Texas cities named top real estate markets of 2025

Plus: Housing starts rise to a 5-month high

August 21, 2025

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😎 'Ello, Thursday. Today's newsletter is 597 words, a 2.5-minute read.

1. Texas cities named top real estate markets of 2025

A new study from WalletHub ranked 300 U.S. cities to identify the best real estate markets, evaluating two key factors: “Real Estate Market” and “Affordability & Economic Environment.”

  • Texas stood out with 20 cities in the top 300, including five in the top ten. McKinney claimed the No. 1 spot nationwide with a score of 72.33, making it the highest-rated real estate market in the country.

Other Texas cities also ranked highly. Frisco placed sixth overall, scoring second in the economic environment category, while Allen secured the No. 10 spot with a score of 66.35. Richardson and Denton also earned strong rankings, reinforcing North Texas as one of the nation’s hottest regions for real estate and job growth.

2. Housing starts rise to a 5-month high

According to Census Bureau data released Tuesday, housing starts in the U.S. climbed in July to a five-month high, driven by the fastest pace of multifamily construction in more than two years.

Key Highlights:

  • New residential construction rose 5.2% last month to an annualized rate of 1.43 million homes.

  • Multifamily starts jumped nearly 10% to an annualized 489,000 units, the strongest pace since mid-2023.

  • Single-family construction rose 2.8% to an annualized 939,000 units.

  • Building permits fell 2.8% to an annual rate of 1.35 million — the weakest in five years.

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3. Catch up quick

⚖️ New real estate investigation on ‘deceptive practices’ launched. (MarketWatch)

💸 Warren Buffett’s Berkshire invests nearly $1B in homebuilding giants. (Realtor.com)

🔒 Texas is among the states with the highest foreclosure rates. (ATTOM)

🚨 Trump calls on Fed Governor to resign 'now'. (CNN)

4. HUD to implement English-only policy

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is moving to make English the sole language for nearly all of its services and communications, according to a memo obtained by the New York Post.

In the memo, HUD Deputy Secretary Andrew Hughes said the change follows President Trump’s March executive order designating English as the official U.S. language. Hughes wrote the shift is intended to unify the department’s communications: “We are one people, united, and we will speak with one voice and one language.”

As part of the policy, HUD will eliminate non-English flyers, digital content, and translation services previously available in more than 200 languages. Exceptions will remain in place under federal nondiscrimination laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act.

5. Builder confidence remains low in August

According to the National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index, builder sentiment stayed deeply subdued. The index slipped one point in August to 32—its 16th straight month below the key 50 threshold and matching the lowest level since December 2022.

Confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes has hovered between 32 and 34 since May, with August registering at 32, down one point from July.

High mortgage rates, weak buyer traffic, and ongoing supply-side challenges continue to weigh on builder confidence. In August, 37% of builders reported cutting prices by an average of 5%, while 66% offered sales incentives—the highest share seen in the post-COVID era.

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