October 2014

Each month employment numbers are released. A month later, revised figures are released. But wait! They’re still not final. What’s going on here?

No more no-doc/low-doc loans, folks. The Dodd-Frank Act requires additional documentation and makes lenders liable for a buyer’s ability to repay the loan.

In the fracking process, water is used to break up shale and free trapped oil and gas. Once the project is finished, the water can be reused as is, treated and recycled, or disposed of.

It’s no surprise that the oil and gas industry has a noticeable effect on Texas real estate. New Center research reveals a strong correlation between oil prices and prices for rural land.

The number of vehicles in Texas is growing exponentially, but the gasoline tax we pay at the pump is not. Funds for new highways and bridges, and for maintenance of existing infrastructure, are decreasing.

Texas law governing electronic records is in its infancy. Just as a heads up, the judge in one case ruled that several email messages between the buyer and the seller and their brokers, taken together, constituted a contract.

Most licensed real estate professionals are considered independent contractors for tax purposes. But it can’t hurt to refresh your memory regarding the differences between an independent contractor and an employee.