Houston COVID-19 update / Business loan for Texas company

(Houston Chronicle):By April 13, $21.8 billion in "paycheck protection loans" had been approved for 88,400 Texas businesses. That was the most of any state, but only a fraction of the businesses in Texas that would likely be eligible for the loans, which can be forgiven if businesses keep workers on the payroll.

The state has more than 546,000 businesses of 500 employees or fewer, according to the most recent data from the Texas Workforce Commission, and lawmakers say more funding is urgently needed as unemployment claims skyrocket, passing 1 million in Texas in just four weeks.

Houston COVID-19 update,,IRS depositing

HOUSTON KHOU11 Report — The Internal Revenue Service announced over Easter weekend the first Economic Impact Payments, also known as coronavirus stimulus checks, were already being deposited into some taxpayers' bank accounts.

The $1,200 deposit was likely a surprise for those who received it a few days earlier than expected. But the IRS isn't done making those deposits and sending out checks. By Wednesday, April 15, tens of millions of Americans should have received their checks.

Who is getting the money first

The people getting theirs first are the ones who filed tax returns in 2018 or 2019 and received funds through direct deposit. People who didn’t file taxes, are very low income or are older and don't need to file will have to wait for their money. Any paper checks should go out starting early May.

Elise Gould, a senior economist with the Economic Policy Institute, said some might not see the money until mid-summer.

“There’s going to have to be a way to collect their information, and that process could take a couple months,” Gould said.

What if the IRS doesn't have my current bank info for direct deposit?

The IRS is creating a web portal where users can check the status of their stimulus payments. It will launch this week. The site will also have a feature to enter your bank account information if the IRS doesn’t already have it from a 2018 or 2019 refund. The IRS expects this to launch this tool by Friday, April 17.

Check this page to view the stimulus check tracker info and look for the "Get My Payment" button, when it launches.

On the web: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments

Houston COVID-19 update

(By: Houston Chronicle):Houston reported 103 new cases of COVID-19 and the ninth death of a city resident in the pandemic.

The man was in his 60s and had underlying health conditions, according to Mayor Sylvester Turner.

The city now has 690 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The mayor continued to strike an optimistic chord, telling Houston residents their efforts are working, even if the numbers don't show it yet, and must be continued.

"But for what we are doing, the numbers would be so much higher, and so many more people would be in our hospitals," Turner said.

Houston and Harris county COVID-19 updates

(by: Houston Chronicle):The number of Houstonians and others in the region with COVID-19 continued to climb Thursday, a trend health experts anticipate will continue for weeks if not months until social distancing efforts — hopefully — offer a reprieve.

Local officials remained optimistic that those efforts are proving effective, even if the rising numbers don’t show it yet.

Standing outside a testing center, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee said she hoped that Houston would provide an example for the country and escape the worsening fates of New York City and New Orleans, where spikes in cases are beginning to overwhelm healthcare systems.

Harris county Summary about COVID-19

Harris County Summary

Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation. To stay up-to-date on information, please refer to CDC who provides information as it becomes available, in addition to updated guidance. 

Harris County Public Health is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Texas Department of State and Health Services and other health partners in monitoring the developing outbreak and will promptly report any confirmed cases in our jurisdiction.

What is COVID-19?

A new coronavirus (COVID-19) was recently detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and is causing an outbreak of respiratory illness. The COVID-19 outbreak began in December 2019, and Chinese health officials have reported thousands of COVID-19 infections in China.

How do people become infected?

Human coronaviruses most commonly spread from an infected person to others through:

  • Coughing and sneezing;

  • Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands;

  • Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands; and

  • Rarely, fecal contamination.

It’s not clear yet how easily COVID-19 spreads from person to person. Many of the patients in the pneumonia outbreak caused by COVID-19 in Wuhan, China had some link to a large seafood and a live animal market, suggesting animal-to-person spread. However, a growing number of patients reportedly have not had exposure to animal markets, indicating person-to-person spread is occurring. There is much more to learn about how it passes from one person to another, severity, and other features associated with COVID-19, and investigations are ongoing.

How can I avoid infection with COVID-19?

According to the CDC, the immediate health risk of COVID-19 to the American public is LOW. However, you can help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses with these actions.

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

  • Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, if soap and water are not available.

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

  • Stay home when you are sick.

  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Houston housing market Comparison

January Monthly Market Comparison(HAR report)

Except for inventory, January indicators for the Houston real estate market were positive, with single-family home sales, total property sales and total dollar volume all up compared to January 2019. Pricing levels reached January highs. Month-end pending sales for single-family homes totaled 7,212. That is a 21.1 percent jump over last year. Total active listings, or the total number of available properties, rose 3.7 percent to 39,699.

Single-family homes inventory recorded a 3.5-months supply in January, down fractionally from a 3.6-months supply a year earlier. For perspective, housing inventory across the U.S. stands at a 3.0-months supply, according to the latest report from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

Houston for Lease/rent single family homes

Lease Property Update(HAR report)

Consumers that weren’t buying homes in January were renting properties at a brisk pace. Single-family home rentals shot up 14.5 percent year-over-year while rentals of townhomes and condominiums rose 5.6 percent. The average rent for single-family homes ticked up 1.7 percent to $1,782 while the average rent for townhomes and condominiums increased 5.9 percent to $1,598.

Houston single family homes

HAR report: "January is a traditionally slower month for home sales coming off the holidays, but the Houston market continues to benefit from low mortgage interest rates and a generally robust economy with healthy employment numbers,” said HAR Chairman John Nugent with RE/MAX Space Center. “All the January home buying activity lowered our housing inventory a little, but we expect to see that grow again as we approach the spring months when more homes typically hit the market." 

The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 3.45 percent last week, according to figures released by Freddie Mac. That is the lowest level since October 2016. As for the local jobs landscape, the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP) reported in its January 24 Houston Employment Update that Metro Houston created 88,000 jobs – a 2.8 percent increase – during the 12 months ended December 2019, according to Texas Workforce Commission data. The GHP also noted that Houston's unemployment rate was 3.6 percent in December, down from 3.9 percent in December 2018.

Houston Housing market

HOUSTON —HAR report (February 12, 2020) — Fresh on the heels of a record-breaking 2019, home sales across greater Houston began the new year with a strong showing as consumers continued to take advantage of historically low interest rates. Homes priced between $500,000 and $750,000 drew the most buyers in January followed by homes in the $250,000 to $500,000 range. Activity among properties for lease also registered solid gains during the month.

According to the latest monthly Market Update from the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR), 4,699 single-family homes sold in January compared to 4,112 a year earlier. That represents a 14.3 percent increase – the seventh consecutive positive month and the greatest January sales volume hike in seven years. The single-family home median price (the figure at which half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less) rose 4.5 percent to $234,000 and the average price climbed 4.6 percent to $291,034. Both figures represent the highest prices ever for a January.

Sales of all property types totaled 5,800, up 15.2 percent from January 2019. Total dollar volume for the month surged 17.1 percent to about $1.6 billion.