Real estate beats gold, stocks as the best long-term investment

Plus: Texas is the best state for tiny home living

May 15, 2025

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⛅ Hey there, happy Thursday — stay cool and hydrated! Today, we’re talking about the spring homebuying season, tiny home living, and NAR's new law firm that charges up to $3K/hour.

Today's newsletter is 665 words — a 2.5-minute read.

1. Spring homebuying season has its weakest start in 5 years

This April saw the fewest signed contracts since the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, according to seasonally adjusted data from Redfin.

Deals were down 3% from last April, which was already considered a low point, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday. The outlet added that active listings for April surged to their highest level since 2019, suggesting homes are piling up on the market.

Annual median price growth, based on completed purchases, was just 1.4%, compared to nearly 6% in April 2024.

Signed contracts fall to the lowest for April since 2020

Source: Redfin

2. Study: Texas is the best state for tiny home living

According to a new study by HomeGnome, Texas is the best state for tiny home living. The ranking considered factors such as the number of tiny home communities, builders, acceptance of tiny houses, and off-grid capabilities, using data from LawnStarter, Tiny House Society, Micro Living Magic, Nomad Adjacent, and Google.

The study found that Texans are the most accepting of tiny house living. With 16 tiny home neighborhoods and 15 manufacturers, the Lone Star State boasts one of the highest numbers of tiny home communities and builders. Texas also ranked No. 2 in off-grid technology.

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3. Catch up quick

😳 NAR's new law firm for antitrust suits charges up to $3K an hour. (Inman)

🏡 64-home single-family community underway in Dallas. (TRERC)

🤝 Dallas-based Landsea Homes acquired by California-based New Home Co. for $ 1.2B. (Mergr)

🧓 San Antonio and College Station made Forbes' best places to retire in 2025 list. (Forbes)

🪙 Real estate beats gold, stocks as the best long-term investment. (Gallup)

💸 Fun read: Pope Leo XIV's $199K childhood home swiftly taken off the market. (Realtor.com)

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4. DOJ to investigate EPIC City, a Muslim development in Texas

The Department of Justice has opened a federal civil rights investigation into EPIC City, a Muslim-centered planned community near one of Texas’s largest mosques — the East Plano Islamic Center. Senator John Cornyn said on Friday, via X, that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi had informed him about the investigation.

Cornyn requested a federal probe into the development last month, citing concerns that it could discriminate against Christians and Jews.

The planned development, which includes over 1,000 homes, a mosque, a K-12 faith-based school, clinics, retail shops, a community college, and sports facilities, has yet to be built. The developers say they are being bullied because they are Muslim.

“Religious discrimination and Sharia Law have no home in Texas. Any violations of federal law must be swiftly prosecuted, and I know under the Trump administration, they will be.”

Texas Senator John Cornyn (R)

5. 45.1 million Americans are expected to travel domestically for Memorial Day

According to data from AAA, travel for the holiday weekend is projected to reach a 20-year record high this year.

More than 45 million Americans are estimated to travel at least 50 miles from home between May 22 and May 26, an increase of 1.4 million travelers from 2024, surpassing the previous record of 44 million set in 2005.

This year’s adventurers are mostly choosing the comfort of their cars, with 87% of travelers—about 39.4 million people—taking road trips. Air travel is expected to increase by 2% over last year, reaching 3.61 million passengers, while 2.08 million people are projected to travel by train, bus, or cruise over the holiday weekend.

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