Pearland Real Estate Expert

Increases in home sales volume, price indicate momentum for Texas real estate in 2012

Danny Frank, The Real Estate Expert (Turbo Realty 713-581-4702) — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:41:08 -0700

Increases in home sales volume, price indicate momentum for Texas real estate in 2012

Texas Association of REALTORS® releases 2012-Q1 edition of the Texas Quarterly Housing Report

CONTACT: Stacy Armijo - Pierpont Communications, 512-448-4950
sarmijo@piercom.com

May 1, 2012 – AUSTIN – The Texas real estate market gained positive momentum in the first quarter of 2012, according to the 2012-Q1 edition of the Texas Quarterly Housing Report issued today by the Texas Association of REALTORS®. The volume of single-family home sales in Texas was 12% higher than the same quarter of 2011 and the median price increased by almost 3% over the same time frame.

“The watchword for Texas real estate in 2011 was ‘consistency,’ in both sales volume and price. That allowed us to emerge from last year with stable sales volumes and strong property values,” said Joe Stewart, chairman of the Texas Association of REALTORS®. “Now, in 2012’s first-quarter results, we see a strong increase in sales volume and a meaningful increase in the median price. That indicates positive momentum for the year ahead.”

For the period of January through March 2012, the volume of single-family home sales in Texas was 45,502, 12% more than the same quarter in 2011. The median price for Texas homes during the quarter was $147,100, 2.7% more than 2011-Q1.

Jim Gaines, Ph.D., an economist with the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, expanded on the report: “We believe several factors are driving the strong performance of the first quarter, including continued job growth in Texas and some increased access to credit for home buyers. Most of all, we’re starting to see a shift in Texans’ attitudes toward real estate. Essentially, buyers and sellers have higher expectations for the market, so they’re beginning to take action and we’re starting to see the impacts.”

Looking ahead, the “months inventory” calculation can provide insight into future demand for homes and that figure decreased from 7.6 months in 2011-Q1 to 6.0 months in the first quarter of this year. “Months inventory” is an indicator of the balance between demand for homes and supply in the market and the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University cites 6.5 months of inventory as a balanced market.

Gaines continued, “In Texas, our inventory of homes for sale has been decreasing for about six months now. That’s due in part to the fact that some homeowners who don’t have to sell have chosen to wait for prices to improve before selling their homes. In addition, the slower processing of foreclosures and fewer distressed properties may reduce the number of listings. However, a decrease of more than 20% in the inventory of homes compared to the same quarter last year is significant and may be an indication of price increases in the future.”

Chairman Stewart concluded, “If all the indicators play out as we expect, the Texas real estate market is in for a busy spring and summer.”

The Texas Quarterly Housing Report is issued four times per year by the Texas Association of REALTORS® with multiple listing service data compiled and analyzed by the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University.

About the Texas Quarterly Housing Report

Data for the Texas Quarterly Housing Report is analyzed by the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University using statistics compiled from 47 multiple listing services in markets throughout Texas. The report includes data for single-family home sales over the course of one quarter and is scheduled for release by the Texas Association of REALTORS® on the following dates each year (or the next business day): Feb. 1, May 1, Aug. 1, and Nov. 1. This report is issued to the media, local REALTOR® organizations, and published on the Texas Association of REALTORS®’ consumer Web site, TexasRealEstate.com.

About the Texas Association of REALTORS®

With approximately 80,000 members, the Texas Association of REALTORS® is a professional membership organization that represents all aspects of real estate in Texas. We advocate on behalf of Texas REALTORS® and private-property owners to keep homeownership affordable, protect private-property rights, and promote public policies that benefit homeowners. Visit TexasRealEstate.com to learn more.

Call Danny Frank at 713-581-4702 to find out about the “Sell Your Home Guarantee” or to schedule an appointment to visit any home for sale in the greater Houston / Galveston area.

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Whether you're interested in buying your first home, your next home, or just want to know more about home-ownership in general, I encourage you to check out a couple of great online resources:http://www.texasrealestate.com/ or http://www.har.com/. And for all of your Pearland, TX and Northern Brazoria and Galveston County real estate needs, please visit my site at:http://www.danfrankrealty.com. All of these sites offer tons of useful, real estate-related information geared specifically for Texans.

Remember, Danny Frank is always looking to hire new and experienced real estate agents for the team at Turbo Realty. Are you ready to move to the next level in your career? Call me to join today. You can see my entire blog at: http://www.pearlandrealtyblog.com

Call Danny Frank, at 713-581-4702 to find out how you can become part of Turbo Realty.

