Houston's lease market had a mixed performance in December. Single-family home leases fell 3.6 percent and townhome/condominium leases rose 7.3 percent. The average rent for single-family homes increased 3.3 percent to $1,745, while the average rent for townhomes/condominiums rose 2.4 percent to $1,532.
Houston Real Estate Highlights for December and Full-Year 2017
- Despite the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey, 2017 proved to be a record year for Houston home sales with 79,117 single-family homes sold versus 76,450 in 2016, the last record-setting year. That represents an increase of 3.5 percent;
- Total dollar volume for single-family homes in 2017 rose 6.5 percent to $23 billion;
- December single-family home sales climbed 4.1 percent year-over-year with 6,875 units sold;
- Total December property sales increased 3.5 percent to 8,125 units;
- Total dollar volume for December increased 2.8 percent to $2.3 billion;
- At $230,000, the single-family home median price rose 1.7 percent to a December high;
- The single-family home average price declined 0.6 percent to $292,174;
- Single-family homes months of inventory declined slightly to a 3.2-months supply;
- Townhome/condominium sales rose 3.2 percent, with the average price down 5.5 percent to $199,197 and the median price down 9.3 percent to $158,250;
- Leases of single-family homes fell 3.6 percent with average rent up 3.3 percent to $1,745;
- Leases of townhomes/condominiums climbed 7.3 percent with average rent up 2.4 percent to $1,532.