Looped In

Office buildings in the South can be notoriously cold in the summer months – or at least that's what a majority of women would say who jokingly refer to offices in the summer as “women's winter.” This year as more companies return to the office amid record heatwaves and requests by ERCOT for Texans to reduce electricity usage, we ask why office buildings temperatures can feel out of line with the outside temperatures. We talk to Stefano Schiavon, professor at UC Berkley's Center for the Built Environment, about his research into gender disparities in thermal comfort in the office and what can be done to make more employees feel comfortable. Later in the episode interview John Myers of the real estate firm JLL who oversees a property management platform in Dallas about what Texas building owners do to try to balance tenant and employee comfort while reducing energy use.  Links: Related stories: Meet the man everyone's call in a heatwave Houston's public housing residents react to news that AC is on the way Texas Power Outage Tracker More reading: Study: Overcooling of offices reveals gender inequity in thermal comfort JLL: Why office buildings are so cold (or hot) Study: Energy savings and thermal comfort in a zero energy office building with fans in Singapore Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A group of volunteers that, for nearly two decades, has offered free meals four evenings a week outside Central Library has recently started getting fined for breaking city law. The 2012 law, which limits giving free meals to those in need, has been deeply controversial and had gone largely unenforced for over a decade. Food Not Bombs volunteers say the ordinance goes against their morals and hope it will be deemed unconstitutional in federal courts. Mayor Sylvester Turner says giving free meals outside Central Library is problematic because it leads to those without homes lingering outside, which he believes deters other members of the public from using the resource.   Marissa Luck and R.A. Schuetz discuss the history of the group, the law, and the area where the battle is taking place. They also take a look at how the cases are unfolding in court and what might happen after a new mayor is elected this November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Description: The recent demolition of a $24 million historic home by Astros owner Jim Crane renewed conversations about the preservation of the iconic River Oaks neighborhood. Since its founding in the 1920s, the high-income Houston enclave became a quiet retreat from the rest of the city where the wealthy invested in building beautiful, architecturally significant homes. One by one though, many of these historic mansions are getting demolished and replaced with more modern designs. A handful of owners have renovated and preserved some vintage houses, but at great cost and effort. In this episode of Looped In, co-hosts Marissa Luck and Rebecca Schuetz talk with architectural reporter Diane Cowen about Crane's home, another $13.5 million mansion previously owned by billionaire Fayez Sarofim and why some preservationists are wary about changes underway in River Oaks. Related stories: History of Houston's iconic River Oaks is disappearing with tear downs Astros owner Jim Crane demolishes $24 million historic River Oaks homes 1937 River Oaks home owned by late billionaire Fayez Sarofim hits the market for $13.5M Renovation of River Oaks home that others owners gave up on Related podcasts: Could Turner's plan for conservation districts give residents more say in a city famous for no zoning? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After much political wrangling and not one, but two special legislative sessions, the Texas legislature has finally agreed on a property tax relief bill. It has something in it for all property owners -- not only homeowners, but also investors and businesses -- and legislators argue that it will trickle down to renters. Austin bureau reporter Jasper Scherer unpacks the bill and what comes next to Marissa Luck and R.A. Schuetz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Master-planned communities are playing an increasingly important role in housing families priced out of urban cores. How do designers and developers go about planning the future of these massive mini cities to respond to the growing risk of climate change and housing affordability concerns – while also making these communities pleasant places to live? In this episode of Looped In, host Marissa Luck interviewed John Saxon of Howard Hughes, Robert Acuña -Pilgrim of TBG Partners and Nate Cherry of Gensler at the National Association of Real Estate (NAREE) conference in Las Vegas in June 2023. Experts discussed major demographic shifts and migration are driving changes in these communities, how remote work patterns are altering how residents interact with these communities and even how a herd of goats is helping with trail management in a development near Dallas. Related stories: Houston's top-selling master-planned communities https://www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/2022/houston-top-selling-master-planned-2022/ Mass timber office, H-E-B planned in Bridgeland https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Cypress-project-will-have-new-H-E-B-store-and-one-17538557.php Gensler marks 50 years of making Houston architecture more ‘human' https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/gensler-architecture-design-houston-anniversary-17729027.php New Houston master-planned community to have ‘car free' zones https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/agrihood-indigo-17804425.php More about NAREE: NAREE Las Vegas 2023 video recordings: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLijDb4rxgzdMOznJt_Oe9ZwHTpvlc1puQ National Association of Real Estate Editors https://www.naree.