{"publisher":"Frontera Signal","version":"1.3.0","about":"Construction data for the Rio Grande Valley, Texas, paid per call: weekly permits, building-input prices, housing supply and labor for Hidalgo and Cameron counties; commercial projects, projects near an address, company track records with trade licenses, monthly housing permits and filed cost per square foot for Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr and Willacy; Hidalgo County parcel records; shelf prices for common building materials.","payments":{"protocol":"x402 v2","scheme":"exact","asset":"USDC","network":"eip155:8453","how_to_pay":"x402 v2, USDC on Base; retry with PAYMENT-SIGNATURE"},"free":{"latest_4_weeks":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/index.json","samples":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/samples/index.json","openapi":"https://fronterasignal.com/openapi.json","health":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/health","changelog":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/changelog.json","agent_card":"https://fronterasignal.com/.well-known/agent-card.json","mcp":"https://fronterasignal.com/mcp","parcel_match":{"url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/parcel/match","returns":"Whether /api/v1/parcel finds one parcel for the address: match count, parcel id and situs. A miss is a 404 with no_match or ambiguous.","use_when":"Use before /api/v1/parcel so you only pay for addresses that match. Same parameters, same matching, no charge.","rate_limit":"20 lookups a minute per IP address"}},"errors":"Bad or unknown parameters get a free 400 and valid queries with nothing to return get a free 404, both before any payment, in one shape: {ok, error, message, docs, allowed}. nearby and parcel look the address up after the payment is verified; a miss there is a 404 and the payment is not settled. A call with no parameters always answers 402.","disclaimer":"Every value carries as_of, age_days, cadence and stale (weekly measures go stale after 14 days, monthly measures after 90). dark = the source published nothing that week; no_reading = we have no reading for it. Ranges are {low, high, unit}; approx marks a rounded reading. Not a quote, bid or appraisal. Terms: https://fronterasignal.com/terms/","api_root":{"url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api","same_as":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/snapshot","note":"GET /api answers exactly like /api/v1/snapshot: same parameters, same price, same answer."},"endpoints":[{"key":"snapshot","method":"GET","url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/snapshot","price":"$0.02","title":"City construction snapshot","returns":"One Valley city's (or the whole Valley's) latest permits, monthly housing permits by structure type, sales-tax receipts, housing supply, building-input and material prices, labor conditions, newest commercial projects and this morning's mortgage rate, 10-year yield and diesel price, every value dated.","description":"Use to size up the construction market in one Rio Grande Valley city (McAllen, Edinburg, Mission, Pharr, San Juan, Weslaco, Donna, Mercedes, Brownsville, Harlingen) or the whole Valley before you lend, build, buy or sell there: permits, housing units by type, sales-tax trend, months of supply, home values, input and material prices, mortgage rate, labor. Every value is dated. Example: \"Is McAllen's housing market oversupplied and are building costs rising this week?\"","example_question":"Is McAllen's housing market oversupplied and are building costs rising this week?","cadence":"weekly and monthly","coverage":"Hidalgo and Cameron counties, Texas","sample":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/samples/snapshot.json","sample_request":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/snapshot?city=McAllen","params":{"city":{"type":"enum","values":["McAllen","Edinburg","Mission","Pharr","San Juan","Weslaco","Donna","Mercedes","Brownsville","Harlingen"],"description":"A Valley city. Omit for the whole Valley."}}},{"key":"projects","method":"GET","url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/projects","price":"$0.03","title":"New commercial projects","returns":"Commercial projects filed with the state before they build: name, address, owner, design firm, estimated cost, square feet, start and end dates, newest first.","description":"Use to find who is about to build what in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas (Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr, Willacy counties): commercial projects over $50,000 filed with the state before construction, with owner, design firm, estimated cost, square feet and dates. For suppliers, subcontractors, lenders and brokers chasing new work. Filter by city, county, since, min_cost or owner. Example: \"What commercial projects were registered in Hidalgo County since Sept 1, who owns them and how big are they?