by Calculated Risk on 9/11/2019 12:19:00 PM

From the HAR: Houston Home Sales Sizzle in August

Temperatures weren’t the only thing soaring in August. Home sales registered another hot month, as low mortgage interest rates kept consumers in a buying mood. According to the latest monthly report from the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR), August sales of single-family homes throughout greater Houston totaled 8,679. That is up 3.9 percent year-over-year and marks the second largest one-month sales volume of all time; the record of 8,930 was set just last month. On a year-to-date basis, home sales are running 3.1 percent ahead of 2018’s record volume.
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Housing inventory still remains ahead of 2018 levels. It reached a 4.2-months supply in August compared to 4.0 months a year earlier. So far in 2019, June and July marked the peak of inventory – a 4.3-months supply. Robust inventory and mortgage interest rates currently averaging 3.49 percent (according to Freddie Mac) have created a favorable climate for home buyers and paved the way for one of the strongest summers in Houston real estate history.

Sales of all property types increased 4.1 percent in August, totaling 10,375 units. That marks the second highest one-month volume of all time. The record for total property sales in a single month was 10,444 set just last month, in July 201[9], which also was the first time that figure broke the 10,00[0] mark. Total dollar volume for the month climbed 6.6 percent to $3.1 billion.

“This has been one of the hottest summers in Houston history, both in terms of temperatures and home sales,” said HAR Chair Shannon Cobb Evans with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene. “The Houston real estate market typically slows a bit once school starts and we get into fall, but with interest rates as low as they’ve been and a steadily growing supply of homes, it’s possible that sales don’t let up until closer to the holidays. The rental segment has also been extremely active and looks to remain that way a while longer.”
emphasis added

Total active inventory was up 8.2% YoY to 45,062 properties from 41,650 properties in August 2018. Sales are on pace for a record year.