Margie DorranceHouston Association of REALTORS®

2010 Chair of the Board

Westside Area Networking Group

• HAR is the largest individual membership association in Houston with about 23,000 members.

• 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…

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

• It is the only Web site that is local in scope that regularly ranks among the top 25 real estate Web sites in the country.

What is HAR?

You’re a Member of the Largest Local REALTOR® Association in the

U.S.Rank Association/Board Location REALTORS®

1 HOUSTON ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® INC Houston, TX 23,217

2 LONG ISLAND BOARD OF REALTORS® INC West Babylon, NY 21,080

3 GREATER LAS VEGAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® INC Las Vegas, NV 12,550

4 CHICAGO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® INC Chicago, IL 12,030

5 REALTOR® ASSOCIATION OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, INC. Coral Gables, FL 11,813

6 METROTEX ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® INC Dallas, TX 11,644

7 SAN DIEGO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® San Diego, CA 11,174

8 REALTOR® ASSOCIATION OF GREATER MIAMI & THE BEACHES Miami, FL 10,831

9 MAINSTREET ORGANIZATION OF REALTORS® Downers Grove, IL 10,767

10 ORANGE COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Laguna Hills, CA 10,470

Source: NAR, as of February 15, 2010

What Does HAR Do?

• HAR educates the public about the real estate market and

promotes the value of using the services of a REALTOR® in a

property transaction.

• HAR also advocates on behalf of property owners and REALTOR® members by representing their interests when communicating with our elected officials.

• It also develops new tools and services that our members may use to help them be more efficient and effective in their jobs.

The Greater Houston Real Estate Market

Houston Sales Have Held Up Better than U.S.

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 20090

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

8,000,000

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

National vs. Houston Sales

National Houston

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 20090

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

8,000,000

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

National vs. Houston Sales

National Houston

Houston Sales Have Held Up Better than U.S.