Danny Frank
Turbo Realty
2012 Chair-Elect HAR.com
Mobile: 713-581-4702
Fax: 866-304-3433
Email: danfranktx@gmail.com
www.danfrankrealty.com
Information About Brokerage Services

Chat: Google Talk: DanFrankTX Skype: DanFrankTX

7 Key Reasons Why NOW is the Prime Time to Buy a Home

Danny Frank, The Real Estate Expert (Turbo Realty 713-581-4702) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 08:45:41 -0800

7 Key Reasons Why NOW is the Prime Time to Buy a Home

1. Home affordability is at an all-time high.

The median mortgage payment on the median priced home as a percentage of the median household income is lower than it's been in a generation.

2. Mortgage rates have reached rock bottom.

As interest rates start to inch back upwards, monthly payments and total loan costs will spike upwards.

3. Buy Now; Buy Low!

After declining nearly three years, home prices are stabilizing.

4. Sellers are motivated.

This means that buyers have the upper hand! From banks looking to dispose of foreclosed properties to homeowners who are fiercely competing among an excess of housing inventory, buyers have untold choices and negotiating power.

5. Financing is readily available for qualified buyers!

Banks are getting back in the game and ready to lend to well-qualified buyers.

6. Owning vs. renting is increasingly favorable.

Since 2009, the average principal and interest payment has fallen below the average rental rates, and the gap is now wider than it's been in the past 22 years.

7. Homeownership is at the core of the American Dream!

Owning a home is critical to financial stability and wealth building. It's a forced savings account, a place to live and a fabulous tax deduction.

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Remember, Danny Frank is always looking to hire new and experienced real estate agents for the team at Keller Williams. Are you ready to move to the next level in your career? Call me to join today. You can see my entire blog at: http://www.pearlandrealtyblog.com

Call Danny Frank, at 713-581-4702 to find out how you can become part of the fastest growing real estate company in the world.

Danny Frank
Turbo Realty
2012 Chair-Elect HAR.com
Mobile: 713-581-4702
Fax: 866-304-3433
Email: danfranktx@gmail.com
www.danfrankrealty.com
Information About Brokerage Services

Chat: Google Talk: DanFrankTX Skype: DanFrankTX

Houston Area Property Sales Rise for a Tenth Straight Month

Danny Frank, The Real Estate Expert (Turbo Realty 713-581-4702) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 08:52:22 -0700

The latest MLS release with March 2012 residential sales statistics has been posted in the HAR Newsroom. Please click HERE to read the release. It will be distributed to the media today so it will likely be reported in the newspapers and on TV, radio and the Internet in the next couple of days. For your convenience, you may also view the video of HAR Chairman Wayne Stroman discussing the statistics embedded within the release.

In an effort to keep our members as informed as possible about the real estate market, we wanted to make you aware of the latest statistics. Obviously, it is important to remember that "all real estate is local," and these figures are for the aggregate of the greater Houston area. That is why we strive to encourage all consumers to seek the guidance and assistance of their REALTOR® who has the most experience and market knowledge about their particular localized market.

Call Danny Frank at 713-581-4702 to find out about the “Sell Your Home Guarantee” or to schedule an appointment to visit any home for sale in the greater Houston / Galveston area.

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Call Danny Frank, at 713-581-4702 to find out how you can become part of Turbo Realty.

Danny Frank
Turbo Realty
2012 Chair-Elect HAR.com
Mobile: 713-581-4702
Fax: 866-304-3433
Email: danfranktx@gmail.com
www.danfrankrealty.com
Information About Brokerage Services

Chat: Google Talk: DanFrankTX Skype: DanFrankTX

Turbo Realty and Danny Frank, The 2012 HAR.com Chair-Elect, and The Pearland Real Estate Expert Join Forces

Danny Frank, The Real Estate Expert (Turbo Realty 713-581-4702) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:30:30 -0700

Turbo Realty and Danny Frank, The 2012 HAR.com Chair-Elect, and The Pearland Real Estate Expert Join Forces.

Danny has joined forces with Chris Schilling, Turbo Realty. With the move to Turbo Realty, Danny Frank will help grow Turbo Realty with a new plan for local agents. Both Chris and Danny are experts in the field of technology and real estate technology. The team at Turbo will focus on getting listing SOLD in a HURRY and helping buyers find the right house for their needs.

Call Danny Frank at 713-581-4702 to find out about the “Sell Your Home Guarantee” or to schedule an appointment to visit any home for sale in the greater Houston / Galveston area.

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Call Danny Frank, at 713-581-4702 to find out how you can become part of Turbo Realty.

