Same song, second verse: ‘Is there a housing market price bubble?’

​​​​As home prices accelerate at an elevated rate, the old question is being asked once again: “Is there a price bubble in the housing market?" Some interesting signals based on future expectations by market participants are appearing. Google reported last week that the search "When is the housing m

How far is it to the nearest H-E-B?

​​​​ In second quarter 2020, deals for Texas rural land began to dry up. Broker telephones quit ringing. However, the third quarter brought a dramatic change. The pace picked up even more in the fourth quarter. The buyers’ stampede to Texas rural land was underway. Preliminary reports for first quar

Can Opendoor cash in on Texas?

​​​​​​​A blank-check company led by billionaire Chamath Palihapitiya has inked a deal to merge with Opendoor, one of the largest iBuyer players in the market. The deal issued a huge vote of confidence—as well as much-nee​ded cash—in the company despite the current economic turmoil. Palihapitiya alre

Texas-Mexico border traffic slows to a halt during travel restrictions

​​  International travel is just one of the many aspects of Texas’ border economy that has been hard-hit by COVID-19. The U.S., Mexico, and Canada agreed to limit all non-essential travel across borders beginning March 21, 2020. Table 1 includes certain non-essential and essential activities. ​These