Houston Home Sales Have Picked Back Up

Steady as She Goes in Houston

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

$250,000

$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

$250,000

National vs. Houston Prices

National Houston

Sales Began Dropping in Early 2007

Months Inventory Continues to Show a More Balanced Market

Active Listings Have Decreased…But Still Plenty of Options

Prices Tapered Off, But Have Begun Rising Again

New Homes Sales Through MLS Peaked in 2006 But Still Strong

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 20090

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

New Homes Sold Through MLS

Permits Peaked in Summer 2006 But Are Coming Off Their Lows

Jan-

00

Jun-

00

Nov-0

0

Apr-0

1

Sep-0

1

Feb-

02

Jul-0

2

Dec-0

2

May

-03

Oct

-03

Mar

-04

Aug-0

4

Jan-

05

Jun-

05

Nov-0

5

Apr-0

6

Sep-0

6

Feb-

07

Jul-0

7

Dec-0

7

May

-08

Oct

-08

Mar

-09

Aug-0

90

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

Building Permits for the Houston MSA

1/812/813/814/815/816/817/818/819/8110/8111/8112/811/822/823/824/825/826/827/828/829/8210/8211/8212/821/832/833/834/835/836/837/838/839/8310/8311/8312/831/842/843/844/845/846/847/848/849/8410/8411/8412/841/852/853/854/855/856/857/858/859/8510/8511/8512/851/862/863/864/865/866/867/868/869/8610/8611/8612/861/872/873/874/875/876/877/878/879/8710/8711/8712/871/882/883/884/885/886/887/888/889/8810/8811/8812/881/892/893/894/895/896/897/898/899/8910/8911/8912/891/902/903/904/905/906/907/908/909/9010/9011/9012/901/912/913/914/915/916/917/918/919/9110/9111/9112/911/922/923/924/925/926/927/928/929/9210/9211/9212/921/932/933/934/935/936/937/938/939/9310/9311/9312/931/942/943/944/945/946/947/948/949/9410/9411/9412/941/952/953/954/955/956/957/958/959/9510/9511/9512/951/962/963/964/965/966/967/968/969/9610/9611/9612/961/972/973/974/975/976/977/978/979/9710/9711/9712/971/982/983/984/985/986/987/988/989/9810/9811/9812/981/992/993/994/995/996/997/998/999/9910/9911/9912/991/002/003/004/005/006/007/008/009/0010/0011/0012/001/012/013/014/015/016/017/018/019/0110/0111/0112/011/022/023/024/025/026/027/028/029/0210/0211/0212/021/032/033/034/035/036/037/038/039/0310/0311/0312/031/042/043/044/045/046/047/048/049/0410/0411/0412/041/052/053/054/055/056/057/058/059/0510/0511/0512/051/062/063/064/065/066/067/068/069/0610/0611/0612/061/072/073/074/075/076/077/078/079/0710/0711/0712/071/082/083/084/085/086/087/088/089/0810/0811/0812/081/092/093/094/095/096/097/098/099/0910/0911/0912/091/100

10

20

30

40

50

60

HARRIS COUNTY FORECLOSURES AND FORECLOSURE POSTINGS(Source: Foreclosure Information & Listing Service)

POSTINGS FORECLOSURES

TO

TA

L 12

MO

NT

HS

EN

DIN

G (

000)

Rising Foreclosure Postings…But Still Low Compared to the Peak

Don’t Stick Your Head in the Sand

1/812/813/814/815/816/817/818/819/8110/8111/8112/811/822/823/824/825/826/827/828/829/8210/8211/8212/821/832/833/834/835/836/837/838/839/8310/8311/8312/831/842/843/844/845/846/847/848/849/8410/8411/8412/841/852/853/854/855/856/857/858/859/8510/8511/8512/851/862/863/864/865/866/867/868/869/8610/8611/8612/861/872/873/874/875/876/877/878/879/8710/8711/8712/871/882/883/884/885/886/887/888/889/8810/8811/8812/881/892/893/894/895/896/897/898/899/8910/8911/8912/891/902/903/904/905/906/907/908/909/9010/9011/9012/901/912/913/914/915/916/917/918/919/9110/9111/9112/911/922/923/924/925/926/927/928/929/9210/9211/9212/921/932/933/934/935/936/937/938/939/9310/9311/9312/931/942/943/944/945/946/947/948/949/9410/9411/9412/941/952/953/954/955/956/957/958/959/9510/9511/9512/951/962/963/964/965/966/967/968/969/9610/9611/9612/961/972/973/974/975/976/977/978/979/9710/9711/9712/971/982/983/984/985/986/987/988/989/9810/9811/9812/981/992/993/994/995/996/997/998/999/9910/9911/9912/991/002/003/004/005/006/007/008/009/0010/0011/0012/001/012/013/014/015/016/017/018/019/0110/0111/0112/011/022/023/024/025/026/027/028/029/0210/0211/0212/021/032/033/034/035/036/037/038/039/0310/0311/0312/031/042/043/044/045/046/047/048/049/0410/0411/0412/041/052/053/054/055/056/057/058/059/0510/0511/0512/051/062/063/064/065/066/067/068/069/0610/0611/0612/061/072/073/074/075/076/077/078/079/0710/0711/0712/071/082/083/084/085/086/087/088/089/0810/0811/0812/081/090.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

Ratio of Foreclosures to Postings

Monthly Data 12-Month Average

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.

Aren’t you glad to be in Houston?

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.

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

Haiti ResponseHAR 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.

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

Get Out the REALTOR® Vote

Tuesday, March 2 is the Primary Election for both Republicans and Democrats

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

We only have strength when we combine our numbers to effect change so make sure you get out and vote.

HAR Digital Media Spring Training

Register Online at www.har.com/digitalmedia

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

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.

Tax Credit Advertising

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.

Thank you!margie@har.com

http://www.slideshare.net/HARCommunications