Industry News

In an article published by the Dallas Morning News on March 24, 2009 the report states that only four U.S. housing markets experienced an increase in value during January, and three of those were in Texas, according to a survey released Monday.

Mortgage rates dropped to a 52-year low today and are not expected to drop much further which means that lot loans and construction loans are also at all-time lows. The good news for the housing market this week combined with these incredible low rates makes it the absolute perfect time to buy land now.

HOPE FOR THE HOUSING MARKET THIS WEEK!

Things are continuing to look positive for the economy and the housing market this week. The Federal Reserve announced yesterday a $1.2 trillion effort to lower rates on mortgages and other consumer debt, spur spending and revive the economy. The Federal Reserve also decided to leave a key short-term bank lending rate at a record low which should positively affect mortgage rates.

Housing starts rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 583,000 last month, up 22% from a revised 477,000 in January, according to the Commerce Department. It was the first time housing starts increased since June, when they rose 11%.

Vintage Oaks at the vineyard, a Bluegreen Community, is hosting hosting a Tour and Taste event featuring fabulous builder model homes and tantalizing Texas Hill Country Wines at Vintage Oaks at the Vineyard. Exquisite model homes will be paired with your favorite Texas Hill Country Vineyards for the ultimate Tour and Taste event.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. bank stocks, which had their best week on record last week, powered higher again on Monday amid optimism that banks are succeeding in efforts to restore profitability, and that a change to accounting rules might alleviate feared capital shortfalls. In afternoon trading, the KBW Bank Index .BKX of large U.S. lenders was up 6.8 percent, after rising 37.4 percent last week in what Barclays Capital analyst Jason Goldberg called the biggest gain in the index's history. Among individual lenders, Bank of America shares were up 18.1 percent in afternoon trading to $6.80, JPMorgan 5.5 percent to $25.05, Citigroup 42.1 percent to $2.53, and Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N) 7.3 percent to $14.96. There is a general picture emerging that at least from an operating standpoint, banks are enjoying a better period than they have had for a couple of years," said Marshall Front, chairman of Front Barnett Associates LLC in Chicago.

MELTDOWN FEAR EASES
Bank stocks also rose after finance chiefs from the Group of 20 nations over the weekend pledged to boost efforts to help economies, and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the U.S. economy will probably emerge from recession this year. "There's a lack of pessimism," said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Harris Private Bank in Chicago. "Maybe investors are taking that meltdown scenario off the table."

Wall Street rallied for a fifth straight day Monday after reassuring comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and encouraging news from another big bank. The Dow Jones industrials rose more than 100 points as stock markets overseas also advanced. Bernanke said Sunday the recession would probably end this year if the government's program to boost the banking industry succeeds

The stock market rose Friday to cap its best week since November, as scattered bits of good news from shopping malls to metals markets gave some reason to believe that the economy may be getting closer to a bottom.

Great news today as the stock market rallied for a fifth straight day! The stock market was up 4 out of 5 days last week and is up again today. The rise in the stock market is due to several positive things happening in the economy. All of these factors are working together to increase consumer confidence and stabilize the economy:

Watch video about the advantages of living and doing business in Texas

There was good news for the North Carolina housing market last week! Builder Magazine published a report with the top 15 healthiest housing markets in the United States. North Carolina took 3 spots: Raleigh was #6, Charlotte #13 & Wilmington #14. The study was done in conjunction with Hanley Wood Market Intelligence and identified the healthiest markets as those that are great places to live, either close to the ocean, mountains, or major universities. These also were markets that didn’t experience a huge run-up in prices during the boom and aren’t experiencing rampant deflation during the bust.

Here are some other positive things about North Carolina that make it one of the best states:

CNBC named Texas as the #1 state for doing business in 2008. The report said that Texas has the best all-around economy, a good transportation system, low cost of living, good quality of life and a good environment for business. With the 12th largest economy in the world (if it were considered a nation), Texas now leads the U.S. in job creation, gross state product, low unemployment rate, and foreign direct investment. Part of the Lone Star State's success stems from proactive government policies and incentives, low taxes, reasonable regulations, solid infrastructure, and good quality of life. Forbes just released the top 10 best housing marketing and top 10 worst housing markets. Dallas was ranked in the top 10 best housing markets and came in at #8.

There was good news for the Texas housing market last week! Builder Magazine published a report with the top 15 healthiest housing markets in the United States. Texas took the top 5 spots in this order: Houston, Austin, Fort Worth, San Antonio & Dallas. The study was done in conjunction with Hanley Wood Market Intelligence and identified the healthiest markets as those that are great places to live, either close to the ocean, mountains, or major universities. These also were markets that didn’t experience a huge run-up in prices during the boom and aren’t experiencing rampant deflation during the bust.

View the full report