Eagle's Trace	UPDATED: Thursday, June 19, 2008
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A Texas-sized boom

Posted on Tuesday, June 03, 2008

By Sara Martin
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

With all the talk of the U.S. heading into a possible recession, Houston’s economy is a bright spot in the national picture.

According to data recently released by the Texas Workforce Commission, Houston-area employers added 86,000 jobs between February 2007 and February 2008. That is an annual increase of 3.4%, compared with the nation’s current job growth rate of 0.6%.

“The Houston economy is the strongest in the nation among major cities,” says Barton Smith, director of the Institute for Regional Forecasting at the University of Houston. “Houston’s upstream energy economy is still booming, and [the city] will continue to outperform the rest of the nation for the rest of 2008.”

Growing economic diversity
In addition to its role as the energy capital of the country, the city boasts numerous other attractions that are bringing newcomers to the region.

The Texas Medical Center is a big draw for biotech and medical companies. NASA brings in government contracts, and the Port of Houston is benefiting from increased shipping traffic due to the weakened dollar. Additionally, 26 Fortune 500 companies have their headquarters in Houston. These assets, combined with the low cost of living, are all contributing to the city’s continued population growth.

More than 120,000 people moved to the Houston metro area between July 2006 and July 2007, the fourth largest numeric gain in the country, according to a recent release by the U.S. Census Bureau. This increase in population is providing a stimulus for the local housing market.

The value of a strong local market
“Compared with the national real estate market, Houston is doing wonderfully. Low interest rates and reasonable housing options make this market very appealing,” says Michael Levitin, chair of the Houston Association of Realtors.

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As real estate markets in other parts of the country struggle to regain stability after a rollercoaster of dramatic gains followed by equally dramatic losses, investors are finding the steadily gaining housing markets across Texas increasingly appealing.

HomeVestors of America, known for their “We Buy Ugly Houses” billboards, recently released the top ten locations for real estate investing in America.

Houston ranked second on the list, which is based on the number of houses bought in each market by the company during the first quarter of 2008. Additionally, Houston, Dallas, and Charlotte, N.C., were the only three cities to see increases in home listing prices over the same time period, according to an April report released by Altos Research Corporation and Real IQ.

The influx of new residents to the area and continued job growth ensure that Houston home owners can rest easy knowing their property values will continue to appreciate. For those considering listing their homes for sale, now is the time to put them on the market.

In the business of helping people

An off shoot of the strong real estate market, companies that offer individualized moving services are finding their niche. Th is spring, Eagle’s Trace launched Erickson Realty & Moving Services, a program designed to assist future residents with the moving process.

“My job is to do whatever it takes to make the transition as smooth as possible.” says Eagle’s Trace Personal Moving Consultant Blaga Bayer.

James Seamans and his wife, Wyoma, recently moved to Eagle’s Trace and were among the first in Houston to benefit from Erickson’s moving services program. The couple sold their Memorial-area home before it was officially put on the market, hours after their initial meeting with a Realtor. “[Bayer] made the move very easy,” say the Seamans. “She helped with the packing, moving, and locating a consignment store. When we wanted something, we didn’t even look in the yellow pages. We just called Blaga. She had all the right answers.”