Making Texas More Energy Efficient in 2012
Homes and other buildings account for about 40 percent of Texas’ overall energy use, but the state is hoping to take care of that.
A statewide building code that will take effect in January should cut the energy consumption of new single-family homes by more than 15 percent, according to the Energy Systems Laboratory at the Texas A&M University System. The state tightened codes for commercial, industrial and other residential buildings in April.
Some Texas cities are being proactive when it comes to becoming more energy efficient. Building codes in Houston and Austin have already gone beyond what the statewide codes will require.
Source: Texas Tribune
Read MoreTexas Foreclosure Filings, Sales Down In November
Foreclosure activity in Texas was down last month, according to the latest figures from RealtyTrac.
November foreclosure filings for the Lone Star State totaled 10,124, down 24.3 percent from a year ago. Total year-to-date (YTD) filings were at 115,222, down 18.9 percent.
Nationally, there were 224,394 filings, down 14.5 percent from November 2010. Total YTD filings were at 2.5 million, down 30.1 percent.
There were 6,247 posted foreclosure sales in Texas last month, down 19.1 percent from a year ago. YTD postings were down 17.3 percent, at 69,473.
Meanwhile, there were 96,540 posted foreclosure sales nationally last month, down 38.3 percent from last year. YTD postings were at 994,887, down 33.2 percent.
Real Estate Center Research Economist Dr. Jim Gaines said the impact of foreclosure moratoria from the pending agreement with states’ Attorneys General slowed foreclosures for all of 2011. But that will likely mean more foreclosure activity going into the new year.
“The pent-up foreclosure processing is expected to bust loose in 2012, so we expect to see significant percentage increases in the monthly reports for at least the first half of 2012, if not the whole year,” he said.
But that’s nationally. Gaines said Texas should fare better.
“Posted delinquencies here are falling, and Texas is a non-judicial foreclosure state, so many lenders haven’t stopped processing foreclosures, thereby preventing a backlog from forming,” he said.
Read MoreTexas’ Existing Home Sales Up 9 Percent In November
Sales of existing single-family Texas homes in November were up 9 percent from a year ago, according to the most recent Multiple Listing Services (MLS) data compiled by the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University.
More than 15,000 homes were sold, data showed. The median home price was $147,600, up 1 percent from a year ago, and the state’s overall inventory was at 6.6 months.
November 2011 MLS data for many Texas cities are available on the Center’s website. Here is a sampling (data current as of Dec. 15, 2011):
|
|
Sales |
Change from |
Median |
Change from |
Months’ |
|
Abilene |
113 | down 2% | $129,200 | up 47% | 5.6 |
|
Amarillo |
196 | up 45% | $128,100 | down 2% | 5.9 |
|
Arlington |
272 | up 5% | $131,600 | up 4% | 4.8 |
|
Austin |
1,481 | up 12% | $186,400 | up 3% | 4.6 |
|
Bryan- |
124 | up 23% | $156,200 | down 2% | 8.7 |
|
Dallas |
3,254 | up 16% | $151,100 | down 2% | 5.3 |
|
Fort Worth |
574 | down 1% | $107,900 | no change | 5.8 |
|
Houston |
4,343 | up 11% | $153,800 | up 2% | 6.4 |
|
Laredo |
55 | down 30% | $121,400 | down 8% | 7.1 |
|
Longview- |
129 | down 9% | $139,500 | up 14% | 9.8 |
|
Lubbock |
178 | up 5% | $123,500 | up 4% | 7.2 |
|
McAllen |
137 | down 9% | $115,300 | up 9% | 15.3 |
|
Odessa |
81 | up 69% | $125,000 | down 19% | 3.5 |
|
San Antonio |
1,265 | down 3% | $145,400 | down 5% | 7.2 |
|
Texarkana |
75 | up 36% | $92,500 | down 10% | 9.4 |
|
Texas |
15,059 | up 9% | $147,600 | up 1% | 6.6 |
Read More
Texas Outperforms Nation in October 2011 Home Sales
Sales of existing single-family Texas homes in October were up 8 percent from a year ago, according to the most recent Multiple Listing Services (MLS) data compiled by the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University.
More than 15,600 existing single-family homes were sold, data showed. The median home price was $147,500, up 2 percent from a year ago, and the state’s overall inventory was at 6.9 months.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported yesterday that, nationally, existing home sales rose 1.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.97 million in October from a downwardly revised 4.9 million in September, and are 13.5 percent above the 4.38 million unit level in October 2010.
The national median price for existing homes was $162,500, which was 4.7 percent below October 2010.
Talking about the national numbers, Center Research Economist Dr. Jim Gaines said homebuyers continue to be frustrated by stiff mortgage underwriting and appraisals despite favorable buying factors such as low interest rates, sluggish but positive job creation and lower home prices.
