Trends
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Fewer buyers were looking for vacation homes in August, as the demand for second homes dropped for the third month in a row.

The seasonally adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of July was 378,000, representing a supply of 6.1 months at the current sales rate.

Last year’s en-masse move to remote work has driven what Zillow has dubbed the Great Reshuffling, as homeowners working from home have paused and reevaluated where and how they live.

The increase was driven by a 21.6% month-over-month spike in the rate of new multifamily construction. Single-family housing starts, meanwhile, slid 2.8%.

September’s reading of 76 was up one point from August, despite lingering challenges with labor and the building-material supply chain, the National Association of Home Builders reported, citing the latest NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index.

Month over month, home sales were down 3.5%, and the median sale price declined 1.2% to $335,000.

According to Realtor.com’s Best Time to Buy Report, between Sept 12 and Oct. 17 is the best time to sell a home in most markets, but what about in Houston?

Texas had the second-most foreclosure starts in the nation during August 2021, according to new data from ATTOM’s U.S. Foreclosure Market Report.

Pending home sales in August rose just 9%, the slowest growth since June 2020, according to a new Redfin report.

A decline in new home listings has had little impact on the market as far as demand is concerned, according to a recent Redfin report.

Income levels and mortgage rates gave homebuyers in June 129% more house-buying power than they had in 2006, according to First American Financial Corp.’s June Real House Price Index.

Housing starts, existing-home sales and housing inventory were all down in Houston during August. But days on the market also fell.

Also during the month, the median sales price rose to $390,500 from $370,200 in June, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

You might be surprised by the results of this survey.

“The bright spot in an otherwise underwhelming report comes from the increase in the overall number of permits issued, which can signal how much home construction is in the pipeline.” — First American deputy chief economist Odeta Kushi

Smaller, more affordable homes are hitting the market, helping moderate median list prices, according to Realtor.com.