3 Texas cities earn spots on World’s Best Cities list

☕️ Tuesday morning, back at it!

• Programming note: We’re off this Thursday and will be back in your inbox on Tuesday. Happy Thanksgiving!

Today's newsletter is 784 words, a 3.5-minute read.

1. 3 Texas cities earn spots on World’s Best Cities list

Three major Texas cities have made the newly released World’s Best Cities 2026 Top 100 rankings compiled by Resonance Consultancy.

• Houston was the highest-ranked Texas city at No. 58, recognized for its diverse population and the world’s largest medical complex.

• Dallas followed at No. 78, noted for its expanding business climate, numerous Fortune 500 headquarters, and strong economic momentum.

• Austin ranked No. 87, supported by its booming tech industry, nationally recognized cultural scene, and youthful workforce.

Despite dropping 32 places, Resonance maintains that Austin is "growing faster than anywhere in the U.S." and that the downtown skyline "keeps reaching."

2. Thanksgiving hosting influences home-buying decisions

According to a new Realtor.com survey, 52% of adults say hosting Thanksgiving dinner played at least some role in their most recent home search, a sign that holiday traditions may have more impact on real estate decisions than expected.

Gen Z and Millennials were the most influenced, with 60% of each group considering Thanksgiving entertaining when shopping for a home. By comparison, only 47% of Gen X and 30% of Baby Boomers said it factored into their decision.

When asked what would make them more willing to host Thanksgiving, space outranked specialty amenities. A large family room and big kitchen tied as the top motivators at 92% each, followed by a guest bathroom (87%) and a large dining room (86%).

A MESSAGE FROM DAVE YOUR MORTGAGE GUY

How to Unstick a Stuck Seller!

Did you know 40% of homeowners are mortgage-free now?

Great… until Nana wants to buy her next home but refuses to sell the old one first. Cue the “I’ll wait until it sells” panic.

My Bridge Loan fixes that.

Buy first, sell later. No double move. No stress.

Use the bridge funds to buy the next home with cash or cover the down payment.

Your listings move faster because your clients already moved out.

When you can say, “I’ve got a loan option for that,” you win more listings.

Quick video explains how it works.

3. Catch up quick

🦃 5.8 million Texans are expected to travel this week for Thanksgiving. (AAA)

🕵️‍♂️ Austin broker arrested in an affluent drug ring involvement. (CBS)

💰 Randado Ranch hits the market at $25M after 95 years. (MySA)

💸 Nearly half of all refinance applications are being rejected. (CNBC)

🏠 The 2nd-fastest-growing tech company is a real estate firm. (Deloitte)

A MESSAGE FROM MORNING BREW

All the news that matters to your career & life

Hyper-relevant news. Bite-sized stories. Written with personality. And games that’ll keep you coming back.

Morning Brew is the go-to newsletter for anyone who wants to stay on top of the world’s most pressing stories — in a quick, witty, and actually enjoyable way. If it impacts your career or life, you can bet it’s covered in the Brew — with a few puns sprinkled in to keep things interesting.

Join over 4 million people who read Morning Brew every day, and start your mornings with the news that matters most — minus the boring stuff.

Check it out

4. Luxury home prices jump 5.5% in October

According to a new report from Redfin, prices for high-end homes, defined as those in the top 5% of their metro area’s price range, rose 5.5% year over year, reaching a median price of $1.28 million.

That growth rate is roughly three times faster than non-luxury homes, which rose just 1.8% to a median of $373,249 during the same period, a clear sign of the widening gap between the two housing segments.

In Texas, luxury prices rose the most in Dallas (7.7% to $1.59 million), followed by Houston (4.7% to $1.29 million) and Fort Worth (4.2% to $1.18 million).

5. San Antonio residents are highly satisfied with their city

A new resident satisfaction survey shows San Antonio leading the way, with just over 78% of residents saying they’re either “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with life in the Alamo City.

While “satisfaction” is a broad term, it serves as a solid vibe check. It captures how people feel about job opportunities, housing affordability, safety and other key urban issues.

Austin and Houston also made the top 10 for resident satisfaction.

A MESSAGE FROM MONEY

Sticking with the same home insurance could cost you

Home insurance costs are rising fast, up nearly 40% nationwide in just the past few years. With premiums changing constantly, sticking with the same provider could mean overpaying by hundreds of dollars. Shopping around and comparing multiple insurers can help lock in better rates without losing the protection your home needs. Check out Money’s home insurance tool to shop around and see if you can save.

Shop around

6. 65% of buyers want to tour homes on their own time

A new report from Zillow shows that 66% of homebuyers would prefer to schedule in-person showings online, up from 57% in 2020.

• 65% say it would be easier to unlock homes with their phone and walk through independently.

Before stepping inside a home, buyers are already spending hours narrowing down options online, comparing floor plans and using digital tools to filter out poor fits.

Younger buyers are leading the trend: 75% of Gen Z and 65% of Millennials support phone-unlock self-guided tours. Even among older buyers, nearly half of Gen X and Boomers (49%) say they prefer self-guided access.

☀️ Thank you for starting your day with us!

If you like this newsletter, your friends may too. Forward it to a friend, and let them know they can subscribe here.

Interested in advertising to 35k+ Texas Realtors? Email [email protected]