Danny Frank
Turbo Realty
2012 Chair-Elect HAR.com
Mobile: 713-581-4702
Fax: 866-304-3433
Email: danfranktx@gmail.com
www.danfrankrealty.com
Information About Brokerage Services

Chat: Google Talk: DanFrankTX Skype: DanFrankTX

DANNY FRANK ATTENDS TEXAS REALTORS® WINTER MEETING 2012 IN AUSTIN

Danny Frank, The Real Estate Expert (Turbo Realty 713-581-4702) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 12:30:51 -0800

Feb 27, 2012 — Danny Frank of Keller William in Pearland was among more than 1,000 Texas REALTORS® attending the Texas Association of REALTORS® Winter Meeting, Feb. 24- 28 at the Hyatt Regency Austin.

Speakers during the five-day event included: Mark Dotzour, chief economist with the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M; Jed Smith, Ph.D., Managing Director of Quantitative Research for the National Association of Realtors®; Douglas Foster, Commissioner of the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending; Congressman Lloyd Doggett; State Representative Burt Solomons; and Joe Stewart, 2012 chairman of the Texas Association of REALTORS®.

Topics discussed during the Austin meeting included: new housing initiatives for Texas homeowners, economic outlook for the real estate industry, the latest technology and marketing tools for Texas REALTORS®, the new Texas REALTORS® Strategic Plan as well as trends in commercial real estate, professional standards, technology, property management, risk reduction, member benefits and more.

In addition to educational sessions and speakers, the Texas Association of REALTORS® announced its top annual award recipients: Texas REALTOR® of the Year Avis Wukash of Williamson County; Educator of the Year Candace Cooke of Buchanan Dam; Tom D. Morton Association Executive of the Year Amy DuBose of San Marcos; Texas REALTOR® Hero Andrea Cooksey of Houston; William C. Jennings Commercial Transaction of the Year David Glasscock of Dallas; Omega Tau Rho designates from around the state; and Education Programs of the Year from local REALTOR®associations in Austin, San Antonio, Houston and MetroTex (Dallas).

Danny Frank is a Regional Vice President for the Texas Association of Realtors and the 2012 Chair-Elect of the Houston Association of Realtors, the largest Association of its kind. Danny sits on the Professional Standards committee as well as the Members Benefits committee. Danny Frank also is the 2012 Vice Chair to the Business, Technology Forum for the National Association of Realtors. Danny Frank’s leadership is helping all Realtors® become better at what they do, Buying and Selling real estate.

Texas Association of REALTORS®

With more than 80,000 members, the Texas Association of REALTORS® is a professional membership organization that represents all aspects of real estate in Texas. We advocate on behalf of Texas REALTORS® and private-property owners to keep homeownership affordable, protect private-property rights, and promote public policies that benefit homeowners.

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Call Danny Frank, at 713-581-4702 to find out how you can become part of the fastest growing real estate company in the world.

Danny Frank
Turbo Realty
2012 Chair-Elect HAR.com
Mobile: 713-581-4702
Fax: 866-304-3433
Email: danfranktx@gmail.com
www.danfrankrealty.com
Information About Brokerage Services

Chat: Google Talk: DanFrankTX Skype: DanFrankTX

HAR Launches MarketInsight to Help You Show REALTOR® Value

Danny Frank, The Real Estate Expert (Turbo Realty 713-581-4702) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:40:42 -0800

As a REALTOR®, you want to do the best job possible for your clients. And now you can show your clients and customers just how much effort goes into listing their property. With MarketInsight, your clients and customers can stay informed about the activities surrounding their property without even contacting you.

MarketInsight allows your clients and customers to view pertinent information surrounding their property, such as web traffic, appointments and feedback, comparable nearby properties, and much more. Setting up MarketInsight is easy. You can send an email to your client or customer inviting them to use MarketInsight. All the information displayed in MarketInsight is branded with your information. Show your clients and customers the value of using a REALTOR® and invite them to begin using MarketInsight today!

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Call Danny Frank, at 713-581-4702 to find out how you can become part of the fastest growing real estate company in the world.

Danny Frank
Turbo Realty
2012 Chair-Elect HAR.com
Mobile: 713-581-4702
Fax: 866-304-3433
Email: danfranktx@gmail.com
www.danfrankrealty.com
Information About Brokerage Services

Chat: Google Talk: DanFrankTX Skype: DanFrankTX

Houston Real Estate Data and Trends for Jan 2012

Danny Frank, The Real Estate Expert (Turbo Realty 713-581-4702) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:41:16 -0800

HOUSTON – (February 21, 2012)

The Houston housing market held to positive territory as 2012 began, with January marking the eighth consecutive month of increased home sales. The year also opened with a continued decline in active property listings and growth in pending sales—a combination that signals a healthy market with a balanced supply of housing inventory, and that puts Houston on enviable footing compared to many other markets around the U.S. that are slowly recovering from the housing downturn.

