Everyone knows that mortgages and rents have ran in opposing directions, but the numbers are still jaw-dropping. For some time, we’ve been hearing two independent narratives in housing: one, that mortgage rates and payments were at an all-time low;

A new round of analysis suggests that housing affordability continues to fall by the wayside in the Hoston area. There have been some indicators that the housing affordability situation here in Houston is slipping somewhat, and a new study has provided perhaps

What should you know about home sellers, heading into the 2015 housing market? Our last few stories on NAR’s 2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers has focused on the buyer-side of the equation, but now we’re finally taking

New cash sales report says more of the same – we’re staying consistent. In September, cash sales increased slightly despite the autumnal slump, but remain at relatively low levels, according to a new report from CoreLogic. In recent months,

With Fannie and Freddie’s new mortgage rules coming into effect, the industry questions the impact they’ll truly have. Earlier this month, new lending guidelines previously announced by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac came into effect, and now the industry

What’s the deal with asking prices in our metro area? Asking prices in the Houston area remained positive in November, and they seem to be showing no signs of slowing down, according to the newly released Price Monitor from Trulia. Per Trulia’s

The latest government jobs report was highly encouraging for the economy – and, as a result, for the housing market. Good news alert! The government’s latest jobs report came out last week, and it was a very encouraging one

Foreclosures are being completed at dramatic rates…and why that might not be so good. The newest foreclosure report from CoreLogic highlights the nation’s continued efforts to push through new and long pending foreclosures, but the robust pace of completion

New data shows that the city of Houston is one of the most active luxury housing markets in the entire U.S. The city of Houston is the No. 6 luxury housing market in the U.S. in terms of sales, according to

Construction spending rises and falls throughout the country, helping and hindering markets struggling to refill dwindling inventories. Construction spending was up this past October, according to recently released figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. The increases, which amount to

At the end of the day, how much income do consumers need to qualify for certain mortgages in our housing market? In our most recent analysis of housing affordability, we looked at what percentage of our housing market’s inventory

Though overall construction is mostly flat from last year, both single family and multifamily are putting up some encouraging numbers. Residential construction spending was up just 1.3 percent from September to October and 1.8 percent from Oct. 2013, rising

Stable, moderate price appreciation may tell a much larger economic story.   Though the pace of home sales has slowed throughout much of the nation, year-over-year price gains remain healthy, increasing in October yet again, making 32 months of

There’s very little that’s conventional in terms of how homebuyers today finance their purchases, as 2014 draws to a close. In our most recent story on NAR’s 2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, we looked at how consumers

Contract signings are down late in the year but still above average. The latest Pending Home Sales Index report from the National Association of Realtors showed a slight dip in pending home sales in October. Still, levels remain healthy

One aspect of the economic recovery could haunt the housing market far beyond its current cycle. Seven million is a big number, and unfortunately –for both the housing market and the wider economy – it’s attached to a remnant of the Great