At the same time, builder sales expectations for the next six months posted their second-largest drop since the sentiment index started in 1985. 

Sharon Ballas, an agent with Greenwood King Properties, was the listing agent — and selling agent — for the priciest home sale in Houston last month.

Although Houston’s median home price rose slightly in the fourth quarter of 2024, the average mortgage rate decreased, easing affordability constraints for buyers.

A majority of the most expensive new listings in Texas are located in the Dallas area, although the priciest new listing is located in Manor, an Austin suburb.

On a city basis, Chicago posted the highest annual increase among the country’s 20 largest metros, followed by Miami, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. 

Six of Houston’s top 10 hottest communities had average sales prices well below the area average, indicating that affordability remains a top priority for buyers.

The median existing-home price for all housing types in December rose 6% from its year-ago level.    

The Woodlands, Sugar Land and Missouri City rank among the U.S. cities where housing inventory has grown the most since 2005, according to a report from StorageCafe.

Nationally, home sales were up 13.3% year over year and 4.4% month over month, RE/MAX said. 

Compass agent Laura Sweeney was responsible for either listing or selling four of the top 10 most expensive home sales in greater Houston last year.

Two of the most expensive homes sold in greater Houston last month ranked among the most expensive sales of the year, according to the Houston Association of REALTORS®.

Thirty-five percent of all master-planned community sales last year were in Texas, according to RCLCO Real Estate Consulting.

In its last reading before the end of the year, the National Association of REALTORS®  Pending Home Sales Index posted its fourth consecutive monthly increase in November. 

Compass agents listed four of the 10 most expensive listings in Texas this past month, with properties in Dallas, Highland Park, Fort Worth and Houston.

The median-sales price slid from $425,600 in October to $402,600 last month. 

The year-over-year increase of 6.1% is the greatest since June 2021, according to the association.