January sales of single-family homes climbed 9.2 percent versus one year earlier, according to the latest monthly data prepared by the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR). All segments of the housing market grew except the luxury segment—those homes priced from $500,000 and above—whose decline flattened the overall average price.

"The January report shows continued strength in the Houston housing market that we began seeing in the latter part of 2011, and it gives us cause for optimism as we look ahead to the typically active spring and summer buying months," said Wayne A. Stroman, HAR chairman and CEO of Stroman Realty. "We have also seen more jobs being filled locally and you generally don't experience a strong real estate market without healthy employment."

January's single-family home median price—the figure at which half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less—rose 0.9 percent year-over-year to $139,900. The average price of $194,765 was statistically unchanged from January 2011.

Foreclosure property sales reported in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) increased 22.0 percent year-over-year in January. Foreclosures comprised 27.8 percent of all property sales, which is higher than the 2011 average of 21.0 percent. The median price of foreclosures in January was flat at $82,550.

January sales of all property types in Houston totaled 3,632, up 4.8 percent compared to January 2011. Total dollar volume for properties sold during the month rose 5.9 percent to $683 million versus $645 million one year earlier.

January Monthly Market Comparison
The month of January brought Houston's overall housing market positive results when all sales categories are compared to January 2011. Total property sales and total dollar volume rose on a year-over-year basis. The median price rose while the average price was flat.

Month-end pending sales for January totaled 3,164. That is up 6.0 percent from last year and suggests another positive month of sales when the February figures are tallied. The number of available properties, or active listings, at the end of January declined 15.1 percent from January 2011 to 42,067. The inventory of single-family homes dropped to its lowest level since December 2009—5.7 months, compared to 7.2 months one year earlier. That means it would take 5.7 months to sell all the single-family homes on the market based on sales activity over the past year. The figure is significantly better than the national inventory of single-family homes of 7.2 months reported by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). These indicators all continue to reflect a balanced real estate marketplace for Houston.

Houston Real Estate Milestones in January

Volume of single-family home sales rose for the eighth consecutive month;

Single-family home rentals rose 15.3 percent;

Townhouse/condominium rentals increased 15.6 percent;

5.7 months inventory of single-family homes is the lowest level since December 2009 and compares favorably to the national average of 7.2 months.

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Call Danny Frank, at 713-581-4702 to find out how you can become part of the fastest growing real estate company in the world.

Danny Frank
Turbo Realty
2012 Chair-Elect HAR.com
Mobile: 713-581-4702
Fax: 866-304-3433
Email: danfranktx@gmail.com
www.danfrankrealty.com
Information About Brokerage Services

Chat: Google Talk: DanFrankTX Skype: DanFrankTX

Mobile Device Security:Best Practices and Tools

Danny Frank, The Real Estate Expert (Turbo Realty 713-581-4702) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:29:35 -0800

Most real estate professionals own a mobile device that stores contacts and emails, and that provides access to social media and other online accounts. However, some real estate professionals may not realize the sensitivity of the documents they receive via email as part of the closing process. Mobile devices create an information security risk that needs to be addressed. There are two basic categories of risk management when it comes to mobile devices: practices and tools.

The first practice is to physically protect the device. Information on the device is sensitive; don’t leave it sitting around unattended and unprotected. But that’s not a reliable practice. According to a 2010 Symantec study, 62% of us have lost a mobile device or had it stolen. Therefore, additional care is required.

The second practice is to require authentication (login) to access the phone – a password or difficult-to-guess “swipe.” Most mobile devices have this capability now. Keep in mind that a dirty screen makes it easy to see a swipe pattern, so get in the habit of running your palm over the screen after you log in to your device.

The third practice is encryption, where the data is scrambled and requires a code or login to unscramble, so a thief can’t read the data off your device’s memory card. On some devices, encryption is the default, on others you have to turn it on, while on still others you have to use optional software, which I’ll come back to later in this article. Research your device carefully for encryption options.

The fourth practice is limiting Bluetooth, a capability that lets you add a wireless headset to your device but can also be very hackable. Set Bluetooth to “hidden mode” on your device, and disable it when not in use.

The fifth practice is limiting installation of third-party “apps.” If you download lots of apps from untrustworthy sources or written by companies you don’t know and trust, you may be installing dangerous software on your device. Take care, because you can’t depend on “app store” managers or website owners where you download software to be cautious for you.