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Living with roommates has long been a way to save money on housing. In the past decade or so though, a new class of professionally managed roommate housing has emerged called coliving – think of -up version of college dorms. Coliving providers take the typical hassles out of roommate living while giving residents a quick way to meet new people and save on rent. While coliving in the U.S. emerged first in pricey real estate markets in Los Angeles, San Francisco and the Bay Area, coliving providers have been expanding in the South as way to diversify their portfolios and fulfill a demand for more affordable housing. In Houston, a couple of upscale coliving providers are adding new communities, alongside Atlanta housing startup PadSplit that uses coliving as a way to increase the supply of affordable homes. In this episode of Looped In, hosts Marissa Luck and R.A. Schuetz talk about the rise of coliving in the Houston, with insight from coliving expert Susan Tjarksen of Cushman and Wakefield as well as the founder of PadSplit, Atticus LeBlanc about the future of the growing niche housing sector. Related stories: Communal living is on the rise in Houston as coliving residents embrace flexible, cheaper leases New cohousing development in Houston aims to turn neighbors into extended families PadSplit launches shared housing option in Houston From Looped In's archives: Texas' first cohousing community is coming to the East End. Here's what it's about. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

R.A. Schuetz and Marissa Luck discuss a tax break meant to create affordable housing that's in the center of some controversy. Public Facility Corporations have drawn scrutiny both in Houston (we'll hear about some tense words between Mayor Sylvester Turner and the housing authority) and in the state Capitol, where the Texas legislators are battling over how to reform the tax break as the session hurtles toward its end. Links: Big tax cuts for not-so affordable housing draw scrutiny in Houston and the Texas Legislature: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/housing/article/pfc-houston-housing-authority-state-bills-18074104.php After backlash in high-income Tanglewood, Houston pauses affordable housing deals across city: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/housing/article/houston-affordable-housing-tanglewood-17762281.php How a tiny Texas government is scoring big tax breaks for developers across the state: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/How-a-tiny-Austin-area-government-is-scoring-big-17491395.php Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The real estate sector is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions globally – and it's not just because of the power used to electrify or cool a building. Creating and transporting all of the materials that go into a building is a huge source of carbon emissions that the industry is now trying to reel in by tracking what's known as embodied carbon. In this episode of Looped In, we talk to Skanska USA's Houston lead, Matt Damborsky, about how the developer is reducing the embodied carbon in its office skyscraper 1550 on the Green in downtown Houston. We also get an in-depth look at how more real estate firms and construction suppliers are tracking embodied carbon using an online database called EC3 tool, talking with one of its creators, Stacy Smedley. The good news: it's not as expensive or time-consuming as you might think to significantly lower embodied carbon emissions, and Skanska is hoping more real estate firms follow suit. Check out Building Transparency's Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) tool Related articles: In downtown Houston, a prominent developer's new officer tower is breaking ground on carbon emissions 5 things to know about $225M skyscraper rising near Discovery Green Our obsession with new buildings, McMansions is driving up emissions Hines' ambitious net zero carbon goals could impact 27 million square feet of Houston real estate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mayor Sylvester Turner is seeking City Council support for a conservation district program he and city planners say could help lower-income neighborhoods preserve their character and fend off gentrification. Critics say it may end up causing gentrification. Marissa Luck and R.A. Schuetz speak with Yilun Cheng, City Council reporter at the Houston Chronicle, about what conservation districts would entail, why some neighborhood advocates have been requesting them and why others are nervous. The ordinance, which could offer neighborhoods an easier path to preservation than a historic district, is up for discussion at City Council the first week of April. Learn more: Turner wants to fight Houston gentrification with conservation districts. Critics say it won't work.  