News / Features

New bill would require broader home sale price disclosures in Texas

A new bill that would require the disclosure of sale prices for homes sold to certain government entities aims to bring more money into the state’s coffers and increase transparency in the way properties are assessed throughout the state.

Real Estate in Brief: Rent burden, global affordability and more

Freddie Mac: Florida metros among most rent-burdened Housing affordability is an issue that dominates discussions of local politics, but the data on the topic can be hard to interpret. Studies from multiple sources regularly rank U.S. cities according to

What new tax laws mean for homeowners this year

April 15 this year marks the first Tax Day under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, one of the most significant overhauls of the federal tax code in decades. While Tax Day is the deadline for most Americans,

Houston Agent Who’s Who 2019 is here!

The moment you’ve all been waiting for has arrived: Houston Agent magazine’s Who’s Who 2019! Click here to meet the best and brightest in Houston real estate today and learn what puts these agents, brokers and lenders at the

Real Estate in Brief: Facebook v. HUD, record-low rates and more

Facebook charged with housing discrimination by HUD The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on March 28 formally charged Facebook with discrimination in violation of the Fair Housing Act. The charge comes after the agency filed a

Redfin: Bidding wars down dramatically from a year ago

  Only 16 percent of buyers so far this month faced competition, according to a study by Redfin. That’s down from 61 percent over the same period last year, and it’s one more sign among many that buyers may

Will buyers rule the market this spring?

The coming spring season, when home sales usually take off, could be a great one for buyers as the stars align in their favor: Mortgage rates are low, inventory levels are higher and price growth has slowed. Already, home

FHA changes may tighten credit for homebuyers

First-time homebuyers hoping to utilize the popular Federal Housing Administration loan program may find it more difficult to be approved for a mortgage this year, as the agency moves to reduce growing risks related to the program. FHA loans

Home sales surge ahead of spring

For real estate agents, spring may have arrived early this year. After a string of anemic reports through the winter, home sales numbers picked up across the U.S. in February. The National Association of Realtors reported that existing home

More Americans say now is a good time to buy a home

The state of the U.S. housing market has shifted rapidly in the last few months, but are consumers keeping up? A new survey from the National Association of Realtors makes the case that low mortgage rates and increased inventory

Real Estate in Brief: Broker alliances, rebranding and more

RE/MAX to partner with Redfin through referrals RE/MAX announced in a March 18 press release that it had entered into a “strategic alliance” with Redfin to boost sales at both nationwide brokers through referral incentives. In about 5,000 ZIP

43-acre mixed-use district coming to Jersey Village

Development for a mixed-use commercial and residential development in Jersey Village has been announced by Houston-based architecture and development firm Collaborate. The 43-acre project will be called “The Village Center” and will not only house the area’s city hall,

New insight from Fed meeting could keep mortgage rates low

In a positive sign for homebuyers planning on taking out new mortgages, the Federal Reserve sent its clearest signals yet that it will hold off on interest rate increases for the foreseeable future and perhaps the rest of 2019.

Congress still trying to pass long-term flood insurance solution

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has been a subject of debate for years in Congress, gaining temporary funding multiple times without any permanent solutions. Recently, representatives across political lines have shown interest in finally reaching a long-term resolution,

Remote workers more likely to own than rent

For most Americans, the average commute is less than 90 minutes. However, extreme commuters exist on either end of this spectrum, with telecommuters (who work from home) experiencing no travel time and so-called “super commuters” traveling over 90 minutes

Real Estate in Brief: Lender sentiment, housing starts and more

Lender optimism jumps as rates drift lower The latest survey of mortgage industry sentiment from Fannie Mae found lenders markedly more optimistic about their business prospects at the start of 2019. While still negative overall, the results of Fannie

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