\"","example_question":"What commercial projects were registered in Hidalgo County since Sept 1, who owns them and how big are they?","cadence":"weekly","coverage":"Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr and Willacy counties, Texas, filings since 2024-10","sample":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/samples/projects.json","sample_request":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/projects?city=McAllen&limit=5","params":{"city":{"type":"enum","values":["Alamo","Alton","Austin","Brownsville","Cameron","Combes","Corpus Christi","Donna","Edcouch","Edinburg","Elsa","Georgetown","Harlingen","Hidalgo","La Feria","La Joya","La Villa","Laguna Heights","Laguna Vista","Leander","Los Fresnos","Lyford","McAllen","Mercedes","Mission","Olmito","Palmhurst","Palmview","Penitas","Pharr","Port Isabel","Port Mansfield","Primera","Progreso","Rancho Viejo","Raymondville","Rio Grande City","Rio Hondo","Roma","San Antonio","San Benito","San Juan","San Perlita","Santa Maria","Santa Rosa","South Padre Island","Starbase","Von Ormy","Weslaco"],"description":"A Valley city with filed projects."},"county":{"type":"enum","values":["Hidalgo","Cameron","Starr","Willacy"],"description":"Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr or Willacy (\"Hidalgo County\" also works)."},"since":{"type":"date YYYY-MM-DD","description":"Registered on or after this date, YYYY-MM-DD."},"min_cost":{"type":"number","min":0,"description":"Minimum filed cost in US dollars; projects with no cost filed are left out."},"owner":{"type":"string","min_length":3,"max_length":80,"description":"Part of the owner name, case-insensitive."},"limit":{"type":"integer","min":1,"max":100,"default":25,"description":"How many projects to return, 1-100."}}},{"key":"companies","method":"GET","url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/companies","price":"$0.02","title":"Company track record","returns":"For each matching owner, design firm or licensed contractor business: project count, total and largest filed cost, cities, first and last filing, its 10 newest projects and its state trade licenses (type, current or expired, expiry, county).","description":"Use to vet a developer, owner, architecture firm or trade contractor in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas: projects filed since late 2024 (count, total and largest cost, cities, dates, newest projects) and state trade licenses held by the business (A/C, electrical, sign, elevator), current or expired. Pass part of the name (3+ characters). No match is a free 404. Example: \"How many projects has this developer filed in the Valley since 2024, and how large was the biggest one?\"","example_question":"How many projects has this developer filed in the Valley since 2024, and how large was the biggest one?","cadence":"weekly","coverage":"Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr and Willacy counties, Texas, filings since 2024-10","sample":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/samples/companies.json","sample_request":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/companies?name=independent+school+district","params":{"name":{"type":"string","required":true,"min_length":3,"max_length":80,"description":"Part of an owner or design-firm name, case-insensitive."}}},{"key":"nearby","method":"GET","url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/nearby","price":"$0.03","title":"Projects near an address","returns":"Filed commercial projects within a radius of a Valley street address: how many, their summed and largest filed cost, a split by type of work, and each project with its distance and map point, nearest first.","description":"Use to size competing or neighboring construction around one Rio Grande Valley address before you buy, lend, lease or build there: count, summed filed cost and each commercial project within radius_mi (default 1, max 5), nearest first. Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr and Willacy counties; about 68% of filings have a map point. An address we cannot place is a free 404. Example: \"How many commercial projects were filed within two miles of 1201 E Capote Central Ave, Pharr, and what are they worth?\"","example_question":"How many commercial projects were filed within two miles of 1201 E Capote Central Ave, Pharr, and what are they worth?","cadence":"weekly","coverage":"Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr and Willacy counties, Texas, filings since 2024-10 that have a map point","sample":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/samples/nearby.json","sample_request":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/nearby?address=1201+E+Capote+Central+Ave&city=Pharr&radius_mi=2","params":{"address":{"type":"string","required":true,"min_length":5,"max_length":120,"description":"Street address with house number, e.g. 800 S 10th St. A suite or unit is ignored."},"city":{"type":"string","required":true,"min_length":2,"max_length":40,"description":"The city or town on the address, e.g. McAllen, Brownsville, Rio Grande City."},"radius_mi":{"type":"number","min":0.1,"max":5,"default":1,"description":"Radius in miles, 0.1 to 5. Default 1."