Trends

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Census Bureau: Construction Up 7.1% in August

Though it was delayed by the government shutdown, the Census Bureau’s numbers on construction spending were positive all the same. Well, it finally made it! Though delayed by three weeks because of the government shutdown, the Census Bureau’s latest

How Does a New Home’s Size Impact its Features?

We all wonder if size truly matters, but in the case of newly built single-family homes, the answer is clear. What percentage of newly built homes have an entry foyer? What if the home is less than 2,000 square

NAR: Existing-Home Sales Dip Slightly in September

Existing-home sales declined a bit from August to September, though housing inventory continued to show promising signs. After hitting their highest level in nearly four years, existing-home sales came back down to earth in September, declining 1.9 percent to

4 Important Trends in Houston Home Sales

Houston’s housing market showed no signs of slowing down in September, with home sales posting strong yearly returns. The Houston real estate market just rolled along in September, soaring to its 28th consecutive month of positive home sales, according

For Luxury Homebuyers, Some Things Are More Important Than Size

When we think luxury, we generally think “BIG,” but a new survey shows that bigger it not always better with luxury homebuyers. You hear the words “luxury home,” and many things come to mind – high-end finishings, exclusive neighborhoods

NAHB: Builder Confidence Wanes Somewhat in September

Builder confidence had been on a tear recently, but new data from the NAHB suggests a cooling off period. Builder confidence for the newly built, single-family home market stumbled a bit in October, with the National Association of Home

What is the Most Popular Home Improvement Project in Houston?

There are many ways that homeowners can improve their residences, but what projects are the most popular? Home improvement projects are among the key tenets of homeownership. You purchase a home, renovate certain aspects of it, and then, several

How is Space Distributed in New Homes in 2013?

The components of new homes in 2013 are pretty consistent, but how is space distributed across those various components? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to deduce the components of a typical newly built single-family home. From the family

Are Zombies & Vampires a Problem in Our Housing Market?

What are Vampire REOs and Zombie Foreclosures? And what problems do they pose for the housing market? Last week, we reported on the latest National Foreclosure Report from CoreLogic, and the news was uniformly good: foreclosure inventory was down a

Does the Middle Class Have a Chance in Houston’s Housing Market?

The U.S. prides itself for its strong middle class, but how many options does that middle class have for housing in the nation’s largest cities? Homeownership has long been a cornerstone of the modern American Dream, the ultimate symbol

How Affordable Will Housing Be When Rates Hit 7 Percent?

Housing affordability has been on the decline this year, but by how much? And what will affordability look like when rates increase? It’s been an interesting year in the world of housing affordability. Record low mortgage rates and competitively

NAHB: Houston Housing Market ‘Back to Normal’

Houston’s housing market has been on an undeniable surge the last couple years, but a new index from the NAHB has made those gains official. Houston’s housing market is one of 52 metropolitan areas that has either returned to

CoreLogic: Foreclosure Inventory Drops 33% in August

The nation’s foreclosure markets have been showing considerable improvement in 2013, but did that trend continue in August? The good news continued for the nation’s foreclosure markets, according to CoreLogic’s latest National Foreclosure Report, with foreclosure inventory, completed foreclosures

Consumer Caution Grows in Latest National Housing Survey

Consumer sentiment on the housing market has gone nowhere but up in the last few months, but does the latest survey from Fannie Mae suggest a slowdown? Baby, we had a great run. Though consumer confidence on the housing

Did Houston Rents Increase in the Third Quarter?

The nation’s rental markets have been quite hot in the post-boom housing market; did that trend continue into the third quarter? There have been two distinct memes in the housing market since 2008, both involving the nation’s rental market.

Trulia: Houston Asking Prices Rise 13.3% in September

Asking prices may have slowed nationwide in September, but was that the case here in Houston? Asking prices in Houston’s housing market were up a robust 13.3 percent year-over-year in September, along with a 3.0 percent increase from the

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