FORT WORTH (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) – Residential foreclosures last month were down 2.9 percent in Texas and 10 percent nationwide compared with a year ago, according to the latest data from RealtyTrac.

Some 11,727 postings were filed last month in Texas, which means one in every 819 housing units received a notice, RealtyTrac said.

Nationwide, 325,229 postings were filed, or one in every 397 housing units. Although it's a drop from a year ago, the number was up 3.6 percent from June, the firm said.

July was the 17th straight month that U.S. foreclosure postings topped 300,000, RealtyTrac CEO James Saccacio said.

COLLEGE STATION (Real Estate Center) – Texas is leading the United States in the current U-shaped economic recovery. The state’s economy experienced its second month of positive annual employment growth after 16 months of job losses.

Texas’ annual employment growth rate was 0.9 percent from June 2009 to June 2010 compared with a negative rate of 0.1 percent for the nation. After 17 months of job losses, the state’s private sector posted a positive annual employment growth rate of 0.4 percent.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 7.8 percent in June 2009 to 8.2 percent in June 2010, while the U.S. rate in June was 9.5 percent, the same as in June 2009.

Six Texas industries — education and health services; mining and logging; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; manufacturing; and transportation, warehousing, utilities — and the government sector had more jobs in June 2010 than in June 2009. Five other industries experienced net job losses over the same period.

Sixteen Texas metro areas experienced positive employment growth rates from June 2009 to June 2010, up from 13 for the period from May 2009 to May 2010. College Station-Bryan ranked first in job creation followed by San Angelo, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood and Waco.

The state’s actual unemployment rate in June 2010 was 8.5 percent. Midland had the lowest unemployment rate followed by Amarillo, Lubbock, San Angelo, Abilene and College Station-Bryan.

The Real Estate Center's complete economic review is available on the Center's website.

COLLEGE STATION (Real Estate Center) – Texas is coming out of the Great Recession and leading the United States in the current U-shaped economic recovery, according to the Real Estate Center's latest monthly review of the Texas economy.

After 16 months of job losses, the state’s annual employment growth rate turned positive in May 2010 and posted an annual employment growth rate of 0.2 percent for the period from May 2009 to May 2010. The nation’s rate of job losses has decreased from 5 percent in August 2009 to 0.4 percent in May 2010.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 7.5 percent in May 2009 to 8.3 percent in May 2010, while the U.S. rate rose from 9.4 percent to 9.7 percent during that period.

Five Texas industries — education and health services, mining and logging, other services, leisure and hospitality, professional and business services — and the government sector had more jobs in May 2010 than in May 2009. Six other industries had net job losses over the same period.

Thirteen Texas metro areas posted positive employment growth rates from May 2009 to May 2010, up from seven for the period from March 2009 to March 2010. College Station-Bryan ranked first in job creation followed by San Angelo, Waco, Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission.

The state’s actual unemployment rate in May 2010 was 8 percent. Amarillo had the lowest unemployment rate followed by Midland, Lubbock, College Station-Bryan and San Angelo.

More signs that things are better in Texas!

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AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) - The Texas economy is predicted to begin a slow, steady recovery in 2010, according to BBVA Compass' U.S. Regional Watch third-quarter report.

The report predicts a 1.7 percent increase in the state's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010, following a small contraction in 2009. This will be aided in part by a surge in home sales, according to the bank's economists.

Home sales across Texas are predicted to increase by 4.5 percent in 2010 after declining by 12 percent by the end of 2009.

Though Texas projected a 9.5 percent deficit at the beginning of the year, it is the only state among the seven Sun Belt states covered by BBVA Compass to forecast a balanced budget in 2010.

The report also said that Texas will benefit the most from funding through the federal government stimulus program, considering the amount of money to be received by the state equates to its entire 2009 budget shortfall.