HAR’s Area Networking Meetings continue to grow and are a great way for HAR members to network, get involved in their community and hear from game changing speakers all in once place. Whether it’s down in the Bay Area, out west near 290 or up north in Montgomery County, HAR’s Area Networking Meetings never disappoint.

Montgomery County’s first 2023 Area Networking Meeting was held Wednesday, February 1, at Dosey Doe. 2023 Chair Amanda Boyd welcomed more than 115 REALTORS® and affiliates. Special guest attendees were HAR Past Chair Vicki Fullerton and RPAC Major Investor Council Chair Deborah Spangler. An update was given by Kelly Dietrich, Director of Planning and Development of Howard Hughest.

Howard Hughes has enhanced and expanded the entertainment hub in Waterway Square. The newly opened Kirby’s Icehouse is one of the largest bars in town. They are also working in Woodlands Hills to maintain the 35 dedicated acres of greenspace. There are phases planned for adding additional retail space, waterparks, and resort style pools. This expansion will also create several employment opportunities and economic growth. All while maintaining the four pillars of building for the future and preserving the 40-year-old waterway. The Woodlands is ranked the #1 place to live for the second year in a row by Niche.com. Most importantly, The Woodlands continues as the top ranked schools with the eleven private schools included. Be on the lookout this summer for the 50th Anniversary Celebration of The Woodlands being founded. The next Montgomery County Area Networking Meeting will be held on April 5.

The HAR 290 Area Networking Meeting met on February 8 at Dragonfly Park in Bridgeland. Chair Tiffany Markovsky-Martinez led the meeting which was a full house. Guest speaker, HAR Director of Social Media Cristina Schaefer went in-depth on social media marketing in her fantastic presentation she calls “Stop the Scroll.” As always, the food was excellent and the venue was beautiful. Join us for the next HAR 290 Area Networking Meeting on April 12.

On February 9, the HAR Bay Area Breakfast met at their typical meeting location, Battleground Country Club in Deer Park. The group, which is led by HAR Board Member Troy Cothran and HAR Bay Area PAAL Member Misty Bacon, brought back one of their most popular topics from 2022, short-term rentals. As you may imagine, short-term rentals have become more and more popular in the Bay Area in recent years. The panel was led by Misty Bacon and featured Kenya Burrell-Vanwormer with Evolve, Aaron Martinez with BeachBox, and HAR Political Affairs Coordinator Grant Trammell. Grant gave an overview of how short-term rentals are regulated in Texas and why private property rights are so important for REALTORS® and their clients. Then, Kenya and Aaron discussed their roles with Evolve and BeachBox respectively as well as some best practices for anyone thinking of jumping into the short-term rental market. The next HAR Bay Area Breakfast will be held on March 9.

To learn more about any of HAR’s nine Area Networking Groups or to register for the next meeting in your area visit www.har.com/areanetworking.