Trends

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The 4 Problems with Rising Home Prices

We know, rising home prices are a very good thing, but are there elements of housing that they actually harm? We’ll start off with an affirmative statement – there are many good things that come about from rising home prices.

CoreLogic: Houston-area Foreclosure Inventory Down 25% in January

Our fine metro area continued to make progress through its foreclosure inventory in 2013, according to new analysis.   Foreclosure inventory in Houston-area is down a whopping 25 percent year-over-year through January, according to the latest National Foreclosure Report from

What Features Will Be Most Common in New Homes in 2014?

The features in a new single-family home change all the time, but what trends will be most common in 2014? Granite countertops? Walk-in closets? Laundry rooms? Yes, yes and yes. There are many possible things that can go into

Asking Prices in Houston Up 14.2% in February

Confidence remains strong among Houston home sellers, with asking prices posting yet more increases in February. Asking prices in the Houston housing market increased 11.5 percent year-over-year in February, according to the latest Price Monitor from Trulia. In addition,

Houston Home to the Nation’s Healthiest Housing Market

Houston boasts the nation’s healthiest mortgage market, according to new numbers from CoreLogic. The Houston area’s housing market is the healthiest in the nation, according to the latest Equity Report from CoreLogic. Cover housing data through 2013’s fourth quarter,

CoreLogic: Houston Area Home Prices Jump 12.7%

Home prices continued their double-digit performance in January, according to the latest CoreLogic numbers.   Home prices in the Houston-area housing market rose 12.7 percent year-over-year in January, according to the latest Home Price Index (HPI) from CoreLogic. Even

7 Important Tidbits About Today’s Housing Market

Housing’s importance cannot be questioned, though there is considerable nuance to where the market is heading. Last week, we looked at the latest study from the Demand Institute, and its eye-popping predictions on where home prices are heading for

Houston Housing Inventory Down 19% in February

Housing inventory continued to decline in Houston in February, and at the moment, there does not seem to be signs of improvement. Housing inventory in the Houston housing market fell 19 percent year-over-year in February, according to the latest

What Share of Texas’ 2013 Home Sales Were New Construction?

We all know that new construction has made steady progress the last couple years, but what’s its share of home sales? As we reported last week, new home sales remain historically low. Though they did hit their highest mark

New Residential Construction in Houston Down 34% in January

The latest numbers from McGraw Hill Construction gave us insights to the nation’s new construction markets. New residential construction activity in Houston slipped a bit in January, falling 34 percent year-over-year, according to the latest economic data from McGraw

Census Bureau: Construction Spending Up 9.3% in January

Construction spending continued to improve in January, with private construction showing particularly good progress. Construction spending may have been flat month-to-month, but its yearly progress was strong as ever, according to the latest report from the Census Bureau. At

The 4 Steps of Rate Lock-Ins, and Why They’re Trouble For Housing

Do you know what an interest-rate lock-in is? No? It could have a defining effect on housing in the coming years. Pop quiz hotshot: what is the market phenomenon known as the interest-rate lock-in, and how does it apply

NAR: Pending Home Sales Flat in January

Pending home sales continued their sluggish performance in January, though worst may still be to come. Pending home sales were flat in January, according to the latest analysis by the National Association of Realtors. Per NAR’s Pending Home Sales

Houston Home Prices Expected to Rise 15% by 2018

A new study predicts good things for Houston’s housing market in the coming years. Home prices in the Houston residential real estate market are expected to rise by 15 percent from 2012 to 2018, according to the latest report

Owning in Houston 45% Cheaper than Renting

We all know that rising mortgage rates and price increases have taken a bite out of affordability, but how does renting compare with owning in 2014? The homeownership/renting debate is an everlasting one, but in the post-boom housing market,

New Home Sales Jump to Five-Year High in Jan. 2014

The market for newly built single-family homes saw sales increases in January; what does that mean for the housing market? Amidst a period of less-than-enthralling news for housing, the Census Bureau’s latest report on sales of newly built single-family

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