Date Archives: July 2019

But in Texas and the South, Up 4.9%

Sales of new U.S. homes slumped 7.8% in May, as sales plunged in the pricier Northeastern and Western markets.  The Commerce Department said Tuesday that new homes sold at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 626,000 in May, down from 679,000 in April. During the first five months of the year, purchases of new homes have fallen 3.7% compared to the same period in 2018.  Lower mortgage rates and a healthy job market have yet to unleash more home-buying. Sales of new homes plummeted 35.9% in the West and 17.6% in the Northeast. New-home sales rose 4.9% in the South and 6.3% in the Midwest, which are generally more affordable markets.

• AP, June 25, 2019

Texans are famously prideful of their home state, and rightfully so: the Lone Star State is home to some of the best food and beer in the country, a vast and varied landscape, a great football tradition, and a ton of cities, each with their own unique character and distinct qualities. As the communities of Texas boast a surprising amount of variety, you're best advised to read through our overview of the state's five best cities to live in for advice on where to settle down. (Source: https://www.chamberofcommerce.org/best-cities-to-live-in-texas/)

• 1.  Flower Mound
• 2.  Houston
• 3.  Richardson
• 4.  Frisco
• 5.  Pflugerville
• 6.  Allen
• 7.  Coppell
• 8.  Woodway
• 9.  Sugar Land
• 10.  Roanoke

Methodology:

"We ranked a total of 2,509 qualified cities (those with populations above 25,000 and enough data for analysis) by five factors: employment (number of establishments, median earnings); housing (owner-occupied housing with a mortgage, monthly housing costs); quality of life (work commute, poverty levels); education (percentage with a bachelor's degree or higher); and health (obesity ratios)." (Source: https://www.chamberofcommerce.org/best-cities-to-live-in-texas/)

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce, June 2019