Published October 4, 2026 in Market Update

Homes moved faster here, even with rates above 7%

By April Aberle

Real estate, Shoreacres/La Porte Buy Box

Mortgage rates climbed above 7% for the first time since January 2025, according to Realtor.com. That slowed buyers in a lot of markets. But in Shoreacres and La Porte, the numbers moved the other way.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 33.1% of homes in ZIP 77571 going under contract within two weeks of listing, in the three months ending July 31, 2026. That share was up 10.9 points from the same months of 2025. One in three homes did not sit long at all.

Days on market dropped, not rose

The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows median days on market came in at 36 days, 6 days shorter than the same period in 2025. Sellers got 99.1 cents on every dollar of list price, on average. That is up 1.6 points from a year ago. Prices are not slipping here.

More homes selling above asking price

The Real Estate Data Aggregator found that 20.6% of homes sold above list price in the three months ending July 31, 2026. That share rose 7.5 points from a year before. Roughly 1 in 5 homes drew enough interest to push past the asking price. That does not happen in a market where buyers are sitting on their hands.

Fewer homes to choose from

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 139 homes for sale in ZIP 77571 during this period, down 16.3% from a year ago. New listings fell too, down 6.9%. Supply sits at 3 months, which is lean. Fewer choices tend to keep prices firm and timelines short.

The national picture looked different

Nationally, Realtor.com reported that price cuts hit 20.8% of listings in September 2026, the highest share since October 2022. Active listings topped 1.16 million homes nationally. The Federal Housing Finance Agency put U.S. house price growth at 2.6% year over year through July 2026. Shoreacres and La Porte posted 5.7% median price growth in the same window. This area outpaced the national trend.

What this means if you are selling

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 141 homes sold in ZIP 77571 in the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is down 2.8% from a year ago, a small dip. But 33.1% of homes went under contract in two weeks. The ones that moved fast were priced and prepared well. The ones that did not move fast were likely not.

Pricing at the right number from day one matters more when rates are above 7%. Buyers are stretching. They are not going to overpay for a home that needs work or is listed too high.

What this means if you are buying

With only 3 months of supply and 1 in 3 homes going fast, waiting to get ready is a real cost. When a strong match shows up, you need your financing lined up. You also need to know what a fair price looks like in this ZIP code, not just what you feel comfortable offering.

One street can read very differently from the ZIP code as a whole. A block closer to the water, a specific school zone boundary, or a stretch of newer builds can shift the numbers in either direction. The ZIP code average is a starting point, not the final word on your home.