}}},{"key":"parcel","method":"GET","url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/parcel","price":"$0.04","title":"Parcel record for an address","returns":"The Hidalgo County parcel at a street address: parcel and map ids, property class, acres, year built, building square feet, last deed date and type, market, appraised and assessed values with their date, taxing units, the owner when it is an organization, and flood map status.","description":"Use when you have a Hidalgo County, Texas street address and need its parcel record before an offer, a loan or a site visit: parcel id, property class, acres, year built, building size, last deed, values, taxing units and the owner if it is a company or public body (people are withheld). /api/v1/parcel/match checks for free first; a miss is a 404 and is not charged. Example: \"What is the parcel id, building size and market value of 800 S 10th St, McAllen?\"","example_question":"What is the parcel id, building size and market value of 800 S 10th St, McAllen?","cadence":"read live per call","coverage":"Hidalgo County, Texas (Cameron, Starr and Willacy not yet)","sample":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/samples/parcel.json","sample_request":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/parcel?address=800+S+10th+St&city=McAllen","params":{"address":{"type":"string","required":true,"min_length":5,"max_length":120,"description":"Street address with house number, e.g. 800 S 10th St. A suite or unit is ignored."},"city":{"type":"enum","required":true,"values":["Alamo","Alton","Donna","Edcouch","Edinburg","Elsa","Granjeno","Hargill","Hidalgo","La Joya","La Villa","Linn","McAllen","McCook","Mercedes","Mission","Monte Alto","Palmhurst","Palmview","Penitas","Pharr","Progreso","Progreso Lakes","San Carlos","San Juan","Sullivan City","Weslaco"],"description":"A Hidalgo County city or town on the address, e.g. McAllen, Edinburg, Mission, Pharr, Weslaco. Other counties get a free 400."}}},{"key":"cost-per-sqft","method":"GET","url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/cost-per-sqft","price":"$0.03","title":"Filed cost per square foot","returns":"Median and middle half (25th to 75th percentile) of filed cost per square foot by county and type of work, with n and the date range.","description":"Use to check whether a commercial building budget in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas is in line: median and 25th-75th percentile of filed estimated cost per square foot over the last 24 months, by county (Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr, Willacy) and type of work (new construction, renovation, addition), with n. For estimating, appraisal and lending checks. Filed estimates, not bids. Example: \"What does new commercial construction cost per square foot in Hidalgo County right now?\"","example_question":"What does new commercial construction cost per square foot in Hidalgo County right now?","cadence":"weekly","coverage":"Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr and Willacy counties, Texas, last 24 months","sample":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/samples/cost-per-sqft.json","sample_request":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/cost-per-sqft?county=Hidalgo","params":{"county":{"type":"enum","values":["Hidalgo","Cameron","Starr","Willacy"],"description":"Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr or Willacy (\"Hidalgo County\" also works)."},"type_of_work":{"type":"enum","values":["Additions to Existing Building","New Construction","Renovation/Alteration"],"description":"New Construction, Renovation/Alteration or Additions to Existing Building (a unique part of the name works)."}}},{"key":"materials","method":"GET","url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/materials","price":"$0.01","title":"Building material shelf prices","returns":"Dated shelf prices for common building materials at Valley big-box stores and a local yard, newest price per item and store first.","description":"Use to check what common building materials cost on the shelf in the Rio Grande Valley (McAllen, Mission, Edinburg): 2x4 and 2x6 studs, OSB, drywall, concrete mix, CMU block, rebar, shingles, underlayment, housewrap, insulation, paint, doors, deck screws. Dated prices at big-box stores and a local yard, checked twice a week, for estimating or checking a bid. Not a quote. Example: \"What does a sheet of 7/16 OSB cost in McAllen this week?\"","example_question":"What does a sheet of 7/16 OSB cost in McAllen this week?","cadence":"twice a week","coverage":"McAllen, Mission and Edinburg, Texas","sample":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/samples/materials.json","sample_request":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/materials?item=osb","params":{"item":{"type":"string","values":["cmu_block_8x8x16","concrete_mix_80lb","deck_screws_box","drywall_1_2_4x8","housewrap_9x150","insulation_r13_roll","interior_door_slab","interior_paint_1gal","joint_compound_4_5gal","osb_7_16_4x8","rebar_3_20ft","rebar_4_20ft","roof_underlayment_roll","roof_underlayment_synthetic","shingles_architectural_bundle","stud_2x4_8ft","stud_2x4_precut","stud_2x6_8ft"],"min_length":2,"max_length":80,"description":"An item key or a word from the item name, e.g. osb, rebar, drywall."