How is it January 2020 already? When I was first elected to the executive committee of HAR, this moment felt like it was in the far-off distance. Now, it is here. I am humbled and honored to represent the 40,000+ HAR members this year.
We enter the year with a strong, stable real estate market, but we all know that real estate is local. While the overall market may show moderate increases in sales and prices, it doesn’t mean that every neighborhood is experiencing the same thing. That’s why we encourage consumers to use a REALTOR® who knows the area where they are looking. You may read about the latest sales statistics here.
One of the best ways to enter into leadership at HAR or outside of real estate even is to participate in the Texas REALTORS® Leadership Program (TRLP). Consistently, the graduates of the year-long program have proven themselves to be ready, willing, and able to serve the broader community. I encourage you to read more about the program here and apply. If you’d like to learn more before you commit to the whole process, you can contact Rita Blevins at rita@har.com or any of the past graduates, who will rave about the time they had and all they learned.
Do you have an immediate family member who is currently attending or has been accepted to a college, university or trade school? You will want to read here to find out about the BeSomeoneFund, which is a program developed by the 2019 TRLP class and will award up to $10,000 per student. You may go to the website for all of the requirements and to learn more about how to apply.
The commercial division of HAR, called Commercial Gateway or CommGate for short, is the unsung hero of the association. While the vast majority of our members practice in residential real estate, we couldn’t sell the homes that we do if there weren’t office, retail, industrial and land to support the people living there. CommGate has a continuing education series that you may find here. It is a great way for our commercial members to save money and have access to the best educational opportunities around.
Lastly, there is A LOT happening in our industry these days. I venture to say that more change has occurred in the last few years than in the last few decades prior to that. With new business models launching, more companies competing for REALTORS®’ advertising dollar and consumers having more choices, you’ll want to make sure you are on top of it all. One of the best benefits of being an HAR member is the Inman Select subscription that is included as part of your membership. You may learn more about the benefit and how to subscribe for free here. You should try to take a few minutes each day to read Inman and make sure you know what is happening around us all.
Until next month,
John Nugent
2020 HAR Chairman