“NAR reported contract cancellations at 33 percent in October, meaning that one in three sales contracts failed to close,” Gaines said. “Sales agents should be very circumspect when qualifying buyers for mortgages, rather than being frustrated later because the deal does not close.”
October 2011 MLS data for many Texas cities are available on the Center’s website. Here is a sampling (data current as of Nov. 21, 2011):
|
|
Sales |
Change from Last Year |
Median Price |
Change from Last Year |
Months’ Inventory |
|
Amarillo |
221 | up 2% | $126,800 | up 1% | 5.2 |
|
Austin |
1,616 | up 21% | $188,700 | down 2% | 5.1 |
|
Corpus Christi |
267 | up 12% | $128,900 | down 4% | 9.1 |
|
Dallas |
3,289 | up 10% | $155,400 | up 1% | 5.7 |
|
Fort Worth |
612 | up 4% | $108,000 | down 6% | 6 |
|
Garland |
112 | up 2% | $90,600 | down 1% | 4.7 |
|
Harlingen |
66 | up 12% | $90,000 | up 10% | 24.1 |
|
Houston |
4,467 | up 10% | $152,000 | up 2% | 6.7 |
|
Lubbock |
208 | up 12% | $114,500 | no change | 7.5 |
|
Odessa |
84 | up 18% | $148,300 | up 31% | 3.9 |
|
San Angelo |
74 | down 18% | $110,000 | up 1% | 5.8 |
|
San Antonio |
1,385 | up 5% | $148,300 | down 1% | 7.4 |
|
Temple- Belton |
114 | up 9% | $148,900 | up 25% | 8.7 |
|
Tyler |
227 | up 12% | $133,200 | down 2% | 13 |
|
Wichita Falls |
98 | down 13% | $73,800 | down 27% | 8.4 |
|
Texas |
15,640 | up 8% | $147,500 | up 2% | 6.9 |
Source: Real Estate Center
Read MoreTexas Existing Home Sales and Prices UP in September 2011!
Sales of existing single-family Texas homes in September were up 14 percent from a year ago, according to the most recent Multiple Listing Services (MLS) data compiled by the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University.
More than 17,600 existing single-family homes were sold, data showed.
The median home price was $149,100, up 2 percent from a year ago, and the state’s overall inventory was at 7.1 months.
September 2011 MLS data for many Texas cities are available on the Center’s website. Here is a sampling (data current as of Oct. 27, 2011):
|
|
Sales |
Change from Last Year |
Median Price |
Change from Last Year |
Months’ Inventory |
|
Austin |
1,839 | up 31% | $187,500 | down 2% | 5.5 |
|
Bryan- College Station |
131 | up 7% | $156,400 | up 5% | 9.4 |
|
Dallas |
3,571 | up 13% | $157,900 | up 2% | 6 |
|
Fort Bend |
789 | up 17% | $200,200 | up 2% | 5.8 |
|
Fort Worth |
692 | up 12% | $112,400 | up 2% | 6.2 |
|
Galveston |
64 | down 3% | $172,000 | up 29% | not available |
|
Houston |
5,079 | up 17% | $155,800 | up 2% | 6.9 |
|
Laredo |
77 | up 4% | $127,500 | up 11% | 7.2 |
|
Nacogdoches |
34 | up 6% | $123,300 | up 3% | 10 |
|
Palestine |
33 | up 6% | $112,500 | up 46% | 14.9 |
|
Paris |
26 | down 7% | $106,700 | up 12% | 14.3 |
|
San Antonio |
1,578 | up 8% | $150,800 | down 1% | 7.6 |
|
San Marcos |
15 | down 40% | $165,000 | up 50% | 8.3 |
|
Sherman- Denison |
90 | up 17% | $95,000 | up 33% | 10.5 |
|
Victoria |
77 | up 8% | $130,000 | up 10% | 4.6 |
|
Texas |
17,616 | up 14% | $149,100 | up 2% | 7.1 |
Source: Real Estate Center
Read MoreTexas Home Starts Rising
At least four large Texas cities had increases in the number of home starts during third quarter 2011, according to the latest findings from housing research firm Metrostudy.
Home starts increased 30 percent over the same quarter last year in Austin, 20 percent in Houston, 6 percent in Dallas and 3 percent in San Antonio.
Jack Inselmann, vice president of the U.S. Central Division of Metrostudy, told the San Antonio Express-News that he expected Alamo City home starts to increase 15 to 20 percent during the quarter but also said “we’re in good shape.”
Currently, the area has 1,206 completed vacant homes on the market, down from 1,349 in the second quarter.
Source: San Antonio Express-News
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