HOUSTON /HAR Report— (March 9, 2022) — The Houston real estate market completed its second month of the new year in positive territory, despite soaring prices and evaporating inventory. Home sales scored double-digit gains in February, but part of the strong showing was because the statistics compared to last February, when that deadly Texas freeze halted real estate activity for days, and in some cases, even longer. Undistorted by the weather factor were the continued squeeze on inventory, which returned to its all-time low, and pricing, which due to limited supply and ongoing consumer demand, soared to record highs.
According to the Houston Association of Realtors’ (HAR) February 2022 Market Update, single-family home sales jumped 22.9 percent with 7,372 units sold compared to 5,997 in February of 2021. Compared to the last “normal” February – in 2020 – sales volume was up 23.3 percent. With fewer housing options available for purchase, consumers placed heavy demand on single-family rental homes in February.
Homes priced between $250,000 and $500,000 led the way in sales for the month, registering an 80.1 percent year-over-year gain. The $500,000 to $1 million housing segment came in second place, surging 72.3 percent. That was followed by the luxury market – consisting of homes priced at $1 million and above – which rose 33.5 percent.