Brenda Crenshaw
CDS Community Development Strategies

If you're anything like me and my friends, you watch Tiny House Hunters on HGTV and wonder how someone could possibly fit their life into such a small space? Is it just my generation (Baby Boomers) who think you need at least 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms to survive? Is that because we shared bedrooms with siblings and want our children to have their own space? Or maybe we want big homes as a status symbol?   

​Millennials—those currently 19 to 34 years old (born 1981 to 1996)—have been a challenging demographic group for the home building industry to figure out. They’ve kept many wondering as to when and where they will finally decide to buy a home. 

​One major reason Millennials are acting differently has to do with finances. According to the New American Foundation, the average Millennial graduating with a bachelor’s degree has nearly $30k in student loans. This long-term burden of debt competes with other expenditures, and makes it harder to qualify for mortgages. Add fewer job opportunities (and job advances) to the mix and it’s not hard to understand why Millennials are living at home longer with parents, renting rather than buying, and putting off marriage and children. More than changing preferences—these are often sound financial choices. Eventually, Millennials will be buying homes, but they will do so at a lower rate than previous generations and on a delayed time schedule. 

Ty Jacobsen
CDS Community Development Strategies

For residents, the name of a neighborhood is usually a source of identity and pride. But for home builders and developers, it's often part of the marketing plan. Tabbed with their pleasant and descriptive monikers, single family subdivisions make up a large part of the American residential landscape. Sometimes when navigating that landscape, place names can seem a bit repetitive. This has been something we at CDS have noticed after compiling the Greater Houston Subdivision and Lot Price Survey for nearly 40 years now. In an attempt to measure just how common some names really are, we analyzed a list of over one thousand “active” subdivisions (actively selling homes) in the Houston area. Think you can guess the top ones? Take the quiz below. 

J. Kirby Snideman
CDS Community Development Strategies

Proponents of pedestrian friendly design often advocate for retail parking lots to be placed in the rear; behind retail buildings and away from roadways. Moving parking lots to the rear concentrates people and places along the street, creating an environment that is arguably more accessible, interesting, and safe for walkers and bicyclists. While this seems advantageous, retail developers are often opposed to this layout. This article examines a few reasons why. Understanding the concerns of retail developers will help community leaders and members find the best solutions for their community.

A non-local developer has undertaken plans to develop a high-rise tower of “micro-unit” condominiums in the emerging East Downtown area (formally known as the “EaDo District”) of Houston.  This project, named the Ivy Lofts, seeks to offer would-be home buyers an affordable option near Downtown and other urban core neighborhoods which have experienced a massive boom in popularity and development since 2000, along with significant home price appreciation.