The Houston real estate market closed out 2009 with a more realistic snapshot of local conditions, ending three months of sales readings that appeared high compared to Hurricane Ike’s crippling effects on housing in the fall of 2008.

According to the latest monthly data compiled by the Houston Association of Realtors, December volume of single-family home sales across the greater Houston area dipped 2.1 percent compared to December 2008. That represents the first decline since last August. Total December property sales were flat on a year-over-year basis, HAR reports.

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