Houston auto sales surge, hit highest price per vehicle

HOUSTON – Houston-area auto dealers sold 28,569 vehicles in November 2013, up 52.3 percent from the 18,760 sold in November 2012, according to InfoNation Inc. This was the strongest November for sales since the Greater Houston Partnership began keeping region-wide records in the 1990s.

For the 12 months ending November 2013, auto dealers in Houston sold 352,721 vehicles, a 10.4 percent increase from the 319,618 sold in the 12 months ending November 2012. Rolling 12-month sales have not exceeded 350,000 vehicles since April 2008.

The average retail sales price per vehicle for Houston-area dealers in November rose to $34,466, the highest level on record. The average price is up 19.1 percent from the pre-recession peak in June 2007.