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| Don't Let Your Guard Down |
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Vicki Fullerton
2009 HAR Chair of the Board
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Every summer, even though this is our busiest time of the year, people go on vacation and sometimes lose track of what is going on in the market and the industry. This is not the time to let our guard down. There are so many important legislative items that are proposed and moving through the U.S. Congress right now and other issues that need discussion with our elected leaders so we can resolve any differences before they become law.
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| Bob Hale Becomes New Chairman of Rapattoni Magic Users Group |
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Bob Hale
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Rapattoni Corporation is pleased to announce that Bob Hale, president and CEO of the Houston Association of Realtors® (HAR), is the new chairman of the Rapattoni Users Group for its Magic and NetMagic Association Management Software.
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| NEWMARK HOMES HOUSTON TO ACQUIRE NEWMARK HOMES BRAND FROM TOUSA, INC. |
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Former TOUSA Houston President Mike Moody and Lonnie Fedrick, Co-Founder of Newmark Homes to Lead Newly Formed Company
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| May Brings Further Price Appreciation to Houston's Housing Market |
Single Family Average Home Price and Single Family Median Home Price
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Single-family home sales reach the highest volume of 2009
Sales of single-family homes for the greater Houston area achieved the highest volume of 2009 in May, and average and median home prices climbed to the highest levels since August 2008, showing signs of a real estate market that is benefiting from seasonal spring home buying. However, compared to one year earlier, overall May property sales were down 23.3 percent and sales of single-family homes dropped 21.2 percent, according to new monthly data compiled by the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR).
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| HAR In The News |
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The Houston Association of Realtors® is making headlines! Here’s a look at some of the media coverage our organization has received over the past few weeks.
Houston Business Journal
May 29 – HAR assisted the editor of the Residential Real Estate section with a feature about how REALTORS® counsel their clients who are relocating to Houston. The story contained extensive quotes from HAR board members Amy Smythe Harris and Veronica Mullenix, and former HAR International Advisory Group member Mariana Seldaña.
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| Are You Confused By All of The New Appraisal Rules? |
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Join Us for an Informative REALTOR® Appraisal Training Course
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| Thousands of REALTORS® Speak with One Voice in Washington |
U. S. Senator John Cornyn visits with TAR’s CEO and President Benny McMahan and TAR Chair Brooke Hunt.
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By the thousands, REALTORS® traveled to Washington, D. C. the week of May 10 to discuss REALTOR® issues with all 435 U. S. Representatives and 100 U. S. Senators and to attend the National Association of REALTORS® Midyear Meeting. Over the course of the week, issues such as preserving the mortgage interest deduction, enacting health care coverage, adopting reasonable approaches to energy efficiency, and stabilizing and providing liquidity to commercial real estate markets were discussed with our lawmakers.
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| 2009 TREPAC Investors |
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All Investments as of June 10, 2009.
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| HAR Members Recognized on National RPAC Hall of Fame |
Fellow Hall of Fame Member Richard Filip (RE/MAX of Texas), RPAC Trustee Chair Charlie Oppler, Congressman Kevin Brady and RPAC Fundraising Liaison John Harrison pose with HAR Chair Vicki Fullerton as she receives her award recognizing her membership in the RPAC Hall of Fame.
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On May 13th, during the NAR Mid-Year meetings in Washington D.C., HAR was honored to have three members inducted into the National RPAC Hall of Fame: John Eckstrum, Richard Filip and 2009 HAR Chair Vicki Fullerton.
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| Real Estate Marketing is Making the Internet Transition, But Will its Message Evolve as Well? |
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It seems like just yesterday that the newspaper classified ad was the preferred medium for real estate marketing across North America. That is indeed the case. Between 1974 and 2008, the pages of the local or regional newspaper was where the action could be found for the vast majority of brokerages.
Well, goodbye fading daily, and good riddance Sunday flyers. The forces of social media are now taking over what may have been the most loyal customer in the long history of print media.
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| Digital Media Summer Camp |
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Wear your flipflops and bring your laptops to HAR's Digital Media Summer Camp.
Come learn how to use social media from actual real estate pros. Facebook, Twitter, blogging, LinkedIn—it will all be covered. What's the "Groundswell," and why do you need to catch the wave?
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| July Calendar of Commercial Events |
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07/09/09
HRBC July Breakfast
7:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Junior League of Houston, 1811 Briar Oaks Ln.
Featured Speaker: Govenor Rick Perry
Contact: Michelle Martin at (713) 830-2184
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| TEMPO Enhancements: 07/01/2009 |
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New property descriptions are now available to agents wishing to market the energy efficient aspects of their listings in the MLS. The existing "Energy Features” field has been expanded to identify new building materials and building features that contribute to a property’s energy efficiency. The maximum number of "Energy Features” selections an agent can choose to describe a property has been increased from 2 to 14. There has also been a new field added, "Green/Energy Certification”, that can be used by agents to identify properties that have been certified by third party efficiency rating programs such as LEED for Homes (USGBC), National Green Building Certification (NAHB), Energy Star Qualified Home and others.
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| Housing Trends eNewsletter and Client Experience Rating Program |
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Housing Trends FREE eNewsletter
For more details visit: http://www.hten.com
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| Green Buildings |
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There is a big question looming in the world of real estate as to what exactly green building is. At times, this question may seem as broad as "what makes a good agent” or "what is the best way to market a home”. With increased consumer awareness of green building we will try to answer this question in terms of what the average consumer and Realtor need to know about this term.
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| From Real Estate Agent to Agent Immobilier |
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When I got the chance to go and work for a real estate company in St. Tropez in France, I grabbed the opportunity with both hands. My idea was that selling houses is pretty much the same business every where but nothing is less true! I just settled down in the South of France and I'm trying to get acquainted with my professional environment. First of all, my biggest surprise was that I could work in real estate, under a licensed broker, without any professional education. I just have to make a trip to the chamber of commerce and register myself. The company takes care of the education. I just went through a two day sales coaching, later I will have to attend a five day seminar.
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| Texans May Now Use the $8,000 Tax Credit for Their Down Payment and Closing Costs—If They Qualify |
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Following the announcement by the U.S. Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development in May that the Federal Housing Administration would allow its lenders to monetize the $8,000 tax credit that was part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the only remaining issue was that the State of Texas did not have a program in place that would allow Texans to take advantage of this opportunity.
That has now changed.
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| Blogoshpere on HAR.com |
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You and your blogs are promoted on HAR.com
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