News / Features

HAR: Low pending listings could lead to slower closings in weeks ahead

New listings lagged behind their 2020 performance for a fifth consecutive week during Week 43. Realtors entered 2,376 properties into the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), down 13.3% from 2,739 during the same week last year, according to the Houston

Mortgage applications decline despite drop in interest rates

“Mortgage rates decreased for the first time since August, as concerns about supply-chain bottlenecks, waning consumer confidence, weaker economic growth and rising inflation pushed Treasury yields lower.” — MBA associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting Joel Kan

Houston top destination for Californians

Houston is the leading destination for people moving from California to Texas, according to a recent report. Harris County is the most popular site in Texas for relocating Californians. Nearly 8,500 people moved to the county from California in

Zillow: Most home buyers middle-aged, married, college-educated

The average American home buyer is 45 years old, married or partnered, college-educated and likely to purchase a home located in the South, according to Zillow’s 2021 Consumer Housing Trends Report.  Individuals ages 30-39 make up the largest population

Rocket Mortgage, Salesforce team up for loan originations

“This will be the first time a home lender will provide an end-to-end ‘mortgage-as-a-service’ solution through Salesforce Financial Services Cloud — a platform that thousands of financial institutions already heavily rely on.” — Rocket Cos. Vice Chairman and CEO Jay Farner

Houston home-buying steady despite normal seasonal slump

New listings began their seasonal slowdown in October, down 5.1% from the same month in 2020, according to a new report by the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR).  The First Real Estate Snapshot of Houston (FRESH) report, released by

Zillow closes Zillow Offers, announces layoffs

Zillow announced today it’s ending its iBuyer service, Zillow Offers, and cutting roughly a quarter of its workforce, citing the volatility the service created for the online brokerage as the motivation for the move.

Millennials are fueling the housing boom — will it continue?

Millennials are purchasing houses — finally. Over the past year, millennials made up the largest share of homebuyers: 37% according to Barron’s.

More homebuyers choosing to live in diverse neighborhoods

As more house hunters are opting to live in socially, racially and culturally diverse communities, developers are formulating strategies to list more inclusive properties on the market, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.  Developers’ strategies include

Fall Giving Drive raises $85K for Houston charitable organizations

Houston area master-planned communities Bridgeland and The Woodlands Hills have raised over $85,000 for five local nonprofits through the Howard Hughes Corporation’s annual Fall Giving Drive.  While home buyers played a significant role in the drive, 100% of the

Buy-in for this poolside casino home in Kissimmee, FL

Entertainment is a top priority of the “Royale Reunion” in Kissimmee, FL. This luxury villa is equipped with a home theater room, arcade game rooms and… a private casino.

‘Undercover Billionaire’ buys pair of multifamily Heights properties

A Florida billionaire has purchased a pair of multifamily apartment complexes in the Heights, according to a press release. Grant Cardone, known to Discovery Channel fans as the “Undercover Billionaire,” purchased the recently built apartment mid-rises through his real

Bidding wars eased in September dropping to a 2021 low

Boston and Raleigh had the highest bidding-war rates, as the rate fell to a 2021 low.

NAR recognizes Houston Realtor with Good Neighbor Award

Houston Realtor Sydney Ealy was one of five winners of the 2021 Good Neighbor Awards, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). For 22 years, the NAR has recognized Realtors who “make an extraordinary impact on their communities

New home listings continue to dip for fourth straight week

The outside temperature isn’t the only thing cooling off in Houston as October comes to an end. New listings in Week 42 were down 8.1% compared to the same time last year, according to the Houston Association of Realtors

NAR: Pending-home sales slide 2.3% in September

“Contract transactions slowed a bit in September and are showing signs of a calmer home price trend, as the market is running comfortably ahead of pre-pandemic activity.” — NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun

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