Houston’s real estate activity was unusually high in November despite the Thanksgiving holiday, even as inventory hovered at historically low levels. Renters also brought much-needed business back to the lease market following slight declines in October. 

During week 47, real estate agents entered 1,359 properties into the Multiple Listing Service for the week ended Nov. 29 compared to 1,563 during the same period last year.

Led by Jennifer Keller, Hamilton Thomas Homes broke ground in October in Balmoral, where it will build 31 homes on 45-foot sites. Homes will range from 1,700 to 3,000 square feet, with pricing in the mid-$300,000s, according to a press release. 

Coventry Homes will expand its building program to the 460-acre community of Candela, the builder announced in a press release. Priced from the $530,000s, homes will be situated on 70-foot sites with designs ranging from 2,915 to 4,573 square feet. Floor plans have not yet been released. 

The demand for housing in the U.S. has reached a new all-time high since 2017, a rare occurrence for this time of year when the market typically slows. According to a Redfin report, a recovering economy and all-time low mortgage rates are critical factors in the current market. 

As the economy recovers from COVID and the housing market gains traction, homeownership is top of mind for Americans, according to the latest survey from Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

Beazer Homes has launched pre-sales for its new Duets series of homes in Sienna’s Forest Landing neighborhood. 

While Houston is often praised for its affordable housing compared to the rest of the country, the city has not been immune to the nation’s surging rent prices. A recent analysis of Houston-area properties revealed the neighborhoods with the highest and lowest rental and sale prices, according to Awning.com.

Demand for second homes was up 70% from pre-pandemic levels in October, according to a new report from Redfin. This outpaced August’s 48% gain but was below January’s record 91% growth.

While Houston became home to nearly 600,000 new residents between 2014 and 2018, thousands of Houstonians left the city, too — but the majority didn’t go far, according to a new Stacker report.

As of Sept. 30, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) had collected $229.6 in dues from its 1.542 million members, according to a RealTrends report.

The prop-tech software, named Runway, applies information technology and platform economics to real estate markets, according to a press release.

The world’s wealthiest dog is about to get a little richer. Worth nearly half a billion dollars, the German shepherd named Gunther VI recently listed the former Miami estate of Madonna for $31.75 million, according to a press release.

Developed by the Houston Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service (HAR MLS), ShowingSmart is designed to improve business workflow for listing and buying agents by enabling them to manage showings, schedule appointments, gather feedback and present information to clients.

@properties is continuing its expansion strategy on an international scale, announcing today its plan to purchase Christie’s International Real Estate.

Houston experienced cooling in more than just the outdoor temperatures in October, according to the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR) October 2021 Market Update.