Going up

New report reveals how much Houston home prices soared in past decade

Home prices in Houston jumped 68 percent in the past decade.

Photo by TK Images

Homes in Houston are selling at a dizzying pace, as CultureMap has previously reported. Hardly surprising, considering that in the past decade, every Texas metro area saw its home prices soar.

To that end, a new report from the Texas Association of Realtors reviews home-selling activity across the state during the previous 10 years (2011 through 2020).

The Houston area notched a moderate increase, 68 percent, in the median home price from 2011 ($154,500) to 2020 ($260,000). By the numbers, some 58,223 homes were sold in Houston in 2011, with 99,339 sold in 2020 — a whopping 71 percent increase. The average price per square foot in 2011was $83; in 2020, the price jumped to $133.

Reflecting the speed in which units are now plucked off the market, Houston homes in 2020 were available just 54 days, compared to 89 days in 2011.

Statewide, shoppers favored big cites, according to the report. Three-fourths of homes sold around the state in the past decade were located in the Houston, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, and San Antonio metro areas, according to the report. Dallas-Fort Worth topped the list, with 923,528 homes sold from 2011 through 2020, followed by Houston (811,105), Austin (315,946), and San Antonio (292,322).

Across Texas, the median home price shot up 76 percent from 2011 ($146,988) to 2020 ($259,188), and more than 3 million homes were sold. The greatest sticker shock went to the north Texas area of Sherman-Denison, where the median home price jumped 130 percent from 2011 ($87,000) to 2020 ($200,000).

Among Texas’ four major metro areas, Dallas-Fort Worth, the median home price skyrocketed 94 percent from 2011 ($149,900) to 2020 ($291,000).

Only one metro area watched its median home price break the $300,000 mark: Austin. The Austin area witnessed an 82 percent bump in the median home price from 2011 ($189,000) to 2020 ($343,914), the report shows. No other Texas metro reached the $300,000 level last year, but oil-rich Midland came the closest ($299,000).

“We’ve had a dynamic real estate market in Texas over the past decade,” Marvin Jolly, chairman of the Texas Association of Realtors, says in an August 5 news release. “Some of the factors that have affected real estate transactions and property ownership include significant population growth, natural disasters big and small, new-home technologies, and, of course, the pandemic.”

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A Montrose jewel box

Charming Montrose townhouse with 2-story atrium hits the market

Photo by Sonya Sofrankpo for Sotheby’s International Realty

1507 Harold Street is on the market for $950,000.

Montrose has long been Houston’s neighborhood for the eclectic, a place where cute bungalows, mom-and-pop shops, and trendy bars and restaurants sit side-by-side. The neighborhood is a microcosm of the city itself: diverse, developing, beloved.

And even as the neighborhood has steadily gentrified, echoes of its past remain. One of those is now for sale. 1507 Harold Street, a remodeled jewel box of a space, is on the market for $950,000 and represented by Tracey Smith of Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty.

The 1950s townhome has fabulous natural light, balconies, a courtyard filled with native plants, and a funky charm that evokes the neighborhood’s past and present.

Painted tile floors and long hallways with splendid light set the tone for this home. They give way to an open, airy arrangement, showing off 1507 Harold’s nearly 3,000 square feet. The three-bedroom, two-bath home is immediately centered in its neighborhood, but also a retreat from the bustling city around it.

If the devil is in the details, 1507 Harold has plenty of them. Think painted clay tiles on the first floor and solid red oak hardwood on the second floor. Add to that custom Pedini Italian kitchen cabinets, Neolith countertops, and a Quemere custom backsplash in the kitchen. See also the epoxied garage floor with glass garage door.

Floor-to-ceiling windows not only let in the natural light, they give 1507 Harold the feeling of being surrounded by nature. That feeling is enhanced by the home's two, second-floor balconies. One of them, off the primary bedroom, overlooks the cloistered courtyard filled with native plants, park bench, and natural seating. The other faces the neighborhood. A two-story atrium provides space for meditation, contemplation, and casual gathering.

The dining room has a dry bar that’s perfect for storage and an Aobosi dual-temperature wine refrigerator. The primary bedroom has built-in bookcases and drawers, and an ensuite bath with soaking tub and shower. Sliding doors lead to the balcony.

The garden’s irrigation system waters plants daily, keeping this green space well-tended.South Texas cactus and olive trees welcome homeowners and visitors at the front entrance.

The home's welcoming vibe has to be seen to be believed. It’s rarely been on the market, and the odds are high that its next owners will keep it for a very long time. It’s just that kind of place.

Photo by Sonya Sofrankpo for Sotheby’s International Realty

1507 Harold Street is on the market for $950,000.

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