2010 HAR Chair Margie Dorrance presented at the February luncheon of the Westside Area Networking meeting.

1. Margie Dorrance Houston Association of REALTORS® 2010 Chair of the Board Westside Area Networking Group

3. It is also the largest local REALTOR® association in the country (overtook the Long Island Board of REALTORS® in August 2009)—and we haven’t looked back since…

4. Its Web site, HAR.com, generates an average of about 1.5 billion hits from more than one million unique visitors every month.

8. Houston Sales Have Held Up Better than U.S.

9. Houston Sales Have Held Up Better than U.S.

10. Houston Home Sales Have Picked Back Up

11. Steady as She Goes in Houston

12. Sales Began Dropping in Early 2007

13. Months Inventory Continues to Show a More Balanced Market

14. Active Listings Have Decreased…But Still Plenty of Options

15. Prices Tapered Off, But Have Begun Rising Again

16. New Homes Sales Through MLS Peaked in 2006 But Still Strong

17. Permits Peaked in Summer 2006 But Are Coming Off Their Lows

18. Rising Foreclosure Postings…But Still Low Compared to the Peak

19. Don’t Stick Your Head in the Sand

20. Where is Houston coming from? The Houston market has withstood the national pressures We are only about 10% below the historical norm Houston has benefitted from the federal income tax credits, The greater Houston market lost about 90,000 jobs last year, but our unemployment rate remains below the national average. Prices have held up, with a dip early in 2009 largely attributable to the tax credit.

21. Aren’t you glad to be in Houston?

22. Where is Houston going? Weak Houston job growth in 2010 Home sales are increasing—and prices currently stable. Interest rates rising during the year to as much as 7 percent by the end of 2010 Houston will continue to outperform the U.S. We may see a 10 percent increase from the 2009 level in new construction—total construction will still be half that of recent years.

23. What’s been going on at HAR and what’s coming up?

24. Haiti Response HAR donated $10,000 toward relief efforts in Haiti following the devastating earthquake that struck the Caribbean nation on January 12.The HAR board of directors approved the allocation by unanimous vote at its January board meeting. At the request of HAR Chair Margie Dorrance, board members wore a ribbon during the meeting and after adjournment as a symbol of their support for the people of Haiti.

25. Texas REALTORS® Leadership Program HAR Wants You to Become a Leader in 2010! The mission of the Texas REALTORS® Leadership Program is to develop community and organizational leaders to become contributors to their community and their businesses and enrich their personal and professional lives. The program costs $495 and is limited to 24 participants. You must fill out an application, which is available by contacting the HAR Training and Member Profitability Department at (713) 629-1900 ext. 263. Deadline: February 26

27. Look for the HAR-recommended candidates list in upcoming editions of the Five Minute REALTOR®

29. HAR Continues to be on the National Forefront for You! One of the biggest issues in the industry right now is the proposed REALTORS® Property Resource (RPR) HAR is investigating the ramifications of providing HARMLS listing information to the RPR In the meantime, HAR is hosting a national forumcalled Real Estate Information Symposium (REIS)in late March with leaders from across the nationto discuss RPR, what other options have been presented and ultimately what is best for our members

30. REALTOR® Open House for the Homeless To tie in with NAR’s Nationwide Open House that is scheduled for April 10-11, local participating REALTORS® will provide a receptacle to collect items for SEARCH Homeless Services. NAR will be promoting the Nationwide Open House as a way to educate the public about the federal tax credits and the strengthening housing market. We will piggyback on that effort to help the less fortunate in the greater Houston area.

31. Tax Credit Advertising

32. Other Tax Credit Promotion 740AM or 790AM’s radio broadcast of the Super Bowl included HAR spots touting that there’s no time like now to buy a home. They even threw in five live “brought to you by the 25,000 members of the Houston Association of REALTORS®” mentions throughout the preceding week…and a billboard promoting the radio broadcast and sponsors. Comcast Newsmakers ran throughout the month of January about the tax credit. Numerous TV interviews with Channel 11, 13 and 26. Houston Chronicle chair’s columns about the tax credits.

34. Thank you! margie@har.com http://www.slideshare.net/HARCommunications