| Indicator | Where to look | Read it carefully |
|---|---|---|
| Rental pricing | HAR rental reports | Geography, property type, median vs. average, period |
| Leasing volume | HAR rental reports | Seasonality; compare year over year |
| Inventory & days on market | HAR market reports | Separate sale vs. lease inventory |
| Home prices | HAR market reports | Median price shifts with sales mix |
| Financing environment | FRED mortgage series | Owner-occupied benchmark vs. investor quotes |
| Property taxes | HCAD, taxing units | Value notices and adopted rates each year |
| Insurance | TDI, carrier quotes | Property-specific; avoid averages |
| Area-level supply | Permits, Census | Lag between permits and completions |
Rules for reading market data
- Every statistic needs a geography, property type, statistic type, period, and source.
- Compare like with like — same month last year, same geography.
- Metro-wide figures rarely describe a specific street.
- A single month is noise; trends need several periods.
Sources & Further Reading
- Houston Association of REALTORS — Market statistics and housing reports. www.har.com
- Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED) — 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States. fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MORTGAGE30US
- Harris Central Appraisal District — Property search, appraisal notices, and protest information. hcad.org
- U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey data. data.census.gov
- Texas Department of Insurance — Homeowners and dwelling insurance consumer help. www.tdi.texas.gov
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Consumer Price Index. www.bls.gov/cpi/
Sources accessed for review on October 5, 2026. Laws, rates, and programs change — confirm current details at the source.
713 Metrics provides educational and informational tools and content. Nothing on the platform constitutes financial, investment, tax, legal, lending, appraisal, brokerage, insurance, or real-estate advice. Users should independently verify information and consult appropriate licensed professionals.