Dallas-Fort Worth ranked in the top 15 for its ability to attract tech talent, Houston overtook Dallas-Fort Worth for new home sales in June, and we see what county is the youngest in Texas, all in this week’s roundup of real estate news.

Dallas-Fort Worth in Top 15 For Tech Talent

Dallas-Fort Worth ranked in the top 15 on CBRE’s Tech Talent Scorecard, which is part of its seventh-annual Scoring Tech Talent Report, which ranks 50 U.S. and Canadian markets for their ability to attract and cultivate tech talent.

With almost 170,000 tech workers, DFW has the fifth-largest tech talent market in North America and produces the eighth-most tech graduates. It added 6,500 grads in 2017. It also has a rent-to-tech wage ratio of just under 14 percent, giving it an advantage when it comes to rent-friendly environs to house a large tech talent pool.

Austin ranked sixth, and Houston ranked 34th. The top five metros overall are San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Washington, and New York.  ​​

Source: CBRE

Houston Takes Top Position From DFW For New Home Sales

Houston overtook Dallas-Fort Worth for new home sales in June, hitting a record 12-month rolling average of 1,388  compared to DFW’s 1,364, a report by HomesUSA.com revealed.

DFW had the top spot since December 2017.

But overall, new home sales fell slightly in the four markets in the HomesUSA index’s 12-month rolling average, with 3,985 in June and 4,001 in May.

The metroplex’s total new home sales in June were 1,364 compared to 1,385 in May.

The average new home price in Texas for June was lower at $357,130, compared to $358,337 in May. New home prices were down in Houston, DFW, and Austin. In DFW, the average new home price in June was $373,960 compared to $375,186 in May.

Pending new home sales were also lower in all four major metros. Dallas-Fort Worth had a 12 month rolling average of 1,225 in June, versus 1,317 pending sales in May.

Source: HomesUSA.com

Where Is the Youngest County in Texas?

Census figures reveal that more than half of all Americans are 38 or younger, but by 2060, the majority will be at least 43-years-old. In an article in USA Today, 24/7 Tempo took a look at the median age in each county using Census Bureau data to see which counties in each state had the youngest median age.

“These counties are often urban and include independent cities in Maryland and Virginia that effectively function as counties,” the piece explained. “Some counties on this list skew younger because of a growing number of new families. In the youngest counties in Alaska, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Utah, more than one in every 10 residents are under age 5.”

For Texas, Brazos County, with a median age of 25.8, was found to be the youngest county in Texas (where the median is 34.3 years). More than 20 percent of the county’s 214,231 population is younger than 18 (compared to 26.3 percent for the state).

With Bryan as its county seat, and being home to College Station as well, it’s little surprise that the county that is home to Texas A&M would have the youngest population in the state.

“Many of the counties on this list are home to large colleges and universities,” the article said. “As the vast majority of the 19.9 million college and university students in the United States are under 25 years old, the presence of a post-secondary institution can reduce the median age of any county.”

Source: USA Today