Texas booms as 3rd hottest state for international homebuyers, new report shows

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The trend of international buyers purchasing homes in Texas shows no signs of slowing down, as revealed in the latest Texas International Homebuyers Report.

Released September 6 by Texas Realtors, the report shows that the Lone Star State remains the No. 3 hottest U.S. destination for international homebuyers. Texas ranks behind Florida and California for the fourth consecutive year.

From April 2022 to March 2023, 9,900 Texas homes were purchased by buyers from outside the U.S. These homes make up 11.7 percent of the total number of Texas Realtors sales transactions.

For comparison, Florida (No. 1) accounted for 23 percent of purchases, with California (No. 2) at 12.2 percent.

"Texas has long been one of the most popular states for international buyers," said 2023 chairman of the Texas Realtors Marcus Phipps in a release. "Our strong economy, diverse population and high quality of life make the Lone Star State an attractive destination."

International buyers spent $4.3 billion on these Texas homes during the time period, the report says. Nearly half (49 percent) of buyers avoided the need for a mortgage by paying for their homes in all-cash.

In all, 84,600 international buyers bought property in the U.S. between April 2022 to March 2023, down from 98,600 buyers in last year's report.

The report further states that the median home price for international buyers is slightly lower than the overall Texas median: $320,800 versus $342,000. However, the average purchase price for international buyers was significantly higher, at $446,100.

In a breakdown of the foreign buyers, over half (51 percent) bought a primary residence in Texas. Mexico made up 41 percent of the top buyers, followed by China (8 percent) and India (7 percent). Nigeria and Venezuela accounted for five percent each within the top foreign buyers.

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Houston's 'livable forest' neighbor tops Heights as hottest neighborhood on the market in 2023

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The best place to buy a house is not always in the most sought-after neighborhood. So where are current and future residents looking to own? Luckily for Houston homebuyers, we have names of the most and least popular neighborhoods in the region.

The master-planned neighborhood of Kingwood is the most popular neighborhood in the city, according to a new study by indoor air quality experts HouseFresh. The study looked at daily views on home listings in 100 of the most populous American cities on Zillow, as well as the number of days a home was listed on the market.

Kingwood is known for its heavily forested land, parks, and community centers, which allowed for the conceptualization of its “Livable Forest” nickname. The neighborhood is so large, spanning over 14,000 acres, that it's split up further into smaller "villages." Active home listings in the area received over 12,600 views per day on Zillow.

Other popular neighborhoods in the city include:

No. 2 – Greater Heights
No. 3 – Greater Uptown Houston
No. 4 – Washington Avenue Coalition - Memorial Park
No. 5 – Alief

In the running for the least popular neighborhood in Houston, with only 49 views per day on Zillow, are homes in the inconspicuously named Pecan Park community. Potential buyers avoid this area since a majority of the homes are rentals, which is a stark contrast to the 75 percent of Kingswood residents who own their properties.

Though the name suggests there would be ample green space in the area, Pecan Park is bordered by two interstate highways, I-610 and I-45, which doesn’t leave much room for greenery. The 16-acre Ingrando Park is the only park in the area.

The top five least popular Houston neighborhoods are:

No. 1 – Pecan Park
No. 2 – Kashmere Gardens
No. 3 – Clinton Park Tri-Community
No. 4 – Denver Harbor - Port Houston
No. 5 – IAH - Airport Area

It should be no surprise that IAH - Airport Area also earned a spot on the top five least popular neighborhoods. In addition to noise pollution concerns, the study found that available homes on Zillow in IAH only received 210 daily views.

The full report can be found on housefresh.com.

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Medical Center builds bridges for global impact with new Netherlands partnership

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The Texas Medical Center may be based in Houston, but the organization has again grown its global impact.

Since 2016, TMC’s BioBridgeshave worked with 88 startup companies. Those include strategic alliances with four other countries. Australia, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Ireland are all among TMC’s BioBridges partners. As of today, add the Netherlands to that list.

On September 27, TMC president and CEO, William F. McKeon, and Carmen van Vilsteren, chair of Health~Holland, Top Sector Life Sciences & Health (LSH), signed an agreement in Rotterdam. The TMC Netherlands BioBridge Memorandum of Understanding codifies the innovative goals of the partnership. Essentially, the BioBridge program provides a means for entrepreneurs, researchers, clinicians and industry partners from other countries to access the US market, as well as TMC experts.

“The TMC Netherlands BioBridge represents an unparalleled opportunity for collaboration and growth,” Ashley McPhail, chief external affairs & administration officer at Texas Medical Center said in a press release. “The Netherlands has solidified its position as a global leader in the field of life sciences and health, with a thriving ecosystem of research institutions, innovative companies, and highly skilled professionals. This strategic partnership will bring positive benefits to patients, clinicians and industry partners on a global scale.”

This lifeline for international healthcare companies makes expansion into the United States far smoother. The Global Innovators Launch Pad allows for startup founders to take part in a 10-week residency at the TMC Innovation Factory that will teach them about foundational infrastructure, clinical evidence and funding in the US.

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Continue reading this story on our sister site InnovationMap.

Houston beauty expert ranks top 5 celebrity makeup lines for A-list looks

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Another day, another celebrity makeup brand is hitting the market. More and more celebrities and influencers are jumping into an already crowded space and bringing their masses of fans with them.

