I want to start by saying it is an honor to serve as the chair of the Houston Association of REALTORS® this year. No one gets to this chair alone. No one sits in this chair alone. I will be here to listen, to serve and to advocate for all 50,000 HAR members. While there may be challenges ahead of us, the opportunities to overcome them are even greater. I am eager to embark on this journey with each of you in 2025.

Want to know what to expect with the Houston economy in 2025? Our Young Professionals Network (YPN) presents the annual economic forecast with the Greater Houston Partnership’s Chief Economist Patrick Jankowski. This year, it will be on January 8 at 9:30 a.m. You may read more about it and how to register for the virtual event on page 2.

Last year was a bit of a rollercoaster ride for the Houston real estate market with volatile interest rates, but home sales remained strong in November 2024. You may read all about the latest market statistics on pages 8-12. The rental market flourished in 2024 with consistent demand, and you may read more about it on pages 14-15.

Did you know HAR now has 10 area networking groups spread across the region? The HAR Inner Loop Area Networking group will have its first meeting on January 7. These are great places to network, learn more about the industry and get involved. You may learn more about the groups and when they meet at har.com/areanetworking.

If you’re looking to expand your business, there are many opportunities, including exploring global and commercial real estate. HAR has two upcoming courses where you can learn about how to get started in commercial real estate. You may find information on page 35. If you want to take your business global, you may read about how to thrive in the global real estate market on pages 22-23.

I want to wrap up by saying how incredible the REALTOR® Celebration event was last month. It was a night I will never forget with family, friends, fellow REALTORS® and the amazing HAR staff. Your board of directors and executive officers were installed at the event. We also honored two remarkable members with Paul Silverman as the REALTOR® of the Year and Gerald Womack as the John E. Wolf Community Service Award recipient. You may read more about the accomplishments of our industry award winners and view pictures from the event on pages 26-33.

Happy New Year!

Shae Cottar
2025 HAR Chair