News / Features

Special Report: Distressed Sales Nearly Nonexistent in Housing Today

Here is an undeniably positive development in the housing recovery. Distressed home sales – such as the one in our photo above – were the most visible result of the housing downturn, a true sign of the unfortunate times.

Will a ‘Strong’ U.S. Dollar Ruin International Real Estate in the U.S.?

Foreign home sales have been a big deal in the U.S., but could the strengthening economic climate change that? Foreign real estate has been a big deal in the U.S. during the housing recovery, and the numbers speak for themselves

Projected Growth Tumbles With Oil Prices

In light of the falling price of crude oil, Credit Suisse sees 2015 – and possibly 2016 – as a year of relative decline. The glory of Texas is built on a foundation of oil. Slick, black bricks of

3 Ways the 2014 Homebuilding Market Bested 2013

How was 2014’s homebuilding market better than 2013’s? Allow us to count the ways… The numbers are in, and they’re quite clear in their conclusions – by every possible metric, 2014’s homebuilding market represented a strong improvement over 2013.

When to Schedule Closings: A Review of 2014

Danielle Hale of NAR tackles existing-homes sales to determine what the most popular closing dates of 2014 were. It’s a whimsical if not slightly tired cliché to say “it’s all in the timing,” but in rare form, it’s one

4 Important (and Surprising) Economic Trends Agents Should Know About

Sure, the economy is doing better than it was a year ago, but the narrative extends far deeper than that. New survey data from Pew Research is very much in line with the government’s latest jobs numbers, as more

Millennial Employment Stands Out in Housing Barometer

Trulia’s fourth quarter Housing Barometer explains how housing ended 2014 on a good note. Trulia released its newest Housing Barometer this week, which reflects 2014’s fourth quarter on a scale of 0 percent (recession levels) to 100 percent (pre-crisis

Japanese Bullet Train Coming to Houston?

Travel between Dallas and Houston may be getting a lot easier… Often referred to as Texas’ first female governor, Ann Richards once famously said that it wasn’t until she campaigned in the Lone Star State that she gathered an

Just How Low are Mortgage Rates, Right Now? Answer: Really, Really Low

Okay, we all know that mortgage rates are low right now…but just how low? With mortgage rates expected to rise in 2015, we decided to take a closer look at the historical averages for rates – and via numbers from Freddie

Realtor Rod Castaneda Joins RE/MAX The Woodlands & Spring

Real estate agent Rod Castaneda is new to the offices of RE/MAX The Woodlands & Spring, according to a press release. “We are very fortunate to have a realtor with Rod’s international experience join our office,” said Danna Furnace-Grimes,

Texas’ Hottest Market Sheds More Cash Buyers in October

Cash sales are on the decline, but still represent a large chunk of the market. Recovery was the word in 2014, as the national real estate market shifted and readjusted to find its footing, and as we slowly begin

With Strong Price Increases, is Houston Now Overvalued?

We’ve come a long ways since the market crash, but does new research suggest we’ve gone too far? With asking prices up in Houston by 13.4 percent, the market the market may be overvalued to market fundamentals, according to a new

3 Critical Details About Millennial Homebuyers

We know that many Millennials are sitting on the homeownership sidelines, but what about the peeps who DO buy homes? We report quite regularly on the myriad reasons that Millennial homeownership remains low, but what the Millennials who have

HAR Reports Record-Breaking Year for Houston

Houston breaks records in 2014, but is the city on too much of a roll to slow down in 2015? It has been an exceptionally exciting year for Texas and particularly Houston, where home sales and prices have continued

Three New Agents Join Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene

A residential real estate brokerage in Houston hired three new real estate agents to join their office, according to a press release. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene added Bertha Coronado, Roxana Hebert and Jennifer Martinez at

Houston Foreclosures Remain Low and Healthy in November

November saw foreclosures drop…just not everywhere. Nationwide, the plague of foreclosures persists, but their frequency has dwindled to much more manageable and healthy levels, according to the latest report from CoreLogic. As of November 2014, completed foreclosures were 41,000,

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