<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Houston Luxury Real Estate</title><link>/website/blog2/</link><description>Articles and insights to the Houston area luxury home real estate market as observed by local luxury home expert Mark A. Fuller.  </description><copyright>Powered by: LinkUBlog</copyright><item><title>Texas real estate sales volumes remain consistent</title><description><![CDATA[According to the most recent Texas Quarterly Housing Report, the effects of last year's federal homebuyer tax credits continued to linger for the Texas real estate market in the second quarter of 2011. 
]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=3116</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=3116</link><pubDate>Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:16:08 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>Texas private sector job growth 'robust'</title><description><![CDATA[According to the latest Monthly Review of the Texas Economy, the word "robust" describes the annual job growth rate for the state's private sector for the year ending in June]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=3115</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=3115</link><pubDate>Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:13:01 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>Houston home sales rise again</title><description><![CDATA[What do you get when you compare seasonal summer home buying in a single month to the same month a year earlier shortly after a home buyer tax credit expired? If it's July 2011 in Houston, Texas, it's a nearly 17 percent increase in home sales. Last year's third quarter slowdown in home sales continues to make this year's generally "typical" real estate activity appear slightly more positive than it otherwise would be considered. July marked the third time in 2011 that sales volume entered positive territory. It also saw the average price of a single-family home reach its highest level for a July in Houston. 

]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=3114</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=3114</link><pubDate>Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:57:38 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>Why I recommend the Katy area as the best suburbs to purchase a home in Houston!</title><description><![CDATA[As you know the three rules of real estate are location, location, location - right? Well this is especially true in Houston.  Because we are such a sprawling city with plenty of land to build on as you go outside the city.  Many developers have done just that.   The problem is, not all of these neighborhoods end up being a big success.  What I mean by that is that there is not a sustained history of the re-sale homes appreciating in price and selling fairly quickly(liquidity) - these are the two main factors that indicate whether the public views an area as desirable or not. 
]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=3020</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=3020</link><pubDate>Fri, 12 Aug 2011 10:34:22 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>FAQs </title><description><![CDATA[Q: This has been a rough year, economically. Are things better for people outside of Texas?

]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2979</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2979</link><pubDate>Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:25:52 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>Realtors successfully advocated for homeowner wins during Texas session</title><description><![CDATA[With the 82nd Texas Legislature coming to a close, the Texas Association of Realtors confirms the recent regular session was a legislative success for Texas homeowners. 
]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2978</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2978</link><pubDate>Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:20:50 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>Texas Legislature clamps down on over-reaching HOAs</title><description><![CDATA[Most homeowners associations are well-run and provide great benefit to residents through their amenities environment. It's not hard, however, to find stories about seemingly one-sided disputes between HOAs and homeowners. To be honest, some of the reports, like tales of foreclosure or huge, unannounced assessments, are upsetting. 

]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2977</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2977</link><pubDate>Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:13:19 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>Nine Texas counties mirror US population</title><description><![CDATA[According to CNN.com's analysis of 2010 Census data, nine of the top 10 counties that closely mirror the racial and ethnic makeup of the US population are in Texas. Brazos County claimed the top spot out of every county in the country, followed by Lee County, Galveston County, Colorado County, Wilbarger County, Austin County, Ellis County, Milam County, and Williamson County.]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2976</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2976</link><pubDate>Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:57:05 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>Houston home sales rising again</title><description><![CDATA[Houston home sales rose for the second time this year in June, with the average price reaching an all-time high and the median price achieving the highest level in nearly two years. The sales increase reflects the slowdown in home purchases that set in a year ago following expiration of the home buyer tax credit. The credit triggered a surge in home buying during the spring of 2010 that resulted in slower sales volume during the remainder of that year. 
]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2975</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2975</link><pubDate>Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:54:03 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>FAQs</title><description><![CDATA[Q: 2011 has federal energy tax credits of up to $500 for various home improvements. What areas of home improvement are included in the creditrs?

]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2935</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2935</link><pubDate>Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:02:46 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>National pending home sales turn around</title><description><![CDATA[Nationally, pending home sales rose strongly in May with all regions experiencing gains from a year ago, pointing to higher housing activity in the second half of the year, according to the National Association of Realtors. 

]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2934</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2934</link><pubDate>Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:53:46 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>Wildfires bring rush to insure for floods</title><description><![CDATA[Insurance experts are warning people in areas burned by wildfires to prepare for the second disaster - flows of black water full of ash and debris that will flood these areas when the summer rains come. 

There is an urgency for buying flood insurance. 

There is a 30-day waiting period before a new flood insurance policy takes effect, and the summer rains typically begin in the first week of July. 

]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2933</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2933</link><pubDate>Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:50:57 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>Houston market still skewed by 2010 tax credits</title><description><![CDATA[The 2010 home buyer tax credit continues to obscure an accurate gauge of how the Houston real estate market is performing. The 2010 federal incentive triggered a short-term surge in local home sales last spring that has skewed the year-over-year analysis most of this year. 
]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2932</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2932</link><pubDate>Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:46:01 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>How to know if estimated loan fees will stick</title><description><![CDATA[The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has revised some home-loan rules that attempt to give us what we want.]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2886</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2886</link><pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:27:14 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>Recession: Double-Dip or Final Stage?</title><description><![CDATA[What some people consider a double-dip recession, others view simply as the continuation of the recession that has gripped the nation for the past couple of years.]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2885</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2885</link><pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:24:41 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>Texas job growth twice as nice</title><description><![CDATA[Texas' economy is not only outperforming the United States, but the state's nonfarm employment is growing twice as fast. ]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2884</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2884</link><pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:20:36 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>Understanding foundation problems</title><description><![CDATA[Learn a simple way to determine if a crack in your home's floor could mean possible foundation problems. 

Most homebuyers are careful to have a home inspector check for foundation problems before they sign purchase papers. But that shouldn't be the last check. Recognizing early warning signs of trouble can forestall damage that costs tens of thousands of dollars or even jeopardizes the full value of a house. Luckily, some of the warning signs are easy to spot. Here's what to look for. 
]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2883</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2883</link><pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:15:59 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>Federal incentives cast shadow over spring sales in Houston</title><description><![CDATA[The boost that the federal home buyer tax credit gave the Houston housing market in April 2010 continues to overshadow local home sales one year later. Sales of homes declined in April 2011 along with average and median prices, however volume rose among rental properties.]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2882</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2882</link><pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:12:58 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>FAQs </title><description><![CDATA[Q: In a down economy, can't we all save money by renting instead of buying property]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2837</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2837</link><pubDate>Thu, 26 May 2011 15:42:44 0200</pubDate></item><item><title>9 unexpected energy (and money) savers</title><description><![CDATA[Here are a few surprising and simple ways to cut your energy bill this season. 
]]></description><guid>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2836</guid><link>/website/blog2/default.asp?Display=2836</link><pubDate>Thu, 26 May 2011 15:37:43 0200</pubDate></item></channel></rss>