National News

The 3 Reasons that Housing May Not Be as Affordable as it Looks

We’re often told about how affordable housing is, but there is a world inside of the world of housing affordability. #475106427 / gettyimages.com Housing, we often read, is currently in a promised land of affordability. Though not quite the ideal

The Real Reason Construction Activity is Up

Construction numbers have been up in 2014, but there’s a very specific reason behind the increased activity. #138626281 / gettyimages.com Overall construction spending in the U.S. economy rose 0.2 percent from March to April and 8.6 percent from April

The Inconvenient Truth About Housing – in Two Charts

The most recent existing-home sales report indicated that housing may have turned a corner, but structural issues persist. #142483561 / gettyimages.com Covering the housing market nowadays is a strange experience. On one hand, you have the clear monthly reports

5 Reasons that First-Time Homebuyers Are NOT Returning Anytime Soon

First-time homebuyers have been missing in action for some time now, and it’s unlikely that they’ll return any time soon. #482143423 / gettyimages.com It’s no news to anyone – especially consistent readers of our news coverage – that first-time

The Latest New Home Sales Report, in 5 Easy Steps

The government came out with its latest report on new home sales late last week, but what do all those numbers actually mean? #480983989 / gettyimages.com We’ll get the obvious information out the way first: according to the latest numbers

Texas Home Prices Remain Strong in Case-Shiller

In general, home prices have been slowing down a bit in 2014; was that the case in our market, according to the latest Case-Shiller? #140196782 / gettyimages.com Home prices in the Lone Star State rose by both monthly and yearly

NAR Report: Why April is the Month for Existing-Home Sales

After falling the first three months of the year, existing-home sales reversed course in April, according to NAR. #176580616 / gettyimages.com Early Thursday morning, the National Association of Realtors released a report showing that in April, and for the first

Appraisal Complaints Way Down in 2014, but Structural Flaws Persist

Bad appraisals were one of the more implicit side effects of the housing downturn, but is the worst behind us? #83590748 / gettyimages.com Forty percent of any demographic is an awfully large chunk of people, and in 2010, at

Negative Equity Persists in Houston in a Surprising Way

Though home prices have risen, negative equity continues to affect many homeowners – though not equally. #459305223 / gettyimages.com Home prices have risen in dramatic ways the last couple of years, but quite a few properties remain in negative

The 7 Key Things to Know About the New Construction Market

As usual, many media outlets have been focusing on the screaming headlines on construction, but more important trends simmer below the surface. #466064835 / gettyimages.com By now, you’ve surely seen the screaming headlines – in April, housing starts skyrocketed

Great News: Delinquency Rate Falls to Lowest Level Since 2007

The U.S. mortgage markets have been improving gradually the last couple years, but the latest MBA data marks a significant accomplishment. #486080083 / gettyimages.com Yesterday, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) graced us with a wonderful piece of housing news

Builder Confidence Continues to Slip in May

May was another lackluster month for confidence in the homebuilding sector, according to the NAHB, as homebuilding ran into some economic barriers. #479533631 / gettyimages.com Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes in May fell one

The 5 Simple Reasons that Millennials are Not Buying Homes

Why on earth are Millennials not buying homes? It turns out there are pretty straightforward reasons behind their absence. #171287367 / gettyimages.com The housing market has, thus far in 2014, been putting up some pretty lukewarm numbers, and the relative

3 Things to Know About the Most Powerful Man in Housing

Mel Watt, the recently installed head of the FHFA, delivered his first major address on housing this week; here were the main takeaways. #171644428 / gettyimages.com Mel Watt, who is the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA),

Shocker: Even FICO Thinks Lending Standards are Too Tight

It’s one thing for NAR to think that lending is too strict, but now even FICO has thrown its voice into the mix. #182982451 / gettyimages.com For some time, tight lending standards in the post-bubble housing market have been

Trulia: Asking Prices in Houston Continue Their Ascent

Prices have risen strongly thus far in 2014, and April only continued that hot streak. #122676840 / gettyimages.com Houston’s home price increases in 2014 continued in April, with asking prices rising 9.8 percent yearly and 2.1 percent quarterly, according to the