Preleasing is underway at UNITi Montrose, a rental development from Civitas Capital Group and The Shelter Companies. The development offers a mix of co-living spaces, micro-units and traditional apartments. “We are thrilled to introduce UNITi Montrose to the Houston community,” Mark Drumm, managing partner and co-founder of The Shelter Companies, said in a press release. “This development represents a new area in urban living, where convenience, community and value converge.” Located at 701 Richmond Ave., UNITi Montrose is in close proximity to Texas Medical Center, the Central Business Distri ..read more

Windy Hill Development recently sold 336 acres of land in Esperanza, a master-planned community in Needville, to Lennar. Lennar joins Rausch Coleman Homes, which acquired 112 acres in the community in early 2023. “Windy Hill Development is excited to work alongside respected homebuilders like Lennar and Rausch Coleman Homes to meet the increasing housing needs of the greater Houston area,” CEO Randy Hall said in a press release. “Our joint effort is focused on ensuring quality homes at affordable prices.” Over the next decade, Lennar and Rausch Coleman Homes will build over 1,600 homes in the ..read more

Urban Genesis announced the opening of the Warehouse District, a series of three midrise apartments consisting of over 500 units in downtown Houston. The first building, Artist, opened in February, while the remaining two buildings, Muse and Icon, are slated to open in May and August, respectively. “Urban Genesis works tirelessly to expand housing options for our essential workforce,” CEO and Founder Matt Shafiezadeh said in a press release. “Residents of all income levels should be able to live in safe, thriving communities close to their employment. Bringing these neighborhoods within reach ..read more

Builder confidence remained flat in April compared to March, ending a four-month streak of growing positive sentiment, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reported Tuesday. The builder confidence score for newly built single-family homes rated a 51 this month, the same as March, NAHB said. Any number above 50 indicates more builders view the market as good than poor. “With many frustrated buyers back on the fence waiting for interest rates to fall, policymakers can help ease affordability challenges by reducing inefficient regulatory rules that raise housing costs and limit supply ..read more

The government cannot charge large development fees from property owners in exchange for building permits, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week.  The ruling was praised by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) as a win in the fight to uphold property rights in the face of rising development fees. The case rose to the high court from a 2016 lawsuit filed by George Sheetz of California. According to his lawsuit, Sheetz was told to pay his county $23,000 for a traffic impact study in order to receive a permit to build an 1,800-square-foot home on his property. Sheetz’s attorneys said ..read more

The Kriss Weiss Team is now affiliated with Nan and Company’s office in The Woodlands. The team was formerly associated with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene. The six-person team had a total sales volume of over $25 million in 2023. Team leader Kriss Weiss has lived in The Woodlands for over 30 years and holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management, with prior career experience in sales and marketing. Weiss brings team members Elaine Fischer, Angela Hansen, Yvonne Jacobo, Roger Pool and Matthew Weiss with her to Nan and Company. “We are thrilled to join Nan and Company ..read more

Following a week of year-over-year declines, new listings skyrocketed over 2023 volumes in Houston, according to the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR) Weekly Activity Snapshot for the week ended April 8. Realtors entered 3,813 properties into the MLS during the week. That’s a 42.5% increase over the same week in 2023, when 2,676 properties were added. Pending and closed listings also increased annually. Pending listings rose by 4.3%, with 2,458 homes going under contract, while closings rose 9.8%, with 1,711 homes sold. Traffic at property showings and listing views on HAR.com increased a ..read more

Although home sales dipped in March, the Houston housing market is ready for spring and summer activity thanks to a “robust inventory,” according to the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR). Data from the association’s March 2024 Market Update shows that single-family home sales fell 7.5% year over year last month, with 7,334 closings. However, pending sales rose 4.9% year over year. All housing segments saw declines in March, with the smallest dip seen in the $1 million-plus market, which declined only 0.4% year over year. The largest drop was seen in the lowest priced homes — $99,000 and u ..read more

Nan and Company’s new office in The Woodlands recently added four new agents to its team: Susan Edwards, Liz Flores, Kim Palomino and Nancy Seale. Edwards, a Certified Relocation Specialist (CRS), Certified Multiple Offer Expert (CMOE) and certified e-PRO Realtor, was formerly affiliated with Deb Hall Homes. She brings 17 years of experience to her new brokerage, where she’ll continue to assist clients in The Woodlands, Spring, Conroe, Tomball and Magnolia. Flores, Palomino and Seale all depart from Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. Flores is CMOE-certified and is a Certified Negotiation E ..read more

Houston-based real estate and development company The Dinerstein Companies (TDC) announced a number of changes to its leadership team, including the promotion of Clay Hicks to the role of chief administrative officer. Hicks first joined TDC in 2015 as president of apartment management. He’s also served as president of both the Texas Apartment Association and the Houston Apartment Association. In his new role, he’ll focus on performance optimization and strategic initiatives. “Taking on the role of chief administrative officer presents an incredible opportunity to drive operational excellence a ..read more