Houston Blog | Uncategorized

Gentrification And Housing Prices In Houston

What does ”gentrification" mean?  If you live in Houston’s Third Ward, Fourth Ward, Fifth Ward, Studewood or Sunnyside, you’re seeing changes happening rapidly in your neighborhood. “ZIP code 77003 is by some accounts the third-fastest gentrifying postal zone in the country,” according to NextCity.com. You’ve probably heard the word “gentrification” bandied about concerning your […]

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Prepare for hurricane damage in Houston.

Hurricane season is coming. Hurricanes are some of the most devastating storms a homeowner can face. Hurricane-force winds can reach more than 170 mph. Hurricane Harvey, the strongest storm to hit Texas since 1961, had wind speeds of 130 mph. The storm gave homeowners a surprise lesson in how much wind damage costs in Houston […]

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Is your foundation shifting in Houston?

A guide to foundation problems Your house is built on a patch of dirt, and like it or not, the dirt moves over time. That’s why homes in Texas often have foundation issues. A home’s foundation is the structural base that holds up the rest of the house, so fixing foundation problems can be […]

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Mortgage default rate in Texas

The rates of mortgage defaults in the U.S. and in states like Texas signal the current state of the economy. The mortgage industry took a serious hit with the 2008 crisis that left many without homes and impacted unemployment rates and other economic indicators. Monitoring mortgage default rates in Texas helps to predict future growth […]

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Remodeling projects that require a permit in Houston

The time has come. You’ve finally decided to tackle that big remodeling project you’ve been putting off for years. Maybe you’re redoing the kitchen or converting your garage into a spare bedroom. Whether you do the work yourself or hire a contractor, it may be the case that you need to get a permit before […]

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Abandoned house in your Houston neighborhood

Abandoned properties aren’t just eyesores—they’re also symptoms of economic forces at work in the community. This can signify a decrease in property values and an increase in welfare levels. Texas has its fair share of abandoned homes. In Houston for example, the vacancy rate of abandoned homes is 10%, with roughly 235,229 vacant units. These […]

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Can an executor sell a house without beneficiaries approving it in Texas?

In Texas, can an executor sell property without the beneficiaries approving? As the executor of an estate, you may be called on to sell a house to pay off debts or expenses, or simply to distribute the estate among the beneficiaries. But things can get complicated when the beneficiaries can’t agree whether or not to […]

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When insurance doesn’t cover flood damage to your home

Will your insurance cover flood damage to your Houston home? Even if you don’t live in a flood zone, your Houston home could still be flooded. One in five flood insurance claims occur in a low-risk area. The damage alone is hard to handle, but it’s nothing compared to the anguish of discovering that the […]

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What happens to a condemned house in Houston?

At some point in time, every homeowner has to deal with a messy house. This could be the result of a slight issue like a having to clean up after a party or something much more severe like having to clean up after a fire. In cases like the latter, it’s possible that a home […]

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The coldest winters on record in Houston

In this post, we look back at some of the coldest winters on record in Houston. The Big Freeze In 1951, the Gulf Coast experienced a devastating freeze that slowed the seafood economy to a halt. This freeze was intense and prolonged, which lead to over 90 million pounds of fish dying. The effects of […]

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