Register Real Estate Advisors

On Thursday, October 21st I attended my first Realtor H-Town Day at the Omni Hotel in Houston where the Realtor community gathered to learn about the direction of our city. We heard from many fabulous guest speakers about the past, present, and future of Houston. H-Town Day gives Realtors a sense of the basic history in our community, the type of growth Houston is expecting in the near future and how that will impact real estate, and we examine the various areas of Houston and what it entails. Currently, we have 92 Consulates, 22 Foreign Banks, and over one fifth of our residents are foreign born. We have over 3,000 international companies, and over $167 Billion in trade. Our diverse city has over 86,300 engineers and over 31,000 employed in the chemical field. Presently, Bush Intercontinental Airport is the 8th biggest airport for passengers (48.5 MM in 2009.) It is the 11th biggest international hub for air cargo. It currently has 11 international carriers and 10 domestic carriers. Our city of Houston covers 600 square miles and it is a wonderful place to live.

Our first speaker was Olga Rodriguez, the Vice President of Economic Analysis for the Port of Houston. The Port of Houston is the largest shallow ship channel with 9 foot average depth and 52 miles from Houston to the Gulf of Mexico. It could be considered Houston’s largest asset, requiring constant maintenance by the Corp of Engineers. The Port of Houston offers service between Houston and over 1,000 other world ports. We have the largest petrochemical complex in the world. The port has 220 million tons of cargo passing through. The Port of Houston has 150,000 barges, 7,700 ship calls per year, and it’s the 7th largest U.S. container port. It offers 785,000 jobs related to ship channel activity. It generates $3.7 Billion in state and local taxes and $118 Billion in economic impact. The net operating income is up 42% and net income up 172%. Exports now exceed imports and sixty five percent of all major project cargo comes through Houston. The Port of Houston is an expert at moving cargo as large as a two story home. Since 1914 the port has been a powerful engine propelling growth in Houston and the port continues to improve. Six hundred twenty five million dollars in capital improvement is planned for 2010 and 2011. In 2009 there was $200MM in capital improvement projects under way. The port currently handles 70% of all the containers in the U.S. Gulf.

How does all this affect the housing market in Houston? They are projecting a population growth from 2030 to 2040 in the Houston area due to the port growth. Currently, 75% of cargo moves by truck, but expanded trade will come when rising fuel costs push more cargo to rail. They are currently exploring opportunities for freight rail corridors. As the port grows, Houston will grow. We have the room to grow in our area with land available in and around the city limits. The port is always looking for new opportunities to propel our city forward. Current exploration is being done for a freight rail district, adding another port in Galveston on Pelican Island, and pursuing cruise line opportunities. Another growth indicator for the Houston Port, and ultimately the city, is the completion of the Panama Canal expansion in 2014. Trade with Asia continues to increase and has been the fastest growing cargo for the last 10 years.

Our second speaker was Dr. Richard Wainerdi, the CEO and COO of the Texas Medical Center. He spoke about Monroe D. Anderson and the foundation that began what we know to be the world’s leading cancer center, M.D. Anderson. It is the largest and best cancer center in the world. Also part of the Texas Medical Center is Texas Children’s Hospital (largest pediatric hospital in the world where no child is turned away) and Balyor Medical Center. Today Texas Medical Center is a complex with 49 centers with 105,000 people working there. It is a city of health. When measured in square footage it is currently the 12th largest down town in the U.S. There are 22 buildings under construction and it will become the 8th largest downtown in the U.S. after completion. Houston’s healthcare is a booming business with about 95,000 employees. Healthcare added 19,700 jobs during the 2009 depression. The medical center is located on 14,000 acre and uses as much power as downtown Houston as a whole. It is located in the South Main Area along with Rice University, Reliant Stadium, 3rd Ward, Texas Southern, and University of Houston, where there are museums, Herman Park, and nice affordable housing.
Shifting gears, Dr. Wainerdi spoke about the future of healthcare now that we are facing Obamacare. In the future, less money will be coming to the providers, $100 Billion will be charged to providers, and medical practice will change. We don’t know exactly what will and won’t be covered. There are not enough doctors to go around under this new plan.

