Home sales across Bellaire, West University and Meyerland in October showed a mixed picture for some of Houston's most competitive residential markets, with the three neighborhoods seeing differing trends in the number of homes sold, price points and average days on market.

However, early indicators show steady demand in parts of the Inner Loop as the market continues to shift heading into the end of the year.

Check out market-specific data below for more details. Market data is provided by CB&A Realtors.

Number of homes sold: In 2025, the number of homes sold was higher in four out of five local ZIP codes in October compared to last year. The area with the largest spike in homes sold was the Texas Medical Center, which sold 50% more homes this year when compared to 2024.

Median home sales price: Following a similar trend to the number of homes sold, home sale prices were also up in four of five local ZIP codes, with West University taking the top slot for price increases.

Waymo is gearing up to roll out fully autonomous driving in Houston and Dallas.

The gist: The move comes as Waymo begins driverless operations in Miami, with launches planned in four additional cities—Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Orlando—over the next several weeks, according to a Nov. 18 news release.

Waymo leaders said expanding to new markets has become increasingly streamlined thanks to its “generalizable” Waymo Driver and a consistent operational playbook.

According to the company, the shift to fully autonomous driving—once viewed as a major technological leap—has become routine as its safety systems and deployment strategy mature.

Diving in deeper: The company reports its vehicles have already shown strong safety performance, with 11 times fewer serious-injury collisions compared with human drivers in its current operating areas.

Despite the heat and humidity in Texas, Houstonians can go ice skating in the Greater Houston area this holiday season. This is not a comprehensive list.

Ice at Discovery Green
Green Mountain Energy presents Ice at Discovery Green, where park-goers can enjoy skating in the heart of Houston. There will be multiple theme nights, such as DJ Skate Night Saturdays, Skating with Santa and Inclusive Skaters Night.

• Open through Feb. 2; operating hours vary
• $20.99; includes skates
• 1500 McKinney St., Houston

• Open through Jan. 19; operating hours vary
• $7 (age 5 and under); $15 (ages 6 and older); includes skates
• 2005 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands

This year, voters in communities across Texas were skeptical of local property tax hikes and supportive of larger tax breaks for homeowners and businesses, results from the Nov. 4 election show.

The overview: Voters in Community Impact’s coverage areas approved just over half of the local bond propositions and tax rate elections on the November ballot, according to previous Community Impact reporting. Statewide, 40% of tax rate elections and 45.9% of bond propositions passed, according to Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Houston Republican and property tax policy writer.

Zooming in: Cities, counties, school districts and other local government entities use funding from tax hikes to build new schools and facilities; hire educators and first responders; and maintain local infrastructure. However, amid high inflation nationwide, more Texas residents are tightening their belts and asking local officials to do the same, fiscal policy experts told Community Impact.

Local governments whose tax hikes were shot down are now grappling with how to make cuts while maintaining essential services, Community Impact reporting shows.