Bridgeland, a master-planned community from The Howard Hughes Corporation in Cypress, hosted its 16th annual Nature Fest on April 27. The event featured Coyote Peterson, host of Brave Wilderness, who headlined a lineup of educational stage shows centered on conserving the natural environment and its species. Nature Fest also included outdoor laser tag, inflatables, a kids’ craft area, face painting, nature exhibits, animal encounter photo opportunities and a petting zoo. All proceeds from the event benefited Cy-Hope, a non-profit organization that benefits underserved children in the Cy-Fair a ..read more

Rules and practice changes from the recent lawsuit settlement agreement will take effect Aug. 17, the National Association of REALTORS® said Friday in a message to members. Those changes include prohibiting offers of broker compensation or commission on the MLS and requiring written agent agreements with buyer clients. NAR previously said those changes were expected to start in mid-July. The changes are part of the $418 million settlement NAR made in the Sitzer-Burnett case in Missouri. The settlement was announced in March, and since then, other defendants and large brokerages have announced ..read more

Charitable giving increased among Realtors and Realtor associations in 2023, according to a new report from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). The association’s 2024 Community Aid and Real Estate (CARE) Report shows that both monthly volunteering and annual monetary donations increased last year. The typical amount donated annually was $1,000, up from $800 in 2022. Meanwhile, 69% of Realtors volunteered monthly at an average of eight hours per month, up from 66% a year prior. Realtors were mostly likely to have volunteered with food bank delivery or meal preparation, local schools or ..read more

Closings declined during the week ended April 29 in Houston as new listings maintained their stronghold over 2023 levels, according to the latest Weekly Activity Snapshot from the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR). Realtors entered 3,537 properties into the MLS during the week, a 22.6% increase year over year. Meanwhile, 1,945 homes sold from the market, a 20.6% decline from the same week in 2023, when 2,450 properties were sold. Pending listings also fell during the week: 2,334 listings went under contract, a 9.1% decrease year over year. The post Closings plummet in Houston as new listi ..read more

The average listing price of single-family homes in Houston rose 3.9% in April, according to the First Real Estate Snapshot of Houston (FRESH) report from the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR). The average listing price for the Houston area increased to $448,541 last month, up from $431,684 in April 2023. That’s a new high for Houston — the previous record high was seen in May 2023, when the average list price was $441,748. Meanwhile, new listings rose by 30.3% in April, with 14,793 properties added to the market, up from 11,355 a year prior. Active listings also jumped 34.9%, with 26,148 ..read more

Ben Caballero, CEO and founder of HomesUSA, set a new world record for both annual home sales and annual transaction volume in 2023. The record was previously held by Caballero. According to MLS data, Caballero sold 7,012 homes totaling $3.638 billion last year — that averages out to over 19 homes sold every day of the year, or $10 million in home sales daily. 2023 marked the second straight year during which Caballero surpassed the $3 billion mark for home sales, having become the first agent to reach the milestone in 2022 with his $3.06 transaction volume. Originally from Tampa, the 83-year ..read more

The post Housing starts, inventory on the rise in Houston appeared first on Houston Agent Magazine ..read more

A six-acre castle estate blends medieval and modern elements — and it’s for sale in Barrington, Illinois. Listed for $1.75 million, this unique suburban property features five bedrooms, six bathrooms and 10,000 square feet of living space within its regal stone walls. Other features include herringbone wood floors, tin ceilings, a majestic fireplace and an indoor pool. Robbie Morrison of Coldwell Banker Realty is handling the sale. The post A castle in suburban Illinois for $1.75 million appeared first on Houston Agent Magazine ..read more

Home sales were strongest in the suburbs during the first three months of the year, according to the Hottest Communities in the Houston Area report from the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR). The area of Porter/New Caney West, located about 30 miles northeast of downtown Houston, saw the largest year-over-year increase in home sales in the first quarter, with transactions up 121%. The community previously ranked No. 4 in the fourth quarter of 2023. Notably, this area — and most of the hottest areas on HAR’s list — had an average sales price below the Houston-area average of $412,464. The ..read more

Johnson Development announced builders for Kresston, a 1,400-acre master-planned community in Magnolia. Six builders — Chesmar Homes, David Weekley Homes, Highland Homes, Lennar, Perry Homes and Westin Homes — will build in phase one of construction, which includes 359 homes on lots ranging from 40- to 60-feet in width. Plans for phase one also include a Magnolia Independent School District site and a number of parks and nature areas. “We’re partnering with the top builders in Houston — really in the entire state — to offer homes fitting for the type of community we envision for Kresston,” Ste ..read more