Acres Homes, Freedmen's Town among 6 areas Houston is considering for conservation districts  Houston delays vote on conservation districts for 6 areas, including Freedmen's Town, Acres Homes Proposed Riverside Terrace historic district has longtime residents fighting for their neighborhood  Turner withdraws plan for Riverside Terrace historic district, citing lack of neighborhood support  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a new project proposed in the site of The Ashby high-rise, a contentious apartment tower first pitched 16 years ago that set off one of the most intense land-use battles in Houston's history. We dive into the history of The Ashby, and provide an update on The Langley, the revised version of the project, which developers say is close to breaking ground in Houston's Boulevard Oaks neighborhood. HoustonChronicle.com subscribers can learn more about the Ashby and Langley high-rise projects here: City approves key permits needed for revised Ashby high-rise to break ground  What to know about The Langley, the high-rise proposed in The Ashby site  Plans unveiled for 20-story high-rise, The Langley  From the Looped In archives: Talk of the Ashby and Houston's lack of zoning  From the Looped In archives: Developers talk the Ashby 10 years later Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the pandemic's housing boom, which spurred bidding wars and drove up home prices to dizzying highs, the market has shifted. Interest rates have risen, inflation has eaten away at budgets and some economists have forecasted a recession. As many would-be homebuyers have been priced out of the market, fewer people are competing to buy. What does it all mean for Houston's housing market in the upcoming year? Looped In co-hosts Marissa Luck and R.A. Schuetz sit down with Greg McBride, the chief financial analyst at the personal finance site Bankrate.com, to discuss.    Related stories: Houston home sales tumbled at the end of 2022. Here's what's in store for 2023. Home prices head higher as shortage of homes on the market persists

Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the country with a large population of Chinese residents who have helped to contribute to thriving commercial corridors such as Asiatown near Bellaire and Asiantown near Katy. How would SB 147 -- a proposed law barring citizens and companies from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran from buying real estate in Texas-- impact the Chinese population in Houston? What effects might we see on residential and commercial real estate? Looped In co-hosts Marissa Luck and R.A. Schuetz discuss the proposed law and other related legislation with investigative reporter Mike Morris. Proposed Texas law could drive away Chinese immigrants who thrive in southwest Houston, Katy https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/chinese-investor-ban-ding-texas-business-17744879.php Houston leaders, Asian groups decry Abbot plan to ban Chinese others from buying land in Texas https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/chinese-investor-ban-ding-texas-business-17744879.php Amid protest, senator promises change to bill banning Chinese land in Texas https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/article/texas-senator-china-land-buys-17741458.php Texas Take Podcast: Who are they coming for next? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/who-are-they-coming-for-next/id1122884023?i=1000596997544 Forbes: Why a secretive Chinese billionaire bough 140,000 acres in Texas https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnhyatt/2021/08/09/why-a-secretive-chinese-billionaire-bought-140000-acres-of-land-in-texas/?sh=79a2972b78c3 Pluribus News: Restriction on foreign ownership of farmland gets renewed push https://pluribusnews.com/news-and-events/states-renew-push-to-ban-foreign-ownership-of-farmland-other-property/

Nearly five months after a Houston Chronicle story about a retired couple's battle with their HOA over feeding the ducks gets picked up by outlets around the globe, the reporter gets a call from the couple's daughter. While Mrs. Rowe and her lawyer said that they had begun feeding the ducks after the loss of their daughter, the Rowe's daughter is in fact alive. How to correct a story that's gone viral, and the surprising prevalence of family estrangement.    Cypress couple was sued for up to $250K by their HOA for feeding ducks. Now they could lose their home: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/A-Cypress-HOA-sued-a-couple-250K-for-feeding-17292935.php  Daily Mail UK's version: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11002295/Texas-couple-began-feeding-neighborhood-ducks-sued-250k-HOA.html  Washington Post's version: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/07/09/hoa-ducks-foreclosure/  Business Insider India's version: https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/a-texas-couple-could-lose-their-home-after-feeding-ducks-in-their-yard-thanks-to-a-lawsuit-from-their-hoa/articleshow/92764108.cmsSupport the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly five months after a Houston Chronicle story about a retired couple's battle with their HOA over feeding the ducks gets picked up by outlets around the globe, the reporter gets a call from the couple's daughter. While Mrs. Rowe and her lawyer said that they had begun feeding the ducks after the loss of their daughter, the Rowe's daughter is in fact alive. How to correct a story that's gone viral, and the surprising prevalence of family estrangement.  