 2010. The national single-family median price reported by NAR is $168,300, illustrating the continued higher value and lower cost of living available to consumers in Houston.
HAR also breaks out the sales performance of existing single-family homes throughout the Houston market. In September 2011, existing home sales totaled 3,880, a 20.0 percent hike from September 2010. The average sales price ticked up 0.4 percent to $201,836 compared to last year and the median sales price of $145,000 reflects an increase of 2.1 percent.
The number of townhouses and condominiums that sold in September jumped 14.0 percent compared to one year earlier, marking the fourth monthly sales increase of the year. The first was a 14.7 percent rise in January, followed by a 25.3 percent increase in June and 19.2 percent gain in August. In the greater Houston area, 383 units were sold last month versus 336 properties in September 2010.
The average price slid 0.9 percent to $152,275 from September 2010 to September 2011. The median price of a townhouse/condominium edged up 0.9 percent to $115,000.
September saw continued elevated demand for lease properties throughout the Houston market. Single-family home rentals rose 17.4 percent compared to one year earlier and year-over-year townhouse/condominium rentals jumped 30.0 percent. HAR has reported for several months that this demand has been largely fueled by steady improvement in local employment numbers, with REALTORS® observing a surge in consumers relocating to Houston from around the U.S. The Texas Workforce Commission recently reported that the Greater Houston area gained 65,000 jobs from August 2010 to August 2011, a 2.6 percent increase.
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The computerized Multiple Listing Service of the Houston Association of REALTORS® includes residential properties and new homes listed by REALTORS® throughout Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties, as well as parts of Brazoria, Galveston, Waller and Wharton counties. Residential home sales statistics as well as listing information for more than 50,000 properties may be found on the Internet at http://www.har.com.
The information published and disseminated to the HAR Multiple Listing Services is communicated verbatim, without change by Multiple Listing Services, as filed by MLS participants.
The MLS does not verify the information provided and disclaims any responsibility for its accuracy. All data is preliminary and subject to change. Monthly sales figures reported since November 1998 includes a statistical estimation to account for late entries. Twelve-month totals may vary from actual end-of-year figures. (Single-family detached homes were broken out separately in monthly figures beginning February 1988.)
Founded in 1918, the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR) is a member organization of real estate professionals engaged in every aspect of the industry, including residential and commercial sales and leasing, appraisal, property management and counseling. It is the largest individual dues-paying membership trade association in Houston as well as the second largest local association/board of REALTORS® in the United States.