As 2023 chugs along, Houston home sales continue to fluctuate. Although the Houston area has more inventory than this time last year (1.3-months), we still don’t have enough to meet demand. Similar to last year, buyers are weary of multiple offer situations, escalating sales prices and mortgage rates.
Homes priced according to location and condition are usually only on the market a short time. Currently, the Houston area homes average 55 days on the market. It was 33 in 2022.
Per HAR / MLS:
| Category | Jan. 2023 | Feb. 2023 | Mar. 2023 | Apr. 2023 | May 2023 | June 2023 | July 2023 | Aug. 2023 | Sept. 2023 | Oct. 2023 | Nov. 2023 | Dec. 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Property Sales | 5,650 | 6,981 | 9,589 | 8,912 | 10,476 | 10,382 | 9,223 | 9,780 | 8,550 | 7,825 | 7,472 | 7,395 |
| Total Active Listings | 33,606 | 33,109 | 33,442 | 33,203 | 33,919 | 36,431 | 37,079 | 38,439 | 39,632 | 40,630 | 40,724 | 38,028 |
| Single-Family Home Sales | 4,549 | 5,723 | 7,907 | 7,310 | 8,637 | 8,582 | 7,557 | 7,983 | 6,886 | 6,377 | 6,154 | 6,103 |
| Townhome/Condominium Sales | 352 | 441 | 552 | 577 | 670 | 687 | 645 | 610 | 552 | 497 | 463 | 435 |
| Single-Family Months of Inventory | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.3 |
| Single-Family Pending Sales | 7,167 | 7,546 | 9,043 | 8,988 | 9,146 | 8,634 | 8,447 | 7,842 | 6,676 | 6,669 | 6,069 | 5,723 |
| Days on Market | 59 | 63 | 62 | 55 | 48 | 45 | 42 | 42 | 45 | 47 | 47 | 56 |
| Price Range | Jan. 2023 | Feb. 2023 | Mar. 2023 | Apr. 2023 | May 2023 | June 2023 | July 2023 | Aug. 2023 | Sept. 2023 | Oct. 2023 | Nov. 2023 | Dec. 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1 - $99,999 | 25 | 20 | 44 | 22 | 29 | 29 | 35 | 24 | 26 | 24 | 28 | 37 |
| $100,000 - $149,999 | 78 | 89 | 104 | 88 | 97 | 106 | 94 | 112 | 111 | 93 | 79 | 83 |
| $150,000 - $249,999 | 766 | 916 | 1,125 | 998 | 1,072 | 1,007 | 891 | 1,053 | 892 | 909 | 872 | 797 |
| $250,000 - $499,999 | 2,179 | 2,488 | 3,788 | 3,514 | 4,150 | 4,175 | 3,667 | 3,851 | 3,265 | 3,089 | 3,078 | 3,055 |
| $500,000 - $749,999 | 436 | 554 | 851 | 830 | 1,044 | 1,058 | 908 | 921 | 773 | 639 | 648 | 640 |
| $750,000 and above | 220 | 276 | 466 | 492 | 634 | 654 | 544 | 539 | 431 | 386 | 352 | 346 |
Leslie Lerner was recognized as one of Houston Agent Magazine’s Who’s Who 2022. Read more about Leslie, Houston’s first full service flat fee Realtor. Leslie Lerner Properties is The Home of Flat Fee Listings and Rebated Commissions.
Property tax protest deadline to Monday, May 15th. If property owners have not received their property value notice, you will have 30 days from when then notice was sent to file a protest. Your protest deadline will be printed on your property value notice.
A Harris County Notice of Protest Form can be downloaded from the HCAD website. Protests may be filed online, brought to HCAD’s office at 13013 Northwest Freeway, or mailed to P.O. Box 922004, Houston, TX 77292-2004, but must be postmarked by May 15th.
Property owners are urged to use HCAD’s online iFile system to submit their protest. Homeowners who file their protest through the Internet using iFile may also have an opportunity to settle their value online with HCAD’s iSettle system. If a settlement through the online system isn’t possible, the homeowner will be scheduled for a hearing with the Appraisal Review Board.
It is time to take advantage of the Energy Star and Water-Efficient Products Sales Tax Holiday. During Memorial Day weekend, Texas shoppers avoid paying state and local sales and use taxes on purchases of certain energy-efficient and water-efficient products.
The 2023 tax-free ENERGY STAR Sales Tax Holiday begins Saturday, May 27, and goes through midnight on Monday, May 29 (Memorial Day).
The energy-efficient products that qualify for the tax exemption are:
Qualifying products will display the ENERGY STAR logo, which may appear on the appliance, the packaging or the Energy Guide label. There is no limit on the number of qualifying items one can purchase during this sales tax holiday, and an exemption certificate is not required.
Online Purchases and Telephone Orders
During the Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday, you can buy qualifying ENERGY STAR® energy-efficient products online or by telephone, mail, custom order or any other means (including in-store purchases) tax free, when either
An order is filled for immediate shipment regardless of whether the shipment is delayed due to a backlog of orders or because stock is currently unavailable to, or on back order by, the seller.
Delivery Charges
Delivery, shipping, handling, and transportation charges by the seller are part of the item’s sales price. Charges for installing free-standing items are also part of the item’s sales price. If the item you buy is not taxable, then these charges are not taxable.
>>>For more information visit the Texas Comptroller’s website.
Water-Efficient Products
You can buy certain water-efficient and water-conserving products tax free during the Water-Efficient Product Sales Tax Holiday.
WaterSense Products
You can buy any product tax free that displays a WaterSense label or logo. These items can be bought for personal or business use.
Water-Conserving Products
These items can only be bought for residential/personal use.
You can buy items tax free during the holiday that are used or planted for:
Examples of items that qualify for the exemption include:
>>>For more information visit the Texas Comptroller’s website.
