Register Real Estate Advisors

NEW YORK (CNBC) – Last week, CNBC referred to Texas as a “well-oiled real estate machine.” And they meant it literally.

According to the news source, residential real estate in Texas is benefiting from an economy driven by energy production. Real Estate Center Research Economist Jim Gaines agrees.

“The middle of the country, the spine, has done much better than the two coasts,” Gaines said. “A common thread is energy, from Texas to the Dakotas — there has been a real boom time due to the exploration and drilling activity.”

This boom means more jobs. In fact, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show Texas ranks in the top ten in job growth from 2001 to 2011.

That helps with housing prices. CNBC reports Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio saw minimal declines in the bust and are essentially fully recovered.

“The ability of all markets in Texas to weather the national economic storm was due in significant part to the strength of the energy industry,” said Texas Association of Realtors Chairman Joe Stewart. “However, more important than that is the diversity of the Texas economy, which has helped drive job growth and demand for real estate.”

TEXAS REALTOR AMONG 2012 NAR OFFICERS

WASHINGTON, D.C. (National ssociation of Realtors) – Texas Real Estate Commission Chair and Real Estate Center Advisory Committee ex-officio member Avis Wukasch has been named
a National Association of Realtors (NAR) 2012 regional vice president.

Wukash, a Williamson County Realtor, will represent NAR’s Region X, which includes Texas and Louisiana.

The association installed its 2012 officers yesterday at the 2011 Realtors Conference and Expo in Anaheim, California.

Miami Realtor Maurice “Moe” Veissi will serve as NAR president, while Gary Thomas of Orange County will be president-elect. First vice president will be Steve Brown, a Realtor from Dayton, Ohio.

A great time was had by all at the 2011 TREPAC Bowl-a-thon.

Team RREA did their best. What they lack in bowling skill, they more than make up for in enthusiasm!

This event raises money for the Texas Real Estate Political Action Committee.

A bill that further tightens state and local governments’ ability to invoke eminent domain was signed into law June 1. Here are some of the ways it better protects property owners:

• It requires government entities to make reasonable purchase offers to landowners for their property.
• It allows property owners to buy back their land at the original price 10 years later if it hasn’t been used by then.
• It adds criteria that agencies must meet before declaring eminent domain over private property.

The Texas Association of REALTORS® spearheaded this reform in its longstanding efforts to protect private-property rights.

A new grant issued by the National Association of Realtors has been given to the Texas Association of Realtors to aid consumers and realtors alike in preventing foreclosures.  This grant will develop a training program for Texas Realtors in the practice of identifying foreclosures and short-sales opportunities.  With the assistance of housing giants: TDHCA (Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs), HUD (Housing and Urban Development), Texas Foreclosure Prevention Task Force, and NeighborWorks, this resource will be a vital lifeline for distressed Texan homeowners and the Texan housing market.  An educational web site is also available for consumers, www.KeepMyTexasHome.com, which will include a homeowner’s checklist that you can use as a reference guide to stopping foreclosure.

VIDEO OF DOTZOUR’S TAR SPEECH ONLINE

COLLEGE STATION (Real Estate Center) – The full video of Dr. Mark Dotzour’s speech at the Realtors’ convention in Dallas two weeks ago is now available on the Real Estate Center’s website.

An audio-only version of the same speech was posted on the Center’s website last week.