The positive news is that the new healthcare bill does increase the support for research and education and preventative medicine. Dr. Wainerdi stated that one third of the people come to the Medical Center due to self inflicting illnesses and we can get rid of this cost (examples are violence, cancers from smoking, liver damage due to drinking, not wearing seat belts, etc.) In order to prevent these self inflicting illnesses, we need more positive behavior in our society like arts, sports, space exploration, and military endurance. He made no doubt that over the next five years we will be finding a new way for our health care system.

We heard from Courtney Tardy, Director of Historic Neighborhood Resources at Greater Houston Preservation Alliance on City Preservation. She touched on the Historic Preservation Ordinance that has been a huge issue in Houston over the past few months.

During lunch Congressman Al Green spoke briefly to the Realtor Community.

After lunch we learned about city development with Beth Wolff, GHP Board Member and member of the City of Houston’s Planning Commission.

You cannot study Houston without learning about the Energy Corridor. Andy Hendricks, President of Schlumberger Drilling and Measurements spoke about the Energy Corridor. The energy corridor runs from Interstate 10 and West Houston to Downtown to Katy. Over thirty percent of U.S. jobs are in oil and gas extraction. Over thirteen percent of the U.S. jobs are in oil field services and wind energy.

Dan Bellow, the Immediate Past Chairman of the GHP and Chairman of Opportunity Houston also spoke to us. Houston is definitely not a one economy city. We have electronics, technology, engineering, software development, healthcare, oil and gas, chemicals, and much more.
We got a county update from Harris County’s Judge Ed Emmett. Houston is the third largest city in the U.S. with many constituents. He discussed that there are city finances to attend to, the jail which is the largest mental health center in Houston, Houston City Hospital System, Joint Processing System, and much more.

Overall, the day was filled with a wealth of information from speakers with diverse backgrounds that help Realtors understand where we are today, where Houston is coming from, and where Houston is going in the future. Bottom line is this – Houston is a great place to live, work, retire, and grow up. Houston offers something for everyone. There’s no depression here!

You can see the original article HERE. We are featured in a new article in the September HAR’s Houston Realtor Online magazine.

More than 3,000 HAR members make up the 40 and under NextGens (NRG). This young leading edge and growing segment of the HAR membership does business a little differently. They are using Web-based tools like blogging, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and MySpace for marketing and lead generation. Here are examples from a few of our NextGens explaining how social media applications are taking their businesses to the next level.

Linked In
LinkedIn is my professional business suite. I started on LinkedIn about two years ago because someone said I should. I played around with it and eventually put together my full profile. I like LinkedIn because it is all about business. As a relocation specialist, I often compete for listings with agents in my area, many of whom have just as many years of experience as me; some have experience dating back to before I was born.

Last year I was contacted by a company that relocates employees across the U.S. They found me on another website and then again on LinkedIn. They chose to contact me because I had a presence on LinkedIn which they considered a professional network. I also had two sellers pull my LinkedIn profile before making a decision to list their home with me. Each one appreciated the time I invested in using creative avenues to expose my services as well as my listings. My LinkedIn account is linked to my Twitter account that’s linked to my HAR.com profile. Each time I have an open house, price reduction or one of my listings sells, it’s automatically updated on my LinkedIn profile. Being a young professional can be a challenge. However, social media and technology have helped to leverage my business. The more tech savvy consumers become, the more we as REALTORS® have to adapt.

Tiffany Curry
Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors® – Inner Loop

MySpace
MySpace.com has generated sales to my business and has given me a premier Internet presence. I can personally attribute five sales in 2008 to this social media site. My first client was a classmate from sixth grade. She reconnected with me via MySpace. I sold her existing home and helped her family purchase their dream home. Three additional sales were to friends I met through the John Evans Band, the National Band of Texas. They knew I was a REALTOR® and confirmed the information on my profile. They’ve all referred me to their friends and family ever since.

MySpace may be a little old school for social media, but when you search my name at Google.com, my MySpace profile is third from the top. It was the first popular site that taught me the importance of social media.