And why wouldn't they? According to Oberlo, the beauty industry is worth a staggering $579 billion in 2023. Celebrities get to cash in on their name and likeness, while fans get something designed by their favorite VIP.

Fresha recently conducted a study on the most popular celebrity beauty brand. They looked at the average monthly search volume for each beauty brand, the Instagram following of each official account, TikTok posts, and the number of views on each TikTok hashtag. An overall beauty index score was calculated from each variable to find the most in demand celebrity beauty brand.

The top five list has some heavy hitters and notable absences. Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez comes in at No. 1, followed by Kylie Cosmetics by Kylie Jenner, Fenty Beauty by Rihanna, Florence Mills by Millie Bobby Brown, and R.e.m. Beauty by Ariana Grande.

We looked to Houston makeup expert Mari Metzler for her take on the celebrity makeup craze. Metzler is not only an industry veteran; she created her own makeup line, making her a certified expert on what to look for in products.

"When a known name stands behind a product, it's like a friend recommending their favorite lipstick or foundation. It cuts through the overwhelming noise and offers a trusted starting point for consumers."

Metzler took a deep dive into each celeb-backed line to give her opinion on what's the best of the best.

Rare Beauty

Favorite Product:Rare Beauty's Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation

What It Does: Provides medium to full coverage with a lightweight, natural finish.

Why We Like It: The foundation feels incredibly weightless on the skin yet provides excellent coverage, offering a natural, radiant finish that lasts all day.

Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty ranks as number one celebrity makeup line. Photo by Rare Beauty

Kylie Cosmetics

Favorite Product:Kylie Cosmetics' Kyshadow - The Bronze Palette

What It Does: Features nine pressed powder eyeshadows in neutral and bronze hues with matte and shimmer finishes.

Why We Like It: This palette is incredibly versatile, making it easy to create everything from a natural daytime look to a more dramatic evening eye.

Kylie Cosmetic's eye shadow pallets have great colors for fall looks.Photo by Kylie Cosmetics

Fenty Beauty

Favorite Product:Fenty Beauty's Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer

What It Does: Delivers explosive shine in universally flattering shades.

Why We Like It: It's not sticky, has an addictive peach-vanilla scent, and gives the lips a luscious, fuller look.

Rhi Rhi's Fenty Beauty line is color inclusive for all skin tones. Photo by Fenty Beauty

Florence by Mills

Favorite Product:Florence by Mills' Cheek Me Later Cream Blush

What It Does: Provides a buildable, blendable pop of color that lasts.

Why We Like It: The formula is creamy and easy to blend, providing a natural, youthful flush to the cheeks.

Cream blush is everywhere this season. Photo by Florence by Mills

R.e.m Beauty

Favorite Product:Interstellar Highlighter Topper

What It Does: This highlighter offers a satin-pearl sheen that enhances the skin's natural luminosity.

Why We Like It: The formula is subtle and never glittery, perfect for achieving a fresh, dewy glow.

Photo by Rare Beauty

Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty is the highest ranked celebrity makeup brand.

Get that freshy glowy look just like Ariana Grande with her makeup line's highlighter. Photo by R.e.m Beauty

Armandos' family-friendly, Tex-Mex sister restaurant taps Katy for 2nd Houston-area outpost

mandito's on the move

Katy residents will soon have a new option for fajitas, enchiladas, and margaritas. Mandito’s Tex-Mex has claimed the former Jax Grill location (9910 Gaston Rd.) for its second Houston-area outpost.

Photo by Mackenzie Smith Kelley

Mandito's serves all the Tex-Mex favorites.

Part of the Palacios Murphy Hospitality Group that also includes River Oaks favorite Armandos and Italian restaurant Lulu’s, Mandito’s is a more family-friendly establishment than its upscale siblings. Joining an original location in Round Top and an outpost in Bellaire that opened earlier this year, the restaurant takes its name from the childhood nickname of co-owner Armando Palacios — “Mandito” is “little Armando.” It is expected to open in early 2024.

The menu centers around burritos, enchiladas, flautas, and fajitas as well as the signature burrito bowl, a clever reimagining of a taco salad with ground beef, steak, or chicken topped with lettuce, corn, cheese, avocado, beans, and more. Other favorites include the Tex-Mex Kale Caesar, Tres Hombres Plate (three different enchiladas), and the Tex-Mex Banana Split. They’re paired with a robust range of frozen and shaken margaritas.

Palacios Murphy COO Alex Curley lives in Katy and sends his children to Katy ISD schools. He’s bullish on area that’s grown 20-percent since 2020, according to a release.

“As a Katy resident, I am ecstatic to be able to oversee the construction of a Mandito’s Tex-Mex in the community that I love deeply,” Curley said. “I have no doubt that Katy residents and visitors to the area’s numerous attractions will quickly fall in love with Mandito’s Tex-Mex. We have put a significant amount of work into making this concept a neighborhood locale that caters to a number of different audiences who are collectively in search of a communal space that prides itself upon delivering delicious food and drink selections and outstanding service to each and every guest.”

In keeping with that optimism, the Katy location will be slightly larger than its Bellaire sibling, with the ability to seat over 150 people indoors and 50 more on a patio that will look onto the development’s green space. In addition, an expanded to-go area will have a dedicated entrance to expedite pick-ups.

The restaurant wants to give back to its neighborhood, too. Therefore it will host spirit nights for local schools and sports team and offer a 10-percent discount to Katy ISD employees and first responders.

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