Many tools are available to help you secure your mobile device in a variety of ways, including providing antivirus, encryption, and firewall-like features. They let you remotely lock and wipe data from the device, take a picture of the person using your device, sound an alarm (useful when you can’t find your phone, too!), and display information on the screen to help someone return a lost device. The following list is by no means comprehensive, but includes some of the better known and most trusted companies and products on the market.

Kaspersky (kaspersky.com): On the Windows Mobile, Symbian, Blackberry, and Android platforms, Kaspersky provides a tool which includes antivirus, lets you wipe data remotely, and lets you find your missing device on a Google map. This tool can provide encryption for Windows Mobile and Symbian.

McAfee (wavesecure.com): McAfee’s WaveSecure product, which works on Android, BlackBerry, Symbian, Windows Phone, Java-based devices and iPhone, provides a wide variety of features varying by device. It lets you back up and restore your data, lock your phone remotely, sound an alarm, wipe your data, see where your phone is on a map and display a message to prompt someone who has your device to return it. It can also send a text message alert if someone tries to put a new SIM card (memory) in your phone to try to prevent you from finding your phone. And it has a feature to prevent someone from uninstalling the security software. On the iPhone, the features are limited to data backup and restoration and tracking the phone location.

AVG (avg.com): On the Android platform, AVG provides a tool which includes a phone locator, remote lock and data wiping, and antivirus, and even helps protect you when you surf the web by blocking pages it determines contain dangerous scripts or malware.

Norton (www.norton.com): Their Mobile Security product is usable with Android only, but is very full-featured. It provides antivirus/antimalware protection, blocks known fraudulent (phishing) websites, and lets you remotely locate, lock, and wipe data from your phone, display a “lost” message, grab a picture of the person using your device (if the device has a webcam), and sound an alarm.

Trend Micro (us.trendmicro.com): On the Android platform, this tool blocks known fraudulent (phishing) websites, allows you to locate, lock and wipe data from your device, and sound an alarm. If the SIM (memory) is taken from the device, it automatically locks the device and displays your customized “lost” message.
Security tools on the iPhone and iPad are limited because Apple has not cooperated very well with security vendors. Some security capabilities are built right into the Apple devices, especially if you add the optional MobileMe service, which allows you to find the device and remotely lock and wipe the data from it. But available third-party tools are fairly limited and new, and most haven’t been thoroughly reviewed by the security community. However, you may want to consider tools like Webroot SecureWeb Browser (itunes.apple.com), which attempts to block malicious websites, and GadgetTrak (gadgettrak.com), which can send you the device location and pictures of whoever is using it. If you have Intego (intego.com) VirusBarrier on your Mac, you can also use it to scan for viruses on your Apple mobile devices.

New threats and new security tools are emerging all the time, and mobile device security is really the new frontier of information security. If you follow the practices outlined above and continue to evaluate your mobile security tool options, then the mobile world should be a safer place for you, your data, and the data which others entrust to you.

Matt Cohen has consulted to MLSs, Associations, franchises, brokerages, and many real estate industry software companies for over 14 years. Matt is a well-regarded real estate industry expert on industry trends, software design, product management, project management, and information security.

Credit for this story goes to ANAHI VILLALON / JANUARY 6, 2012 http://www.harconnect.com/

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Call Danny Frank, at 713-581-4702 to find out how you can become part of the fastest growing real estate company in the world.

Danny Frank
Turbo Realty
2012 Chair-Elect HAR.com
Mobile: 713-581-4702
Fax: 866-304-3433
Email: danfranktx@gmail.com
www.danfrankrealty.com
Information About Brokerage Services

Chat: Google Talk: DanFrankTX Skype: DanFrankTX

HAR TOOLS Overview with Danny Frank

Danny Frank, The Real Estate Expert (Turbo Realty 713-581-4702) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:53:15 -0800

Do you want or need to learn about the FREE tools that HAR.com offers its members? Danny Frank, Chairman-Elect HAR, will be giving a class on the tools of the trade and how to use them in your real estate business. The class will be held at the Keller Williams Realty office in Pearland from 10 to 11:30 on Friday, Jan 27, 2012. The class is free to Realtors. You can RSVP at: https://www.facebook.com/events/236531279760558/

Become part of something bigger
Keller Williams Realty is a company that changes lives. The culture is as diverse as the countless ways in which associates and market centers commit themselves to finding and serving the higher purpose of business, and is united by cohesive understanding of our Mission, Vision, Values, Beliefs and Perspectives.

During our first, annualRED Day, which is now a company wide tradition, 22,000 associates participated in a coordinated effort to give back with their local communities.
At the heart of Keller Williams culture in action is KW Cares, a public charity created to reach out and support each other during times of extreme and unexpected hardship.

