News / Features

House Passes Bill to Delay TRID, Again

On Oct. 3, lenders finally reached the much-delayed compliance deadline imposed by TRID. However, in an effort to assist smaller lending, title and escrow companies reach a level of sustainable compliance with the new documentation, a bipartisan bill was introduced, and

Houston Loses Throne As No. 1 Market

The Urban Land Institute released its 2016 Emerging Trends in Real Estate report and survey recently – the 36th edition of the institute’s trends and forecast report – providing analysis of the nation’s top real estate markets, and subsequently

Five Fresh, Vibrant Real Estate Apps for 2015

Here is a list of fresh apps in 2015, all of which benefit agents’ business in intriguing ways. MileIQ: Car and truck expenses are the most claimed tax deduction for small businesses, and few professionals spend more time behind

Newly Formed NAHB Young Professional Committee

The National Association of Home Builders Young Professionals Committee was recently formed to inspire young homebuilding professionals under the age of 45 to become association leaders. New members will be involved in national networking, education and advocacy initiatives. And when filling out an application, the association is recommending

Greater Houston’s Top Closings in September 2015

Click on the tabs below to see the top single-family, condo and multi-family closings in Greater Houston’s housing market in September Single Family Condo Multi-Family Single Family Sales Price Property Agent Office $4,300,000 Tilbury Drive, 5578, Houston Erik Heyne Martha Turner

9 Surprising Stats about the State of Housing in 2015

Housing has made considerable progress the last few years, but elements of the downturn still linger. Recently, there have been many promising developments in housing. New construction, for instance, is becoming more affordable, and new home sales are up

Paradise in Washington

Live like you’re always on vacation in this $2.8 million Henry Island, Wash. home. Accessible only by boat, this 2,700-sqaure-foot property features three bedrooms, concrete floors, a 10-foot-long breezeway connecting the living and dining spaces, and radiant heat. With

Mortgage Rates Drop on Weak Jobs Report

Average fixed mortgage rates have lowered following September’s jobs report, according to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey. With the 30-year FRM falling from 3.85 to 3.76 percent, average rates have now been below 4 percent for 11 consecutive weeks, while including the

Survey: Americans Bargain Shop For All Things – Except Loans

LendingTree’s survey reveals that though Americans bargain shop for many things, they do not adequately research financial loans. Out of the 1,024 people surveyed (ages 25 and up), 79 percent of Americans claimed to be bargains shoppers. An overwhelming  83

Sugar Land Gets “Biggest Announcement” In Its History

During a recent city council meeting in Sugar Land, the city approved a tax abatement and performance agreement allowing Schlumberger, the world’s largest supplier of technology, integrated project management and information solutions to customers in the oil and gas

MBA: Mortgage Applications Increase Dramatically

According to the new Mortgage Applications Survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association, mortgage applications increased 25.5 percent from the week prior. Refinancing activity increased by 24 percent, while purchase mortgages rose by 27 percent. Refinancing comprised 57.4 percent of all mortgage

Houston Among Top 10 Luxury Housing Markets in U.S.

Houston is the No. 8 luxury housing market in the country for homes $1 million and up, according to the new Coldwell Banker Previews International Luxury Market Report. The report analyzed which U.S. cities had the highest number of luxury

Does Houston’s Cooling Rental Market Spell Good Things for Homeownership?

The rental market in Houston has been red-hot for some time now, but is it finally tapering off? And what would that mean for homeownership? The average rent in Chicago’s housing market is $886, and the area’s rental growth is among

Egypt Meets Chicago Suburb

One man turned his dream into a reality in 1977, building a pyramid shaped home in Wadsworth, Ill. The property, known as The Gold Pyramid, is built on a concrete island, surrounded by a moat and guarded by multiple sculptures, including

China’s Economic Strife May Be America’s Gain Says AREAA Chair

China is currently steeped in economic turmoil, and its tumbling stock prices and overinflated real estate market have industry professionals asking the question: How will this affect the U.S. real estate market? The answer has major implications for agents, brokerages

CoreLogic: Houston Prices Surge Past National Pace in August

Sales continued their strong march forward in August, as CoreLogic reported both year-over-year and month-to-month increases. While the extent of home price gains varied often and sometimes greatly from metro to metro in August, the national direction has remained

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