Melissa “Honey Bee” Seureau
RE/ MAX Realty Center

Facebook
As a wife, mom of two teenagers and active community member, Facebook is an effective communication tool that I desperately needed to successfully network with others since I’m rarely able to attend various events. In my business, I consider Facebook  an online cocktail party. Therefore, just as I wouldn’t only discuss real estate when meeting and socializing with others, Facebook holds the same ruling.

From “making rounds” in the conversations of my Facebook friends, I consistently receive a minimum of 3-5 new Facebook referrals each week. I am a firm believer in sales calls.  So when I connect with someone in a conversation on Facebook via instant messages, in-box conversations or status updates, I count that as a sales call. This makes reaching 50 sales calls daily an easy and fun goal to achieve. Now, instead of making telephone sales calls to see how my clients are doing, I can immediately see that on Facebook and we can have a conversation simply about status updates.

When requesting referrals, I send in-box messages that can be copied and pasted to multiple contacts and now I actually pick up the phone to simply say thanks.

Facebook is paying off with huge dividends for my marketing and networking goals, and I am loving this online cocktail
party with my friends, past clients, business professionals and fellow REALTORS®.

Coach Reeshemah Holmes
I Buy Realty

Twitter
Twitter is a great tool for my real estate business because, unlike Facebook, I can search to see what people are talking about. Twitter lets me search to see if someone is looking for a home in my area, what’s going on in politics or at my local Association, as well as for National Association of REALTORS® Midyear and National Conventions and other activities. I can build my online relationships in 140 characters or less. Through the use of Twitter, I have sent out referrals to agents in Arizona, found virtual assistants that I have been interviewing, and found a graphic artist that has redesigned my brand for me @ryanzundell. Great real estate people to follow on Twitter are @mayareguru, @therealclint, @respres, @utahrepro,@tcar. Search #nardigras or #hartrepac for real estate info.

Amy Smythe Harris
Realty Associates

Blogging
Blogging is an interesting way to market. I started my WordPress blog in October of 2009 knowing that no one would find or read it for several months. Blogging has a cumulative effect with the search engines. The more you write, the more your site is associated with real estate in your area. I also have my social networking sites (personal Facebook page, team Facebook fan page, LinkedIn and Twitter) automatically update every time my blog is updated. After getting my CDPE designation, I wrote an article about short sales. A couple was searching for information on short sales in my area and found the article. That linked them to my site where they sent me an email through my contact form. I cultivated that lead by answering their specific questions and later requested to meet with them. I got the listing and closed it two months later. That particular article got me three short sale listings in the first two weeks. I currently get over 70 percent of my business this way. My listing inventory is spread around town because I am getting leads from all over as a result of my blog.  Clients often tell me they see me all over the internet and that’s not an accident.

Shannon Register
Register Real Estate Advisors

Look to these young agents to set the next trend in marketing for real estate in the greater Houston area.

This video was produced by the Houston Association of Realtors and it explains the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) to consumers. From my website, consumers can view all of the listings in the MLS. You can look for homes based on your search criteria.

This week Governor Rick Perry appointed two new public members to the Texas
Appraiser Licensing & Certification Board (TALCB); Mr. Malachi O. Boyuls of
Dallas and Ms. Sheryl Swift of Galveston. Mr. Robert D. Davis, Jr., currently a
public member on the Board, has been reappointed with a new term expiration of
January 31, 2012.
Mr. Boyuls is an associate in the Dallas office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP,
where he currently practices in the firm’s Litigation Department. Mr. Boyuls
received his law degree from New York University in 2006 and his undergraduate
degree in Religion and Philosophy from the University of Mary Hardin Baylor in
2002, where he was a member of the Crusader football team. Mr. Boyuls’ term
expires January 31, 2012 and he replaces Bill Schneider of Austin.
Ms. Swift is a Registered Texas Assessor Collector and is the Chief Deputy of
Operations with the Galveston County Tax Office, where she supervises all fund
related operations within the main and branch offices. In addition, Ms. Swift is
responsible for training all management staff on the Operations team. She has been
with Galveston County since December 2000. Ms. Swift’s term expires January 31,
2011, and she replaces Danny Perkins of Houston.
“I am very happy to welcome Mr. Boyuls and Ms. Swift to the Board and look
forward to working with them on the many challenges facing the appraiser
profession in Texas,” commented TALCB Chairman, James “Jaime” Ratliff. “At
the same time, while we are sorry that Mr. Schneider and Mr. Perkins are leaving,
we sincerely thank them for their many years of dedication and service.”
Also new to the agency is Mr. Steven Leipsner of Lakeway who has been appointed
as the sole public member to the statutory TREC Broker-Lawyer Committee. His
term ends in 2015.
The agency welcomes these new appointees!