Call Danny Frank, at 713-581-4702 to find out how you can become part of the fastest growing real estate company in the world.

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Danny Frank
Turbo Realty
2012 Chair-Elect HAR.com
Mobile: 713-581-4702
Fax: 866-304-3433
Email: danfranktx@gmail.com
www.danfrankrealty.com
Information About Brokerage Services

Chat: Google Talk: DanFrankTX Skype: DanFrankTX

Danny Frank Joins the Keller Williams Clear Lake/NASA Office as Team leader

Danny Frank, The Real Estate Expert (Turbo Realty 713-581-4702) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:52:59 -0800

Danny Frank Joins the Keller Williams Clear Lake Office

Danny Frank has joined the Keller Williams Realty Team in Clear Lake/NASA area of Houston TX as the new Team Leader/General Manager. Danny is a well respect member of the Houston Association of Realtors and is the 2012 Chairman Elect and will be Chairman 2013. Danny also serves as a Regional Vice President to the Texas Association of Realtors and he also sits on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Realtors as well.

The office Danny is now leading is expanding and now houses 126 Realtors. Danny hopes to have to office agent count up to 175 by the end of 2012. He is now interviewing both new and seasoned agents to help agents grow their profit share that Keller Williams gives back to it’s agents.

Danny Frank says “A commitment to training and coaching at every level is at the heart of what sets Keller Williams Realty apart. Keller Williams University provides an industry-leading curriculum addressing every aspect of success in real estate. Multimedia training is offered online, via KWConnect, the real estate industry's most innovative distance learning program. Among the industry’s top tier coaching programs,MAPS Coaching, led by Dianna Kokoszka, is having a profound impact on the careers of thousands of real estate professionals.”

Become part of something bigger
Keller Williams Realty is a company that changes lives. The culture is as diverse as the countless ways in which associates and market centers commit themselves to finding and serving the higher purpose of business, and is united by cohesive understanding of our Mission, Vision, Values, Beliefs and Perspectives.

During our first, annualRED Day, which is now a companywide tradition, 22,000 associates participated in a coordinated effort to give back with their local communities.
At the heart of Keller Williams culture in action is KW Cares, a public charity created to reach out and support each other during times of extreme and unexpected hardship.

Call Danny Frank, at 713-581-4702 to find out how you can become part of the fastest growing real estate company in the world.

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Whether you're interested in buying your first home, your next home, or just want to know more about home-ownership in general, I encourage you to check out a couple of great online resources:http://www.texasrealestate.com/ or http://www.har.com/. And for all of your Pearland, TX and Northern Brazoria and Galveston County real estate needs, please visit his site at:http://www.danfrankrealty.com. All of these sites offer tons of useful, real estate-related information geared specifically for Texans.

Remember, Danny Frank is always looking to hire new and experienced real estate agents for the team at Keller Williams Are you ready to move to the next level in your career? Call him to join today You can see his entire blog at: http://www.pearlandrealtyblog.com

Danny Frank
Turbo Realty
2012 Chair-Elect HAR.com
Mobile: 713-581-4702
Fax: 866-304-3433
Email: danfranktx@gmail.com
www.danfrankrealty.com
Information About Brokerage Services

Chat: Google Talk: DanFrankTX Skype: DanFrankTX

Key Decisions From Nov. 2011 Board of Directors Meeting - NAR

Danny Frank, The Real Estate Expert (Turbo Realty 713-581-4702) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:44:29 -0800

Directors Rescind Franchisor MLS IDX Display Policy

The NAR Board of Directors meeting at the end of the 2011 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in Anaheim on Monday voted to rescind a Multiple Listing Service policy on the display of Internet Data Exchange (IDX) listings on franchisors' Web sites.
A work group has been tasked to broaden the policy to address listing displays over mobile devices and via social media (with a broker opt-out option). Listing data sent via RSS (Really Simple syndication) won't be included because of the difficulty in controlling access to RSS feeds.
In other changes to MLS policy, directors took the following actions:

Sales price information. Amended the Statement of MLS Policy and the implementing model MLS rules to allow MLSs to require reporting of sale prices by participants. In "non-disclosure states," if sale prices are provided by the MLS to government agencies and or third-party entities for uses other than those authorized in the amended Policy Statement, sellers may request that their sale price not be provided to such entities.
REOs. Gave MLSs discretionary authority to require listing participants to disclose whether listed property is a foreclosure, bank-owned, or real estate-owned (REO).
Lockboxes. Increased from $200 to $300 the maximum security deposit associations and MLSs can require for lockboxes.