Cypress couple was sued for up to $250K by their HOA for feeding ducks. Now they could lose their home: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/A-Cypress-HOA-sued-a-couple-250K-for-feeding-17292935.php  Daily Mail UK's version: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11002295/Texas-couple-began-feeding-neighborhood-ducks-sued-250k-HOA.html  Washington Post's version: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/07/09/hoa-ducks-foreclosure/  Business Insider India's version: https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/a-texas-couple-could-lose-their-home-after-feeding-ducks-in-their-yard-thanks-to-a-lawsuit-from-their-hoa/articleshow/92764108.cms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A nationwide, $47 billion effort to prevent evictions during the pandemic is winding down, leaving tenants to cope with higher rents amid inflation. How well did emergency rental assistance, which funneled aid through local and state programs, work? Looped In hosts R.A. Schuetz and Marissa Luck interview Erin Hahn, a researcher from a tenant advocacy group called Texas Housers, who compared Houston's local rental assistance programs with several others across Texas, and then they talk to Stephanie Graves, president of the Houston Apartment Association to get a landlord's perspective on how the program went. Houston-Harris County rental assistance program to suspend new applications indefinitely Nov. 1:https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/housing/article/Harris-County-rental-assistance-status-closing-17541457.php Texas Housers report comparing how Emergency Rental Assistance rolled out in Texas: https://texashousers.org/2022/12/06/emergency-rental-assistance-in-texas-report/ Montgomery County gives up $7.1 million of its rent relief funds: “There's just not that many people needing assistance”:https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Montgomery-County-gives-up-7-1-million-of-its-16630147.php County approves $4 million to help renters facing evictions access legal help: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/housing/article/County-approves-4-million-to-help-renters-facing-17470895.php    Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some homeowners in Houston are dealing with a host of unexpected environmental issues - from discovering years after purchasing their homes that their land was sinking underneath them to learning there are still cancer risks tied to old school industrial developments nearby. As Houston Chronicle's environmental reporter Emily Foxhall departs, we sit down to discuss a few of her biggest stories impacting Houston real estate. Neighbors contend with rail yard after decades of contamination Fifth Ward residents insulted by EPA tips to avoid rail yard contamination: ‘What's in us is in us' Homes in The Woodlands could sink by more than a foot over decades under new groundwater guidelines BRACE FOR THE STORM: The Ike Dike will transform Galveston. See how in a fly-through tour.Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An ambitious $310 million transformation of the eastern side of Buffalo Bayou gets underway this week as Buffalo Bayou Partnership -- which developed the 160-acre Buffalo Bayou Park between Allen Parkway and Memorial Drive -- breaks ground on the first piece of its decade-long plan to transform the stretch of the bayou east of downtown.But the groundbreaking isn't for a project normally associated with parks and trails, for which the Buffalo Bayou Partnership is best known. The partnership on Saturday will begin the construction of an affordable housing development, called Lockwood on Buffalo Bayou. In this episode of Looped In, Rebecca Schuetz interviews Buffalo Bayou Partnership's president Anne Olson about the nonprofit's transformative plan and talks with Marissa Luck about the broader changes taking place in the East End. Read more: Buffalo Bayou East breaks ground with affordable housing project. Kinder Foundation gives $100 million to fast track Buffalo Bayou East. Concept Neighborhood's 17-acre East End project could make cars obsolete with walkable, ‘micro' living Midway's non-fussy take on golf gives Houstonians first glimpse of game-changing East End project. Triten Partners' trendy 6-acre mixed-use project could transform key entrance to East End After years of attempts, redevelopment of former St. Elizabeth's Hospital begins More on Community Land Trusts in Houston Whether Fifth Ward residents want it or not, East River is comingSupport the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Houston's East End is in the midst of massive change as the neighborhood once dominated by industrial buildings and small bungalows is turning into a hub for mixed-use developments, apartments and adaptive reuse projects. A major catalyst of the East End's transformation was sparked by East River, the 150-acre mixed-use development by Midway rising along Buffalo Bayou waterway. We sit down with Midway vice president Anna Deans to discuss how Midway's game-changing project will start to transform how Houstonians interact with this part of Buffalo Bayou and how the project could spark further changes in the East End. Deans also gives us all the updates and details on what's next for East River, one of the most highly-anticipated real estate developments underway in Houston now.Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meyerland, built on former rice fields in southwest Houston, was one of Houston's earliest master-planned communities promising to bring suburban life relatively close to the city. But the neighborhood has been repeatedly ravaged by floods, with some of the worst damage occurring in Hurricane Harvey five years ago. Even though Meyerland shows us the repercussions of building in the floodplain and many communities throughout Houston are still recovering from Harvey, real estate developers continue to build in floodprone areas with nearly 1 in 8 houses built in the floodplain in Houston now. Development continues to blossom in West Houston throughout the floodplain in areas like Katy Prairie, but this time with newer, better building standards than what was required 50 years ago when Meyerland was constructed. But are the new standards enough to protect homeowners? Looped In hosts R.A. Schuetz and Marissa Luck sit down with Houston Chronicle's county reporter Jen Rice to discuss how Houston's development standards could potentially be putting property owners in flood-prone areas at risk. Read more about it: Houston keeps paving over rain-absorbent Katy prairie, even after devastating Harvey impacts How Harvey transformed resilient Meyerland from modest 1950s homes to raised mini-mansions Post Harvey, 1 in 8 homes permitted are in floodplains Harvey cost many their homes and their peace of mind. 5 years later, the damage lingers. After 3 inches of rain shut down a Katy community, residents want to know what went wrong  Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a city with virtually no official zoning, the ability to create a historic district over a particular neighborhood is supposed to be a key tool Houstonians can use to preserve the character of a place. But in the case of one historically Black community in Houston's Third Ward, called Riverside Terrace, residents were convinced a proposed historic district would actually lead to more unwanted change – gentrification – not less of it. In this episode, Rebecca and Marissa talk to reporter Nora Mishanec about the controversy sparked by the now failed Riverside Terrace historic district proposal and how it shines a light on situations when these special designations may actually become instruments of exclusion rather than inclusion. Read more on HoustonChronicle.com: 18 Houston homes could become a historic district. Some residents fear they're losing control. Proposed Riverside Terrace historic district has longtime residents fighting for their neighborhood Turner pulls plan for Riverside Terrace historic district amid opposition from Third Ward residents A 2-year journey to remove racist deed language was finally solved thanks to new Texas law Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A federal program is meant to give low-income families the freedom to choose where they live. But most landlords are not interested in participating, put off by requirements such as lengthy inspection periods and the prospect that the voucher might not meet them where the market is, relegating families with vouchers to the few properties that accept the housing subsidy. The Houston nonprofit NestQuest has set out to change that. READ: Houston nonprofit tackles headaches with rent voucher program Connect with Rebecca Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than two years after lockdowns turned downtown into an apocalyptic landscape of darkened towers and deserted streets, downtown Houston is coming back to life. While it hasn't completely recovered yet, people are once again crowding into Astro's games, catching concerts at Jones Hall, cruising through Discovery Green Park and converging at large events and conferences. Their return has boosted sales for hotels and some restaurants. But there's a critical element missing: the 168,600 office workers that used to flow into the central business district every weekday. With hybrid work here to stay, the downtown economy is undergoing a fundamental shift. We sit down with Kris Larson and Angie Bertinot of Central Houston, a nonprofit focused on economic development in downtown, to discuss where the downtown is going post pandemic. CONNECT with Marissa Luck and Rebecca Schuetz. MORE: The 5-day, in-person workweek is mostly dead. What does that mean for downtown Houston? Houstonians are out to play, fueling a revival for downtown's hotels and venues Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new paper by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas warns we may be in a housing bubble, driven by fear of missing out (FOMO) in the market as prices surge and mortgage rates rise. But it's a tricky thing defining a bubble, and even then, bubbles don't necessarily pop — Rebecca Schuetz and Marissa Luck talk to Enrique Martinez-Garcia and Laila Assani, Dallas Fed economists, about how home prices are outstripping wages and rents and what that means for Texans. Read the Dallas Fed paper: Real-Time Market Monitoring Finds