A flurry of homes going under contract in May after COVID-19-related stay-at-home orders expired led to a surge of closings in June, driving home sales volumes back up to levels considered more normal for summertime in Houston – and even beyond 2019’s record pace. However, renewed coronavirus concerns, stemming from a spike in cases across greater Houston and in other parts of Texas, may bring this taste of normalcy to an end by the fall.

According to the latest Market Update from the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR), 9,328 single-family homes sold in June compared to 8,063 a year earlier. That translated to a 15.7 percent jump – a strong rebound from two straight months of declines brought on by coronavirus and ongoing strains in the energy industry.

Homes priced between $250,000 and $500,000 led the way among all housing segments, soaring 28.3 percent year-over-year. The second-best performer consisted of homes in the $500,000 to $750,000 range, which jumped 18.6 percent. Year-to-date sales are now on par with 2019’s record pace after lagging by 4.3 percent in May.

The single-family home median price increased 3.6 percent to an historic high of $262,000 while the average price dipped less than one percent to $319,881.

Sales of all property types totaled 11,153, up 18.3 percent from June 2019. Total dollar volume for the month increased 15.1 percent to $3.3 billion. Leases of single-family homes were another bright spot in HAR’s monthly report, climbing more than 15 percent.