If you have been watching TV or listening to the radio in the past week, then it has been difficult to NOT hear something about HAR. Our TV commercials have been airing on Bravo, USA, HGTV and The Food Network (among others) for a few weeks, and our elected leaders have had little time to do anything else because of all of the media interviews they have been doing. This is the May “sweeps” period, which means that even more people have been seeing these stories than if they were to have been aired in any other month. It is perfect timing for HAR members as we are in the peak selling season already. Fortunately, HAR has been portrayed in a very helpful and positive light in all of the stories. HAR Chairman Danny Frank and HAR Chair-Elect Chaille Ralph have represented the Association well. All kudos to David Mendel. If you have seen him in the past week, he might have appeared as a blur from running around for all of these interviews. He has done an outstanding job pitching the stations and getting these interviews set up. You may read more about them below and click on the links to watch/listen. The highlight of the stories has to be the first link below, which is a very positive story about HAR’s mobile apps. Enjoy!
KTRK-TV/13 Eyewitness News consumer reporter Jeff Ehling spotlighted HAR.com’s hugely popular smartphone apps in a story that ran in the 10 p.m. newscast on Friday, May 3. The report, featuring an interview with HAR Chair-elect Chaille Ralph, explained how useful the easy-to-use apps are in a market as active as Houston’s, where the need for buyers to find property listing information as quickly as possible makes the difference between securing a home and missing out. See the story here: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/consumer&id=9089816
For a story that aired in the 10 p.m. news on Sunday, May 5, KPRC-TV/News 2 Houston asked HAR for a rundown of the 25 hottest-selling Houston neighborhoods based on the most recent home sales data. The MLS team quickly swung into action and crunched the numbers, determining that the Top 5 neighborhoods are, in this order: Timbergrove/Lazybrook, Katy-Southwest, West University/Southside, Rice Military/Washington Corridor and Cottage Grove. HAR Chairman Danny Frank explained the buying frenzy in an interview with anchor/reporter Owen Conflenti, whose story also featured interviews with REALTORS® and consumers who are doing business in those “hotter” parts of town. See the report here: http://www.click2houston.com/news/real-estate-booming-in-houston/-/1735978/20010588/-/vpn4jx/-/index.html
HAR Chairman Danny Frank was a guest on KUHF/Houston Public Radio’s new weekly talk show, “Houston Matters,” on Friday, May 3. He participated in a 15-minute real estate segment that examined ongoing home buying opportunities in this distinctly seller’s market. A mortgage lender and apartment management specialist also offered their market perspectives. A podcast of the show is available here: http://www.houstonmatters.org/. Reporter Edel Howlin also produced a stand-alone news story based on the show that you’ll find here: http://app1.kuhf.org/articles/1367583988-Why-Home-Buyers-In-Houston-Shouldnt-Ask-for-Good-Deals.html. He was so well received that the station has indicated that it would like to have Danny on as a monthly, recurring guest.
On Thursday, May 2, HAR Chairman Danny Frank talked to KTRK-TV/13 Eyewitness News reporter Jessica Willey about the latest Craigslist scam in which, as we have seen many times before, a home listed for sale on HAR.com has been fraudulently listed as a rental property on Craigslist. Danny’s main advice to consumers: “If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” The complete story is available here: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=9087200
Several real estate trade publication articles about Houston’s enviable housing market are currently in development, and HAR will let you know about them in our monthly “HAR in the News” feature on HARConnect.com as well as in Houston REALTOR® magazine.
There is also one more story that has already been produced by Channel 13 that includes an interview with Danny Frank, but we do not yet know the scheduled air date for that story. We will keep you posted.