Signs of Brewing U.S. Housing Bubble Read the story by Marissa Luck and Katherine Feser: Houston homebuyers grasping for any deal in red-hot market may get shut out by higher mortgages Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A hybrid workplace is emerging as the new normal for office workers post pandemic. But how will splitting their time between their pajamas and their pumps impact the way employees work? Can cubicles cut it anymore now that employees have grown accustomed to lounging on their patio or taking a walk on a lunch break? We talk with two thought leaders at global architecture firm Gensler's Houston office – Dean Strombom and Vince Flickinger – about how companies are rethinking their physical space in the pandemic. Hint: It's not just about reducing real estate footprints. READ:Shell's pilot office design in Houston offers a peek at the hybrid workplace of the future More stories by Marissa Luck and Rebecca Schuetz on HoustonChronicle.com.   Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luby's, a cafeteria-style restaurant, is so ingrained in Texas culture that the TV series “King of the Hill” has a character named after its signature platter. So when Luby's board voted to liquidate the brand, many were shocked. But — as Amanda Drane, who formerly covered retail for the Houston Chronicle, tells Rebecca Schuetz — liquidating Luby's is different than Luby's disappearing. READ: A Chicago catering entrepreneur bought Luby's. Here's what happens next for the Houston brand. Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Exxon built its big campus north of Houston back in 2014-2015 it set off a wave of real estate development nearby in what many called 'the Exxon effect.' Now that the company is officially relocating to Houston what can we expect? Looped In co-hosts Marissa Luck and Rebecca Schuetz speak with Paul Takahashi, former energy reporter at Houston Chronicle, and Jacob Sudoff, CEO of real estate firm Douglas Elliman, about the dynamics shaping Exxon's move and what it could mean for real estate around Spring and The Woodlands. Read about it on HoustonChronicle.com: Exxon to move HQ to The Woodlands  Exxon has deep roots in the Houston area  From the archives: Here's a look at the impact Exxon had on the Spring area in 2014-2015 More on the residential changes at CityPlace, where Exxon's campus is located. More on Hewlett Packard Enterprise's new corporate headquarters opening in CityPlace.      Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet Marissa and 2022's housing market Things have been on the move at the Houston Chronicle. Rebecca Schuetz has switched to focus on housing, and we're welcoming a new real estate reporter to the team: Marissa Luck! Marissa answers some tough questions -- like which pet is really her favorite -- and talks about what the upcoming year has in store for the Houston housing market. Hint: It won't be a buyer's market anytime soon. READ:Houston's housing market soared to new heights in 2021. Will 2022 be the same? Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mayor Sylvester Turner's decision to go against staff recommendations and instead direct millions of city money to a project with ties to his longtime law partner is attracting national scrutiny. City hall reporter Dylan McGuinness and investigative reporter Mike Morris talk about how the news broke and the potential implications. Connect with Rebecca, Dylan and Mike. READ: Turner fires Houston housing director who accused him of 'charade' bid process to benefit developer Turner orders review of deal at center of 'charade' claims by fired housing director In defense of project at center of allegations, Turner goes on offense against former housing director Harris County DA investigating deal at center of allegations against Turner Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jackie Cooper, the first female president of the Houston Black Real Estate association, has had a lot of doors slammed in her face. That didn't prevent her from convincing homesellers, homebuilders and even Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to give Black real estate agents in Houston their business. She shares some memories after HBREA created an award in her honor. Connect with Rebecca Schuetz. Read: Houston Black Real Estate Association recognizes members, continues COVID aid   Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Believe it or not, Texas real estate is being shaped by outer space. As billionaires bent on commercializing travel to the heavens base their operations in remote parts of Texas, those areas are seeing a huge influx of employees and investors. Andrea Leinfelder, the Chronicle's space reporter, joins Looped In to discuss the impact on the local real estate market. Tweet at Rebecca Schuetz and read her real estate reporting at HoustonChronicle.com. Read Andrea's series Battle of the Billionaires: Part 1)Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos' space race is heating up, and Texas gets a front-row seat Part 2)Elon Musk brings exploding rockets and real estate to South Texas. Not everyone is happy. Part 3)How Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin changed the small West Texas town of Van Horn Reporter's Notebook:A squished tarantula and being followed by a Tesla: How we got the story on SpaceX and Blue Origin Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Right now, there is a fight that could change how commissions work that is winding its way through the court system. In it, the defendant, who thinks that real estate commissions are too high, is pointing to the United Kingdom as an example of how things could work. So we spoke to real estate agents in different countries to see how real estate commissions – and the home selling process -- work in their corner of the world. Connect with Rebecca Schuetz. Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When asked about the future of real estate -- are we in a home price bubble? will offices fully recover -- real estate economist Jim Gaines is quick to caution that "there isn't an economist in the world that really knows what the heck he's talking about." We’ve never gone through anything like this before, so modeling it is a difficult endeavor. But here is his take on what a recovery may look like for real estate and what normal might look like in the future. READ: Where Texas A&M real estate economist Jim Gaines sees ups - and downs - in the year ahead Connect with Rebecca Schuetz. Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many neighborhoods throughout Houston, Texas and the United States have shocking language in documents restricting how the land can be used. “None of the lots… shall be used, owned or occupied by any person other than of the Caucasian Race," reads one example, the deed restrictions of Oak Forest. Making it easier to remove racist language from deed restrictions has been one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s legislative priorities. It passed unanimously in the state Senate in a rare display of bipartisan support. But the bill has yet to be voted on in the House, and time is running out. Residents of Oak Forest, a Houston neighborhood working through the labor-intensive process of removing the language, are watching nervously — whether the bill passes will determine how they’ll spend their next two years before the next legislative session has a chance to examine the issue again. Connect with Rebecca Schuetz. READ: 'It's so damn offensive': More Houston neighborhoods push to remove racist deed language Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rebecca visits her dad and share news on her refinance. But a lot has changed since she was shopping for a new mortgage. She chats with Frank Nothaft, chief economist for the real estate analytics company CoreLogic, about what is causing rates to go back up and what he thinks the impact will be on affordability, home prices and home sales, then touches base with loan officer Jennifer Hernandez about how things are looking on the ground for mortgage originators. Connect with Rebecca Schuetz. Read the story: Mortgage rates are on the rise. What does that mean for the housing market? Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the aftermath of Houston's litany of hurricanes, floods and storms, renters are realizing that renter protections in Texas are anemic at best. If the apartment's condition has deteriorated to the point where it impacts physical health or safety and the landlord does not make timely repairs — usually defined as seven days — renters are supposed to be able to move out. But if tenants and landlords disagree on whether a home is livable or whether reasonable repair efforts are being made, tenants find themselves with few practical options. Connect with Rebecca Schuetz. READ: 'It is a disaster': Renters demand repairs after weeks without water 'Stuck in this netherworld': Deadly freeze exposes Texas' renter protections as anemic at best Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The commission a buyer's agent earns is in the spotlight because of how they're set up. While the buyer's agent has a fiduciary responsibility to the homebuyer, their commissions is largely set by the homeseller before the property is listed on an agent-to-agent database known as the multiple listing service. Even though this is the setup, buyers' agents are required to work in the homebuyers' best interest, which means they should not steer buyers to one house or another just because of how much they'll be paid. However, phone calls recorded by the brokerage Rex seem to show real estate agents doing just that. Rex credits the calls with a Department of Justice suit against the National Association of Realtors. Jack Ryan, Rex's chief executive, talks about what life is like for a brokerage that decides to circumvent the traditional commission structure by staying off the multiple listing service and what he believes will change as a result of the suit. Connect with Rebecca Schuetz. READ: Houston real estate agents caught on tape steering buyers away from homes with less commission Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even as Rebecca interviewed people who had shaved hundreds off their monthly mortgage payments — giving them increased financial security in the midst of a recession — and spoke to coworkers and friends about how the historically low rates had benefited them, she put off doing one of her own. After low mortgage rates won a 2020 Loopie Award for Brightest Glimmer of Hope (Besides the Vaccine), her podcast editor suggested to stop dilly dallying and to document her journey so listeners might learn from her experience. So she did. Connect with Rebecca Schuetz.   Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every year, Looped In celebrates by recognizing the best and worst of Houston real estate. In 2020, there was a lot to choose from. The pandemic and the need to socially distance has shaped the way we interact, which has shaped the spaces we interact in. Home sales and renovations boomed, while offices were thrown into uncertainty and hotels and small retailers floundered. Some have closed for good. As Looped In looked back on last year, we asked your thoughts on what stood out. And the people have spoken: Most Controversial Controversy 34 percent: The National Association of Realtor's new social media policy 32 percent: How the attempted Daugherty-Elliman merger panned out 26 percent: Al Hartman's handling of masks in the workplace 8 percent: The proposal to turn Sharpstown into a homeowners' association Buzziest Buzzword 56 percent: Unprecedented 22 percent: WFH 16 percent: Uncertainty 6 percent: De-densification Trendiest Development Trend 48 percent: Home office 27 percent: Plexiglass partitions 16 percent: Touchless (fill in the blank) 9 percent: Swimming pools Saddest Demise 62 percent: Luby's 15 percent: Bernie's Burger Bus 15 percent: Barry's Pizza 4 percent: Morningstar Write ins: Benjy's, Sweet Tomatoes, Wendy's Biggest Work-from-Home Perk 43 percent: Less time commuting 28 percent: More time with pets 16 percent: More time with family 13 percent: Kitchen access for lunch and snacks Brightest Glimmer of Hope (Besides the Vaccine) 49 percent: Low mortgage rates 28 percent: Escapes to nature 11 percent: Empty commercial space repurposed into housing 9 percent: Road trips Write ins: Vacation homes, freedom Connect with Rebecca Schuetz and Nancy Sarnoff.  Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Houston real estate agents have been recorded saying they will not show certain homes to their clients — even though the houses meet all the buyers’ desires. This is one of the conversations. Read the story: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/houston-real-estate-agents-less-commission-records-15857087.php  REX: And you don’t think they’d compensate you after everything you’ve done for them? I mean, if you’re working so much for them. Agent: Not as far as what my compensation should be, no. I wouldn’t even feel comfortable asking them for that. And I know it’s not you. Unless you’re the owner of this company. The real estate game is changing. And I’m not -- I mean, it’s putting away my profession. And I’m not in favor of it. So I can’t help you to sell something that’s wiping out my profession. Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Houston real estate agents have been recorded saying they will not show certain homes to their clients — even though the houses meet all the buyers’ desires. This is one of the conversations. Read the story: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/houston-real-estate-agents-less-commission-records-15857087.php REX: How our properties work is we list our properties at 2 percent. And we don’t use the MLS so how that works is our sellers are not obligated to pay a buy-side commission. However, we do want you guys to get paid, so how you do that is place your commission on top of the offer price, and you’d get that from your buyer, so it’d be a discussion between you and the buyer on compensation. Agent: Okay, well, I’m not doing that. Thank you. Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Houston real estate agents have been recorded saying they will not show certain homes to their clients — even though the houses meet all the buyers’ desires. This is one of the conversations. Read the story: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/houston-real-estate-agents-less-commission-records-15857087.php Agent: So if I were to bring you a client to purchase this property, do you guys pay me the three percent commission, or how does that work?  REX: That’s a good question. So the seller does not pay a fee -- or not pay a commission to neither the listing agent nor the buyer side agent. So if your client comes to the home and says they like the home, most agents will either have their client place the commission on top of the offering on the home, offer price on the home, or -- Agent: Yeah, that’s not going to work. Okay. Thank you. We can stop right there. Because I know they’re not going to do that. I know they’re capped at a certain amount, so I know they’re not going to want to pay me my commission. And I’m going to bring you a buyer and you’re going to get the property sold and you don’t even pay a commission. So that’s just not how I operate. I really do appreciate your time though, have a good day sir. Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Looped In host Nancy Sarnoff packs up her bags and moves to Canada, with a detour down memory lane. Connect with Rebecca Schuetz and Nancy Sarnoff.   Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Realtors banned from racist postsThe National Association of Realtors tackled racist social media posts at their annual conference. On this episode of Looped In, Nancy Sarnoff and R.A. Schuetz discuss the background leading up to the vote. Connect with Nancy Sarnoff and Rebecca Schuetz. Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.