Paul Takahashi 
Houston Business Journal

Steve Spillette, president of CDS, was recently interviewed by the Houston Business Journal. His interview is as follows: 

Developers are lowering prices on large home lots as luxury home sales have slowed during the oil slump, according to a new report. Community Development Strategies, a Houston-based real estate research firm, recently released its bi-annual lot price survey, which polled developers in 100 communities across the Houston metro region about the cost of their home sites. Most major developers, except for The Howard Hughes Corp. (NYSE: HHC), participated in the survey, which was conducted in July and announced in late September.

CDS Community Development Strategies

​Last night at St. Arnold's Brewery near Downtown Houston, CDS released the latest edition of the Lot Price Survey. The event was well attended by representatives from the area's residential development industry. Beer and BBQ were served, and a presentation was given summarizing the latest trends and findings from the survey. Lennar's Cindy Hinson also presented on the topic of multi-generational housing.

Kent Dussair
CDS Community Development Strategies

The real estate market moves in cycles. When times are good, new projects are easy to justify—whether the land use is residential, commercial, or something else. But when the economic times are uncertain, the best use of a property is not always clear. In the Houston area, where the local economy has been adversely affected by low oil prices, land owners and developers are still moving forward… but cautiously. Projects currently underway are being closely scrutinized while future planned developments are being re-evaluated. Determining the highest and best use for an undeveloped (or under-developed) property is always important, but in a challenging local real estate market, it is absolutely essential.

 J. Kirby Snideman and Brenda Crenshaw
CDS Community Development Strategies

Among the things that Americans are famous for loving, like peanut butter, ice, big cars, and football (real football that is), Americans are also known for loving… well, stuff. Lots of stuff. Sometimes too much stuff. Which is why it is estimated that one in ten US households currently rents at least one storage unit. Because of this, the self-storage industry has been one of the fastest growing commercial real estate sectors over the period of the last 40 years. This article provides a look at this growing and competitive industry.