If the latest technology and entertainment options are important in your new home, add the following questions to your buyer’s checklist.  This is interesting information I got from the REALTOR Magazine Online and reprinted with permission of the National Association of REALTORS.  Visit the Consumer Electronics Association ( http://www.ce.org/techhomerating ) for a complete Tech Home Rating Checklist.

1.  Are there enough jacks in every room for cable TV and high-speed Internet hookups?  Does it include U-Verse if that’s important to your family?

2.  Are there enough telephone extensions or jacks?  Most people use their cell phones these days, but some still want a phone in every room, including the bathrooms.

3.  Is the home prewired for a home theater or multi-room audio and video?

4.  Does the home have a local area network for linking computers?

5.  Does the home already have wiring for DSL or other high-speed Internet connection?

6.  Does the home have multi-room lighting controls, window-covering controls, or other home automation features?

7.  Does the home have multi-room lighting controls, window-covering controls, or other home automation features?

8.  Is the home wired with multi-purpose in-wall wiring that allows for reconfigurations to update services as technology changes?

Credit Problems can seem like an insurmountable barrier to getting a home loan. It’s not an easy task, but with patience and some insight you can turn things around. Here are four ways you can get on the road to credit repair – and put yourself in a better position for homeownership.

1. Develop a budget
Stop all credit transactions right now. It might sound harsh, but you should hide or destroy all of your cards if necessary! Now you can manage your inflow of cash and, more importantly, your outflow – money in and money out.
Develop a flexible budget. Consider all necessary expenses such as housing, food, and healthcare. Then, eliminate expenses that can be trimmed such as entertainment and dining out. For more help, contact a nonprofit credit counseling agency, such as the TCA at 866/528-0588 or http://www.takechargeamerica.org .

2. Contact your creditors
If you aren’t making timely payments, don’t wait for your account to be turned over to collections. Your creditors may be able to help you get on a lower-interest payment plan or agree to a settlement.
A helpful tip: If your balance is unmanageable, offer a 30% settlement payment first. Some creditors will take payments of 30-40% off rather than have you default. Make sure to get the agreement in writing. Once you’ve paid in full, send the settlement letter to each of the credit bureaus (Equifax, Trans Union, and Experian/TRW) for reference so they will update your credit report.

3. Consolidate your debt
Another approach to consider is acquiring a debt consolidation loan. This type of loan will allow you to pay off your outstanding balances with one, lower-interest monthly payment. A home equity loan for debt consolidation could allow the interest you pay to become tax-deductable.

4. Avoid Bankruptcy
A last resort is bankruptcy because of tis long-lasting effects. Bankruptcy can make it difficult to attain future credit, life insurance, and sometimes even a job. It does, however, offer a new start. The primary types of personal bankruptcy are Chapter 13 and Chapter 7. Chapter 13 allows you to keep property that you would otherwise lose, but payoff a default amount during a three to five year period. Chapter 7 (straight bankruptcy) liquidates all of your assets that are not exempt. Property is turned over to creditors or sold by a court-appointed official.

Help for Homeownership is out there…

There are lots of programs to help first-time and low-income homeowners, and even those with spotty credit histories who want to realize the American dream of homeownership. One is the Texas First Time Homebuyer Program. For more information, visit http://MyFirstTexasHome.org or call me today at 832.628.7355.

Texas Association of Realtors, All rights reserved.

Look for my article in the June 2010 Houston Realtor Magazine published by HAR.com.  The article addresses blogging and how it has been a benefit to my business.  People often ask me how blogging has helped with my success.  I hope you enjoy the article that addresses not only blogging, but all types of social media.