More Listings, Steady Demand Across Houston in July
Home sales rise as inventory reaches a record high
Homebuyers in the Greater Houston area had more properties to choose from in July than ever before. Even with inventory at an all-time high, buyers remained active and the market continued to move at a healthy pace.
According to the Houston Association of Realtors’ July 2026 Housing Market Update, single-family home sales rose 1.6% year over year, with 8,340 homes sold compared to 8,212 in July 2025.
Active listings reached 40,750 available homes in July, the highest level ever recorded by HAR, up 3.4% from a year earlier.
Home prices remained stable in July; however, the average price rose 1.9% to $440,816, while the median price edged up by 0. 6% to $340,000 when compared to a year ago.
“We’re seeing a more balanced market take shape across Houston,” said HAR Chair Theresa Hill with Compass RE Texas, LLC – Houston. “For buyers, that means more opportunities and more flexibility than they’ve had in quite some time. That’s a positive shift and one that could benefit both buyers and sellers as the year moves forward.”
Houston homebuyers benefited from continued improvements in housing affordability in July. According to Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate declined to 6.54% from 6.72% a year earlier. For a buyer purchasing a median-priced home in Houston with a 20% down payment, that translated to an estimated savings of more than $250 per year in principal and interest compared to July 2025.
Houston’s affordability has improved on a year-over-year basis in 21 of the past 24 months, outpacing the national trend, where affordability improved in just 15 of the past 24 months.
According to HAR (Houston Association of Realtors), single-family homes have experienced steady demand in July. Sales rose 1.6% year over year to 8,340 homes. Single-family home sales in the last 12 months totaled 89,367, up 2.5% from a year ago. When compared to the 12-months ending July 2019 (the last normal period prior to the pandemic), Houston sales have returned to normal market volumes. In comparison, the National Association of Realtors reported single-family sales in the 12-month period ending July 2026 were 20.1% less than the same period ending July 2019, indicating a national market struggling to return to normal, according to HAR Chief Economist Dr. Ted C. Jones.
