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Each year wildfire sweeps across thousands of acres of Texas. Tracy Weaver of the Texas Forest Service shows some things homeowners can do to protect their homes and property from the ravages of wildfire. (6 min., 38 sec.)

Dr. Mark Dotzour was the featured speaker at the 2009 Houston Roundtable. Here are some highlights of his presentation looking at the future of commercial real estate in Texas and the United States. (47 min. 7 sec.)

The month's inventory measure is one way to determine the relative balance of housing supply and demand in a market. Real Estate Center Research Economist Dr. Jim Gaines explains how to use this measure. (4 min. 13 sec.)

Builders flocked to Vegas this year for the International Builders' Show, and the Real Estate Center was there to cover all 850,000 square feet of it. Take a look at what we saw. (3 min. 52 sec.)

A $467-per-year electric bill, about $300,000 in home electronics and nights spent sleeping beneath the starry desert sky. Welcome to this year's New American Home, which was unveiled at the 2009 International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas. (5 min. 46 sec.)

E.T. phoned home, and you can too. Telephones may now be used to turn on a coffee pot or change the lighting in a fish tank. At the 2009 International Builders' Show, vendors unveiled self-powered, wireless solutions to home lighting. (7 min. 5 sec.)

Lingering drought across Texas and the United States has again focused attention on the importance of water in our daily lives. Water's impact on the state is a key issue for housing and growth. Little has changed since the Real Estate Center first brought you this piece, "Understanding Texas Water Issues" in 2003. Take a look with fresh eyes at this looming Texas problem. (47 min. 38 sec.)