At the meeting, the Directors took actions on other areas of association business:

Nominating Rules

Adopted a set of binding endorsement guidelines for members of the NAR Nominating Committee, alternates, and members of the Leadership Team to promote impartiality toward members running for association office
Required that regions appoint an alternate representative as a non-voting member of the Nominating Committee to help ensure continuity on the committee.
Established criteria for state or regional endorsements of candidates

Appraisal Policy

Sent a set of property valuation principles back to a workgroup to ensure they don't conflict with the NAR Code of Ethics. The principles would support independent valuations of real property. The Responsible Valuation Principles were developed by a workgroup of the Appraisal subcommittee and address the licensing of appraisers, coercion of appraisers to reach valuations, and compliance with the appraisal industry's Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.
Changed the structure of the Appraisal Committee to be a broader based Real Property Valuation Committee. Members of the reconstituted committee, which came out of a valuation summit held earlier this year, will provide recommendations on valuation-related issues and will be composed of appraisers, brokers, and members engaged in other real estate disciplines.

Code of Ethics and Professional Standards:

The Delegate Body adopted language to implement discretionary authority for boards and associations to require their members mediate disputes that would be otherwise arbitrated.
The board also adopted a new Standard of Practice 3.9 to prohibit REALTORS® from accessing or using, or permitting or enabling others to access or use, listed or managed property on terms or conditions other than those authorized by the owner or seller.
In the Delegate Body meeting, delegates changed the word "competitors" to "other real estate professionals" in a provision in Article 15 of the Code that prohibits the making of false or misleading statements about others.

Federal Policy

The board adopted a policy to oppose any efforts in the federal government to consolidate the operations of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Rural Housing Service. Under the policy, if the two agencies were consolidated, NAR would seek to ensure there's no diminishment or disruption in programs.
To help address what practitioners say is an increasing number of lawsuits against brokers alleging violation of Section 8 (anti-kickback) of the federal Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), NAR will create a group to examine the legislative, regulatory, administrative, and judicial terrain of RESPA and identify recommendations for changes.

Internal Business

The board amended the association's investment statement for governing the management of its funds, including its new REALTOR® Party funds. Among other things, up to 50 percent of funds may be placed with an outside investment manager, up from 40 percent.
The board also authorized NAR to purchase a 2012 Master Policy for the Professional Liability Insurance Program for itself, its affiliates, and state and local associations and their wholly owned MLSs and affiliates. The $1.2 million premium is 14 percent lower than this year's premium.
The Delegate Body changed Article III, section 8, of the NAR Constitution to broaden the definition of an NAR international affiliate to "organization" from "association" to reflect that many international affiliates aren't structured as associations.

State and Local Political Activism
NAR will provide Issues Mobilization funding of $332,140 to the Oregon Association of REALTORS® for the next phase of their Coordinated Campaign to pass a Constitutional ballot measure in 2012 to permanently prohibit real estate transfer taxes in Oregon.

People
The Nominating Committee announced its NAR leadership slate for 2013: Gary Thomas of Alison Viejo, Calif., for president; Steve Brown of Dayton, Ohio, for president-elect; Chris Polychron of Hot Springs, Ark., for first vice president; and Bill Armstrong, Damascus, Maryland, for treasurer.
The Nominating Committee also announced that three NAR members have filed for office of first vice president: Bill Brown of Oakland, Calif.; James Helsel of Camp Hill, Pa.; and Thomas F. Salomone of Coral Springs, Fla., and for treasurer, Michael C. McGrew of Lawrence, Kan.
The Distinguished Service Award went to Adorna Carroll of Realty Three Inc., in Berlin, Conn., and PeggyAnn McConnochie of ACH Consulting in Juneau, Alaska. They're the 79th and 80th recipients of the DSA Award, respectively.
The William R Magel Award went to Gary Clayton, CEO of Illinois Association of REALTORS®.

REALTOR.com
REALTOR.com President Errol Samuelson gave a report on NAR's official consumer marketing site. The site now incorporates an international site on which U.S. property listings are made available to home buyers in other countries and automatically translated into 11 other languages. He also talked about changes to the site to bring listings and other information to consumers via mobile devices.
Past NAR President Cathy Whatley, who represents NAR on the board of REALTOR.com operator Move Inc., cautioned NAR members against surrendering too much of their data to data aggregators, such as Trulia and Zillow, that can't be counted on to protect their interests.

