July News You Can Use

Housing Stats • Mosquito Prevention

Houston Home Sales Diminish in June

Despite a growing amount of inventory and low interest rates, Houston home sales were down on a month-to-month and year-to-year basis. Sales of all  property types are 5.1 percent lower compared to the same month last year. Housing inventory reached a 4.4-months supply in June. That is higher than it has been since September 2017. The average days on the market dropped to 49 days.

Per HAR/MLS:

Month-to-Month Comparison:

CategoryJan. 2019Feb. 2019Mar. 2019Apr. 2019May 2019June 2019July 2019Aug. 2019Sept. 2019Oct. 2019Nov. 2019Dec. 2019
Total Property Sales5,0116,3888,4759,0639,9489,46110,47810,3758,4308,5797,5778,879
Total Active Listings38,87239,30441,12742,08643,62445,26245,49845,06244,17243,46842,13938,504
Single-Family Home Sales4,1005,2807,0727,5868,3468,0978,9538,6797,0357,2316,3957,505
Townhome/Condominium Sales329429542586661587687638531501447575
Single-Family Months of Inventory3.73.73.94.04.24.44.34.24.14.03.83.4
Single-Family Pending Sales6,5287,3108,7409,4679,1698,7969,2078,5477,2857,6826,9255,796
Days on Market656864575349505255595963

Single-Family Sales by Price Range (Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria & Montgomery Counties)

Price RangeJan. 2019Feb. 2019Mar. 2019Apr. 2019May 2019June 2019July 2019Aug. 2019Sept. 2019Oct. 2019Nov. 2019Dec. 2019
$1 - $99,999155153188135171132141147134129133216
$100,000 - $149,999340392461438445377490423371414382487
$150,000 - $249,9991,4961,9052,4282,6532,9822,7943,1003,0192,4972,6322,1972,948
$250,000 - $499,9991,1641,6472,2752,5433,0092,8463,0892,9912,3152,3112,0433,074
$500,000 - $749,999169239345400517497541465381347294427
$750,000 and above107142238284372334315296210224180309

Mosquito Prevention

Hot, wet summer months mean more mosquitoes in the Houston area. Not only are mosquito bites itchy, but they can spread viruses. The CDC recommends the following to help prevent nasty bites and illness.

Remove Mosquito Habitats

  • Eliminate standing water in rain gutters, old tires, buckets, plastic covers, toys, or any other container where mosquitoes can breed.
  • Empty and change the water in bird baths, fountains, wading pools, rain barrels, and potted plant trays at least once a week to destroy potential mosquito habitats.
  • Drain or fill temporary pools of water with dirt.
  • Keep swimming pool water treated and circulating.

Use Appropriate Pesticides

  • Control mosquito larvae using the appropriate methods for the habitat
  • Control adult mosquitoes using insecticides.

Use Structural Barriers

  • Cover all gaps in walls, doors, and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering.
  • Make sure window and door screens are in good working order.
  • Completely cover baby carriers and beds with netting.

Avoid Getting Bitten

  • Keep mosquitoes away from exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks.
  • Tuck shirts into pants and pants into socks to cover gaps in your clothing where mosquitoes can get to your skin.
  • Stay indoors when possible, especially if there is a mosquito-borne disease warning in effect.
  • Use EPA-registered mosquito repellents  when necessary and follow label directions and precautions closely.
  • Use head nets, long sleeves and long pants if you venture into areas with high mosquito populations, such as salt marshes.
  • Replace your outdoor lights with yellow “bug” lights, which tend to attract fewer mosquitoes than ordinary lights. The yellow lights are NOT repellents, however.

Prevention

  • Use Insect repellent: When used as directed, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Use an EPA-registered insect repellant with one of the following active ingredients:
    • DEET
    • Picaridin
    • IR3535
    • Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
    • Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
    • 2-undecanone
  • Find what repellent is best for you using the EPA Search Tool.
  • Cover up: Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
  • Keep mosquitoes outside: Use air conditioning, or window and door screens. If you are not able to protect yourself from mosquitoes inside your home or hotel, sleep under a mosquito bed net.