KEY POINTS FROM THE TEXAS QUARTERLY HOUSING REPORT

• The Texas housing market showed strength and stability at the close of 2011, with a 6% increase in the volume of homes sold statewide in fourth quarter compared to the same time the year before, and prices holding steady.

• For the period of October through December 2011, the volume of single-family home sales in Texas was 46,764, 6% more than the same quarter in 2010.  The median sales price for Texas homes during the quarter was $148,100, a figure that is statistically unchanged from 2010-Q4.

• The Texas housing market has returned to a healthy balance between supply and demand -- with 6.4 months of housing inventory statewide at the end of fourth quarter.  This is what economists call the perfect balance.

• For all of last year, Texas homebuyers -- whether new to the Lone Star State or longtime residents -- bought more than 205,000 existing single-family homes.  That's over 2,000 more homes sold in Texas compared to 2010.

• All of these factors indicate the vital signs of our Texas real estate economy are healthy as we begin 2012.  In fact, today's market conditions -- coupled with still-incredibly low mortgage interest rates -- provide ample opportunities for Texas homebuyers as we head toward spring and summer.    

 Texas Association of Realtors