Houston Real Estate - 16239 Homes for Sale and 3.1 Months of Supply
Houston has 16,239 active listings with a median list price of about $319K, homes are selling at a median of about $308K - roughly $10,340 below asking - and only 18% of sales close at or above list price, pointing to a seller's market that still leaves room for negotiation.
The state of play
Houston is carrying 16,239 active homes for sale right now, with about 5,251 sales closing per month. That works out to 3.1 months of supply - a level that technically favors sellers, since a balanced market typically sits around five to six months. New listings are replenishing inventory steadily, which means buyers have real choices without the desperation of a near-zero supply environment. Sellers hold a structural edge, but it is not the kind of edge that eliminates negotiation.
Only 18% of Houston homes close at or above list price - meaning the asking price is where negotiation starts, not ends.
What prices are actually doing
The median list price on active Houston homes sits at about $319K, while the median sold price over the last 12 months is about $308K - a gap of roughly $10,340. That gap matters: it tells you that the typical transaction closes below the asking price, not at it. The figure that sharpens this picture further is the at-or-above-ask rate - only 18% of sales close at or above list price. In other words, more than 8 in 10 Houston closings happen with some discount from the original ask. Sellers who price precisely for their neighborhood and condition will still move homes, but the data suggests that aggressive list prices are routinely walked back before closing. Average days on market land at 74, meaning most sellers should plan for a process that runs two to three months from first showing to funded closing.
- Median list price: $318,558
- Median sold price, last 12 months: $308,218
- Closing at or above asking: 18%
What this means if you're moving this year
If you are buying in Houston, the numbers give you a real negotiating baseline. With 82% of homes closing below list and a median sold-to-list gap of about $10K, coming in at asking is not a requirement - it is a starting point. The 74-day average also means you are unlikely to lose a home simply by taking a day or two to review inspection results or request repairs. Use the 3.1-month supply as context: there is enough inventory to be selective, but not so much that sellers are desperate. If you find a well-priced home in a specific pocket like the Heights, Montrose, or West University, move with intention - tightly priced homes in high-demand corridors still attract competitive interest. If you are selling, the 3.1-month supply reading is the good news - demand is real and consistent at roughly 5,251 closings a month across Houston. The discipline is in pricing. Homes that land above what comps support tend to sit for longer than that 74-day average and ultimately sell for a larger discount than the $10K median gap. Price it right from day one and you maximize your net; price it aspirationally and the market will likely correct you over time through price reductions and longer days on market. Staging, condition, and accurate entry pricing are the three levers sellers actually control.
On the market right now
A few homes that just came up in Houston, pulled live from the MLS as you read this.
