News / Features

Martin Fein Acquires Willowick Court Townhomes

The Houston-based real estate management company, McCord Development Inc., recently sold the Willowick Court Townhomes to an affiliate of Martin Fein Interests, a real estate development, construction and management business. Fein plans on demolishing the 10-acre property, located at

Summer Sales Increase for Woodforest

It’s been a good year for Woodforest, the master-planned community located along a Montgomery golf course. This year’s new home sales show an almost 20 percent increase over last year’s through early

Fed Invites Housing to Do the “Twist”

The Federal Reserve announced yesterday that it will begin a new round of stimulus to jumpstart the U.S. economy, with housing and refinancing being two main beneficiaries of the stimulus’ goal. The Fed’s plan, officially called “Operation Twist,” is

Huge Sales Increase for Riverstone Community

The community of Riverstone has set new records with 2011 new-home sales thus far, with a substantial increase over last year’s year-to-date sales for

Lenders E-xpectant for E-Mortgages

A new survey by Xerox on real estate and technology yielded interesting data about the industry, particularly for the e-mortgage market. Sixty-three percent of the lenders surveyed by Xerox used paperless mortgage software in 2011, an increase of 14

Foundational Data Signals Future Positives for Construction

Two construction-related statistics – building permits and the architecture billings index – made gains in August, a positive indication that the more foundational elements of construction may be improving. Building permits were up by almost 20 thousand from July,

After Weeks of HARPing, FHFA Director Offers Some Clarity

After weeks of speculation and debate, the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) Acting Director, Edward DeMarco, has finally offered some specifics on a possible revamp of the agency’s Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP). Speaking at the American Mortgage Conference

Existing-Home Sales Rise Above Market Forces

Existing home sales exceeded expectations in August, growing at a seasonally-adjusted monthly rate of 7.7 percent  and year-over-year rate of 18.6 percent. Existing homes include single family, town homes, condominiums and co-ops. For the South, monthly sales were up

Year-over-year Home Sales for August Reach Astronomical Heights

NASA may conduct training and space research at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, but the area’s real estate may soon be joining those astronauts if it keeps posting year-over-year sales like it did in August. According

Index Finds Homeowner Exuberance for Remodeling

The Residential Remodeling Index, which is compiled monthly by Austin, Tx.-based BuildFax, rose in July for the 21st straight month, an indication that homeowners are opting to renovate their current homes rather than buy new properties – and with

Up-and-Coming Neighborhood Glenbrook Valley Receives Historic Designation

Glenbrook Valley is steadily regaining popularity and growing into one of the city’s up-and-coming communities. The neighborhood, located on Houston’s southeast side, was marked as a historic designation earlier this summer. Residents say they are drawn towards the mid-century

Pros, Cons and Potential of Real Estate Site HouseFix.com

HouseFix.com, an online social networking community for homeowners and contractors, debuted recently to mixed reviews. The site offers peer recommendations for the home repair industry and launched at the TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield (TCDB), a premier conference for startup companies.

Existing Home Sales May Shine in August

Existing home sales in August are projected to increase 5.4 percent from July and 15.8 percent year-over-year, according to the most recent projections from Tom Lawler, a noted analyst of the housing market. Lawler said he based his estimates

Cypresswood Leads the Way for Energy-Efficient Senior Housing

Cypresswood Estates, a housing community for active adults over the age of 55, is a finalist for this year’s Multifamily Pillars of the Industry award by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The grounds for the nomination: the

Oct. 1 the Day of Defeat for Federal Loan Limits

Despite efforts by politicians and housing professionals, federal housing limits will likely decrease on Oct. 1, a development that could hamper homeownership in some markets. The limit to loans by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Authority

Declining Debts an Economic Delight for 12th Straight Quarter

Household debt declined for the 12th straight quarter, as a decrease in mortgages pushed total debt down by a seasonally-adjusted 0.6 percent and mortgage debt by 2.4 percent, according to data from the Federal Reserve. John Wasik, a columnist

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