The national rental vacancy rate dropped to 5.6% in the second quarter of the year while the homeowner vacancy rate remained at 0.8%.

Home prices were up 17.6% in Houston on a year-over-year basis, compared to 18.3% nationwide, CoreLogic reported, citing its Home Price Index. 

“Contract signings to buy a home will keep tumbling down as long as mortgage rates keep climbing, as has happened this year to date.” — National Association of Realtors chief economist Lawrence Yun  

At the same time, the inventory of new homes for sale rose 10.7%, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported.

The pace of new multifamily construction, however, jumped, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  

At the same time, the median existing-home price rose 13.4% year over year to $416,000. 

Nationwide, sales hit their highest level of the year, rising 4.7% from June but falling 17.6% on a year-over-year basis, RE/MAX said. 

July saw the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index post its second-largest monthly drop ever, as worries about housing affordability dampened builder sentiment. 

According to the annual survey, the typical Realtor saw their transaction sides rise from 10 to 12 and their sales volume increase from $2.1 million to $2.6 million. 

The residential-brokerage franchisor announced a host of company-wide steps it is taking to grow its business. 

A new report from ShowingTime reveals a continued drop in home showings nationwide: During May, buyer traffic decreased 18.2% year over year.

Realor.com has compiled a list of the 10 markets where homes are lingering the longest — giving buyers a rare edge.

What does the latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index reveal about Houston real estate?

The increase ends a six-month string of monthly declines, the National Association of REALTORS® said.

New-home inventory rose to 444,000 homes in May from 437,000 homes in April, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported.  

Meanwhile, existing-home sales slid 3.4% from April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.41 million, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.