News / Features

Builder Confidence Surges in May

Builder confidence for both the general housing market and the 55+ market increased in May on the strength of homebuyer urgency. Builder confidence at all levels of the homebuilding industry showed some of its strongest numbers in years in

Only 2 Percent of Realtors are Younger than 30

Along with its economic findings, NAR’s 2012 Member Profile also offered great insight into the demographics of today’s Realtors – including median age. The average Realtor is 57 years old, and only 2 percent of the entire Realtor class

How Hard is it, Really, to Get a Mortgage?

Is it still tough to get a mortgage? New numbers from the Federal Reserve offer an enlightening perspective on the issue. It’s the question on everyone’s mind, now that the housing market is on a slow, sustainable path to

3 Intriguing Reasons for Today’s Low Mortgage Rates

Inflation, housing demand and the Syrian opposition all have one thing in common; can you guess what it is? Mortgage rates for 15- and 30-year mortgage in the first week of May, according to the latest Primary Mortgage Market

Realtor Income Up 25 Percent in 2012

For the second straight year, both the income and business activity for Realtors increased in 2012, with incomes jumping by 25 percent. 2012 was a good year for Realtors, with both business activity and income up for the second

Foreclosure Markets Remain Healthy in Houston

The news was good for Texas’ foreclosure markets in April, which continue to be among the healthiest in the nation. The nation’s foreclosure markets showed continued improvement in RealtyTrac’s U.S. Foreclosure Market Report for April, with Houston’s marketplace remaining ahead of

Mortgage Standards Are Going to Get Much Tougher in 2014

Qualified mortgage standards are back in the news, with the FHFA announcing that it is on track to adopt the standards’ “ability to repay” provisions. The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) has announced that beginning Jan. 10, 2014, Fannie

Sweetwater “Custom Home of the Year” Winner For Sale

The award-winning home in Sugar Land’s Sweetwater Estates is on the market. A former Greater Houston Builders Association’s Custom Home of the Year, located in Sugar Land’s Sweetwater Estates, is for sale. The annual GHBA “Of the Year” awards

A Home Sale is Worth How Much to the Economy? Try $56,464

We often hear about how beneficial home sales are for the greater economy, but NAR has finally done the research and slapped a value on the whole process. Housing, the narrative goes, is among the most versatile and dextrous

Majority of Americans Expect Home Prices to Increase

American consumers are growing more and more confident with the housing recovery, according to Fannie Mae’s latest National Housing Survey. More than half of American consumers expect home prices to rise within the next year, according to the latest

Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae Post Insane, Multi-Billion Dollar Q1 Incomes

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, those long beleaguered GSEs, put up some of the strongest incomes in their history in 2013’s first quarter. After putting up their most impressive numbers in years in the final months of 2012, both

Trulia: Houston Rents Soar in April

Nationwide, asking prices outpaced rents in Trulia’s April Price Monitor, but the rental market only grew in strength in Houston. The latest Trulia Price Monitor, which analyzed rental and single-family home listings on the syndication site, spelled a familiar

The 4 Key Traits of Today’s First-Time Homebuyers

First-time homebuyers represent a hugely important swath of the homebuying public, and a new study has pinpointed some of their key characteristics. First-time homebuyers serve an integral role in the U.S. housing market. Along with comprising between 30 and

CoreLogic Home Price Index Jumps 10.5 Percent

CoreLogic’s Home Price Index has been on a tear the last year, and its findings for March 2013 were its strongest findings yet. The March CoreLogic Home Price Index put up its best numbers yet in the housing recovery,

How Do Houston’s Housing Costs Compare With Other Cities

Competitive home prices and low interest rates created record affordability levels, but a new study finds housing costs are still quite high for many. Competitive housing prices and falling interest rates pushed housing affordability to record levels in 2012,

CBO Report Finds Huge Savings in Principal Reduction Policy

The FHFA has been resisting calls for a principal reduction program, but a new study by the CBO has lent considerable heft to the policy’s corner. It’s been an ongoing saga, one of Shakespearean proportions: will the FHFA ever

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