},"store":{"type":"string","values":["big-box","local yard","Edinburg","McAllen","Mission"],"min_length":2,"max_length":60,"description":"big-box, local yard or a city (McAllen, Mission, Edinburg)."}}},{"key":"series-permits-weekly","method":"GET","url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/series/permits-weekly","price":"$0.05","title":"Building permits by week","returns":"Building-permit counts by Valley city, permit class and ISO week, each row reported, dark or no_reading.","description":"Use to track building-permit activity week by week in Rio Grande Valley cities (McAllen, Edinburg, Pharr, Mission, Weslaco, Brownsville, Harlingen and others) by permit class, to judge whether local construction demand is rising or falling before a lending, supply or market-entry decision. dark means the city published nothing that week. Example: \"Are McAllen single-family permits up or down over the last two months?\"","example_question":"Are McAllen single-family permits up or down over the last two months?","cadence":"weekly","coverage":"Hidalgo and Cameron counties, Texas, from 2026-W30","sample":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/samples/series-permits-weekly.json","sample_request":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/series/permits-weekly?from=2026-W40&to=2026-W40","params":{"from":{"type":"ISO week YYYY-Www","description":"First ISO week to include, YYYY-Www."},"to":{"type":"ISO week YYYY-Www","description":"Last ISO week to include, YYYY-Www."}}},{"key":"series-permits-monthly","method":"GET","url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/series/permits-monthly","price":"$0.05","title":"Housing permits by month","returns":"New housing units and buildings authorized by permit each month, by structure type (single-family, 2 units, 3-4 units, 5 or more) with valuation, for Valley cities and unincorporated county areas, plus each year-to-date total.","description":"Use to track new housing permits month by month in Rio Grande Valley cities and county areas (Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr, Willacy counties): units and buildings by structure type and valuation since January 2024, with year-to-date totals. Filter by place, county, from and to (YYYY-MM). Covers cities that publish no weekly permits. Example: \"How many single-family homes did Brownsville permit each month this year?\"","example_question":"How many single-family homes did Brownsville permit each month this year?","cadence":"monthly","coverage":"Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr and Willacy counties, Texas, from 2024-01","sample":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/samples/series-permits-monthly.json","sample_request":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/series/permits-monthly?place=Brownsville&from=2026-01","params":{"place":{"type":"enum","values":["Alamo","Alton","Bayview","Brownsville","Cameron County (unincorporated)","Combes","Donna","Edcouch","Edinburg","Elsa","Escobares","Granjeno","Harlingen","Hidalgo","Hidalgo County (unincorporated)","Indian Lake","La Feria","La Joya","La Villa","Laguna Vista","Los Fresnos","Los Indios","Lyford","McAllen","Mercedes","Mission","Palm Valley","Palmhurst","Palmview","Penitas","Pharr","Port Isabel","Primera","Progreso","Progreso Lakes","Rancho Viejo","Raymondville","Rio Hondo","San Benito","San Juan","Santa Rosa","South Padre Island","Starbase","Sullivan City","Weslaco","Willacy County (unincorporated)"],"description":"A Valley city, or \"Hidalgo County (unincorporated)\" and the like."},"county":{"type":"enum","values":["Hidalgo","Cameron","Starr","Willacy"],"description":"Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr or Willacy (\"Hidalgo County\" also works)."},"from":{"type":"month YYYY-MM","description":"First month to include, YYYY-MM. Default: 12 months back for one place, 3 months otherwise. from=2024-01 returns the whole history."},"to":{"type":"month YYYY-MM","description":"Last month to include, YYYY-MM."}}},{"key":"series-cost-basket-weekly","method":"GET","url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/series/cost-basket-weekly","price":"$0.05","title":"Building-input prices by week","returns":"Level, unit and direction (up, down, flat) of framing lumber, studs, OSB, drywall, rebar, copper, diesel, the 30-year mortgage rate and the construction producer price index, by week.","description":"Use to see which way building-input costs are moving for South Texas jobs, week by week: framing lumber, studs, OSB, drywall, rebar, copper, Gulf Coast diesel, the 30-year mortgage rate and the construction producer price index. Each row has the level, unit, direction (up, down, flat) and date. Not a bid or quote. Example: \"Has framing lumber gone up or down since August?\"","example_question":"Has framing lumber gone up or down since August?","cadence":"weekly and monthly","coverage":"South Texas inputs, from 2026-W30","sample":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/samples/series-cost-basket-weekly.json","sample_request":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/series/cost-basket-weekly?from=2026-W40&to=2026-W40","params":{"from":{"type":"ISO week YYYY-Www","description":"First ISO week to include, YYYY-Www."