Are the BLS Employment Numbers Right?

On the first Friday of each month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes a payroll employment estimate. It’s the broadest and most accurate measure of the number of people working in this country and one of the most widely watched data releases. The Texas Real Estate Research Center (T

How Viable and Cost-Effective Are 3D-Printed Homes?

Are 3D-printed concrete homes the future of residential housing, a flash in the pan, or something in between? Although it’s early in the lifecycle, numerous arguments are already being made for and against the building system’s practicality. I have more questions than answers regarding this subject.

Texas Wildfires & Homeowners Insurance

The winter wildfires in Texas have prompted media and community concerns. Will these fires, which include the so-called Smokehouse Creek Fire (now the largest wildfire in the state’s history), become a homeowners insurance nightmare?​ To address this, we asked the TRERC Research Staff to consider th

$200,000 Isn’t What it Used to Be

​​When are $159,776, $200,000, and $250,350 all equal? When you’re talking about housing over time. A recent RECON article discussed the disappearance of new homes selling for less than $200,000 in Texas. In the article, I mentioned inflation played a role in the reduction of affordable homes. Let’s