We keep hearing that mortgage lending standards are unfairly tight, but does the data support that meme? One of the more prevailing memes in the housing recovery has been the relative tightness of lending standards on residential mortgages, and

Not only were existing-home sales up by monthly and yearly measures in July, but housing inventory continued to stabilize as well. July was a rock solid month for existing-home sales, according to the latest data from the National Association

The downpayment remains the staple of most home financing; how are buyers, nowadays, funding their downpayments? Only 9 percent of homebuyers so far in 2013 have funded less than 50 percent of their home purchases with financing – which means that

Housing affordability has slipped a bit so far in 2013, but does Houston’s housing stock remain affordable relative to other major cities? Housing affordability slipped a bit from the first quarter to the second quarter in 2013, according to

Residential construction posted great numbers in July, with housing starts, building permits and housing completions all in positive territory. July was a sterling month for residential construction, with all measured tracked by the Census Bureau posting positive numbers for

The rapid rise in home prices has been one of 2013’s major economic stories, but there’s mounting evidence that those increases will slow down – and soon. If there’s been a poster child for the housing recovery, it’s been

Builder confidence continued its upward trend in August, rising to its highest mark since 2005. August has proven another sterling month for homebuilders, with the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, the leading measure of builder

Housing inventory in Houston was down by double-digit amounts in July; how do those declines compare with the rest of the nation? Housing inventory in July may have been down 32.3 percent year-over-year in Houston and 16.2 percent nationally,

The second quarter proved a boisterously good period for the nation’s mortgage markets, but did all that good cheer extend to our local marketplace? Last week, we reported on the latest National Delinquency Survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association,

The second quarter was a spectacular one for Freddie and Freddie, but are such successes problematic for the government’s reform efforts? Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had mighty good second quarters – not only did the GSEs post respective

The nation’s mortgage markets continued to improve in 2013’s second quarter, with the MBA’s report being one of its most positive. The mortgage markets improved in several notable ways in the second quarter, according to the latest National Delinquency

Is Houston among the busiest housing markets in the U.S.? A new report from Redfin shows how the Bayou City stacks up to the competition. What are the busiest housing markets in the U.S.? That question was at the

June was yet another banner month for home prices in CoreLogic’s Home Price Index, but could home price gains be slowing down? Home prices continued their sterling performance in June, rising 11.9 percent year-over-year in the latest Home Price

Asking prices in Houston were up 10.2 percent in July, though that activity came amidst a slowing housing market. Asking prices in July were up 10.2 percent year-over-year in Houston in the latest Trulia Price Monitor, a leading measure

Residential construction spending continued to lead the pack in June, posting strong year-over-year gains in the latest Census Bureau report. Overall construction spending may have down in June, but it was another great month for residential construction spending, which

The housing market has grown in many interesting ways so far this year, and agents will have some interesting details to consider for 2013’s second half. The housing market has cut an encouraging path the last six months. What