},"to":{"type":"ISO week YYYY-Www","description":"Last ISO week to include, YYYY-Www."}}},{"key":"series-absorption","method":"GET","url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/series/absorption","price":"$0.05","title":"Housing supply by week","returns":"Months of supply, homes for sale, homes sold, days on market and typical home value for the McAllen and Brownsville metros, as read each week.","description":"Use to judge whether Valley housing is oversupplied before you build, lend or buy: months of supply, homes for sale, homes sold, median days on market and typical home value for the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission and Brownsville-Harlingen metros, as read each week. The sources publish monthly, so check age_days and stale. Example: \"Is the McAllen metro carrying more than six months of housing supply?\"","example_question":"Is the McAllen metro carrying more than six months of housing supply?","cadence":"monthly","coverage":"McAllen-Edinburg-Mission and Brownsville-Harlingen metros, from 2026-W30","sample":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/samples/series-absorption.json","sample_request":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/series/absorption?from=2026-W40&to=2026-W40","params":{"from":{"type":"ISO week YYYY-Www","description":"First ISO week to include, YYYY-Www."},"to":{"type":"ISO week YYYY-Www","description":"Last ISO week to include, YYYY-Www."}}},{"key":"series-labor-ranges","method":"GET","url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/series/labor-ranges","price":"$0.05","title":"Labor and financing conditions","returns":"Build time for a 2,100 sq ft house, the immigration-enforcement climate and the construction-loan trend in the Valley, by week.","description":"Use to gauge construction labor and financing conditions in the Rio Grande Valley: typical build time for a 2,100 sq ft house, the immigration-enforcement climate on job sites and the construction-loan trend. Aggregated, with no firm-level data. Readings are sparse; check age_days before you rely on one. Example: \"How long does it take to build a 2,100 sq ft house in the Valley right now?\"","example_question":"How long does it take to build a 2,100 sq ft house in the Valley right now?","cadence":"monthly","coverage":"Rio Grande Valley, Texas, from 2026-W30","sample":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/samples/series-labor-ranges.json","sample_request":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/series/labor-ranges?from=2026-W30&to=2026-W30","params":{"from":{"type":"ISO week YYYY-Www","description":"First ISO week to include, YYYY-Www."},"to":{"type":"ISO week YYYY-Www","description":"Last ISO week to include, YYYY-Www."}}},{"key":"series-calls","method":"GET","url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/series/calls","price":"$0.05","title":"Forecast track record","returns":"Every dated forecast Frontera Signal has made, with its resolve-by date and grade (HIT, MISS, PUSH, OPEN).","description":"Use to check how often Frontera Signal's forecasts come true before you trust one: every dated call since 2026-W30 with its resolve-by date and grade (HIT, MISS, PUSH or OPEN). Example: \"How many of Frontera Signal's forecasts have been graded HIT?\"","example_question":"How many of Frontera Signal's forecasts have been graded HIT?","cadence":"weekly","coverage":"From 2026-W30","sample":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/samples/series-calls.json","sample_request":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/series/calls?from=2026-W40&to=2026-W40","params":{"from":{"type":"ISO week YYYY-Www","description":"First ISO week to include, YYYY-Www."},"to":{"type":"ISO week YYYY-Www","description":"Last ISO week to include, YYYY-Www."}}},{"key":"issue","method":"GET","url":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/issue","price":"$0.25","title":"Weekly briefing as JSON","returns":"One weekly briefing as JSON: title, summary, key figures with dates and sources, chart data and the full text, in English or Spanish.","description":"Use when you need the written weekly briefing on Rio Grande Valley construction (permits, materials, labor, housing supply, major projects) in English or Spanish, as JSON with headline, key figures, chart data and full text. Pass week=YYYY-Www for a past issue; a week we never published is a free 400 that lists the weeks we have. Example: \"What changed in Valley construction this week?\"","example_question":"What changed in Valley construction this week?","cadence":"weekly","coverage":"Rio Grande Valley, Texas","sample":"https://fronterasignal.com/data/v1/samples/issue.json","sample_request":"https://fronterasignal.com/api/v1/issue?week=2026-W37&lang=en","params":{"week":{"type":"ISO week YYYY-Www","values":["2026-W40","2026-W39","2026-W37"],"description":"ISO week of a published issue, YYYY-Www. Default: the latest issue."},"lang":{"type":"enum","values":["en","es"],"default":"en","description":"en or es."}}}]}