January housing market demand in the Houston area remained steady as homes spent more time on the market, according to the Houston Association of Realtors’ January 2026 Housing Market Update.
What to know
Single-family home sales declined to 4,999 homes compared to a year earlier, when 5,047 homes sold in January 2025, HAR reports. The median home price decreased to $322,045, its lowest level since January 2024, when it stood at $320,000.
The average single-family home price rose 2.8% to $416,722, driven largely by more activity in the luxury market, according to the report. The luxury segment was the strongest-performing sector, with transactions up 15.5% year over year, the report states. As inventory expanded, homes averaged 66 days on the market, up from 61 days in 2025.
“With rates expected to ease a little this year, buyers who have been waiting on the sidelines may start to feel more confident and enter the market. That should help maintain demand and create additional opportunities for sellers throughout the year,” HAR Chair Theresa Hill said.
Digging deeper
Sales of all property types across the Greater Houston area declined 2.2% year over year in January, with 6,045 properties sold. The number of active listings of all properties rose 15.7% from 2025, with 54,589 available properties.
According to the report, single-family home sales performed as follows:$1-$99,999: increased 7.1%$100,000-$149,999: increased 6.6%$150,000-$249,999: increased 4.7%$250,000-$499,999: decreased 5.1%$500,000-$999,999: decreased 0.5%$1M and above: increased 15.5%