REALTOR® University
REALTOR® University Board of Regents Chairman Richard Rosenthal of Riverside, Calif., said the university is on track to receive accreditation by the State of Illinois and expects to roll out its first academic program in March 2012. Just under 300 people have submitted an expression of interest to begin studies at the university, far more than the 40 that NAR originally budgeted for. Rosenthal said the university is ready to handle 150 students.
The university's scholarship program has gotten off to a great start as well. State and local associations have pledged more than $250,000 to fund scholarships for students. NAR will be matching the money, bringing the total to more than $500,000. "This will ensure the brightest and best in the industry are encouraged to come to REALTOR® University," Rosenthal said.

Danny Frank
Team Leader
Keller Williams Realty
Office phone: (713)569-8102

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Remember, Danny Frank is always looking to hire new and experienced real estate agents for the team at Keller Williams Are you ready to move to the next level in your career? Call me to join today You can see my entire blog at: http://www.pearlandrealtyblog.com

Danny Frank
Turbo Realty
2012 Chair-Elect HAR.com
Mobile: 713-581-4702
Fax: 866-304-3433
Email: danfranktx@gmail.com
www.danfrankrealty.com
Information About Brokerage Services

Chat: Google Talk: DanFrankTX Skype: DanFrankTX

Ensure Your Clients Have Access to Affordable Mortgages

Danny Frank, The Real Estate Expert (Turbo Realty 713-581-4702) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 08:18:33 -0700

As your constituent, and a REALTOR®, I urge you to act now to make the current loan limits for FHA, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae (the government sponsored enterprises, or GSEs) permanent. On October 1, 2011, the mortgage loan limits for FHA and the GSEs will decrease, lessening the availability of mortgage credit for hundreds of thousands of responsible and credit-worthy American families. What we need now is time for the real estate market and overall economy to heal, to self-correct, and stabilize. Reducing mortgage liquidity at this time will hurt our fragile economic recovery. H.R. 1754 has been introduced in the House by Reps. Miller (R-CA) and Sherman (D-CA) to make the current limits permanent. No similar bill has yet been introduced in the Senate.

In today's real estate market, lowering the loan limits will make mortgages more expensive for households nationwide. Private investors have not yet returned to housing markets, and FHA and GSE mortgages together continue to constitute the vast majority of home financing available today, which makes it particularly critical to extend the current limits. Lowering the loan limits now will leave credit-worthy borrowers without access to affordable financing and will prolong our housing crisis.

Although many believe that lower rates will only affect a few high-cost markets. the new limits, published by HUD and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), show that more than 669 counties in 42 states and the territories would be negatively impacted by the loan limit change. The average decline in loan limits would be more than $68,000. Only eight states will see no decline. Every other state will see a drop in loan limits, and therefore a corresponding drop in the availability and affordability of mortgage credit. I urge you to pass legislation, like H.R. 1754 in the House, to make the current limits for FHA and the GSEs permanent, and preserve housing opportunities for American families.

Sincerely,

Danny Frank

REALTOR®

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Whether you're interested in buying your first home, your next home, or just want to know more about home-ownership in general, I encourage you to check out a couple of great online resources: http://www.texasrealestate.com/ or http://www.har.com/. And for all of your Pearland, TX and Northern Brazoria and Galveston County real estate needs, please visit my site at: http://www.danfrankrealty.com. All of these sites offer tons of useful, real estate-related information geared specifically for Texans.

Remember, Danny Frank is a local Pearland, TX Real Estate expert! You can see my entire blog at: http://www.pearlandrealtyblog.com

Danny Frank
Turbo Realty
2012 Chair-Elect HAR.com
Mobile: 713-581-4702
Fax: 866-304-3433
Email: danfranktx@gmail.com
www.danfrankrealty.com
Information About Brokerage Services

Chat: Google Talk: DanFrankTX Skype: DanFrankTX

CCA Texas Meeting TONIGHT - Bay Area Chapter

Danny Frank, The Real Estate Expert (Turbo Realty 713-581-4702) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:53:26 -0700

Just A Reminder for tonight

CCA Texas

Bay Area Chapter General Membership Meeting TONIGHT!

COME HEAR SHANE BONNOT FROM SEA CENTER TEXAS SPEAK TO OUR CHAPTER!!

Monday, June 20th at 7pm

Mario’s Pizza on Nasa Rd. 1

Ya’ll come on out and join the good time we will be having at Mario’s Pizza on June 20th. We’ve got Shane Bonnot from Sea Center coming to talk to us about his flounder work and cool facts about Sea Center and how it impacts our Texas bays. Sea Center Texas is a one-of-a-kind marine fish hatchery and Visitor’s Center located on 75 acres in Lake Jackson, Texas.

We will have pre-registering for our June 25th Bay Area fishing tournament the day of the meeting.

There is an attachment on this email that is a memo about our fishing tournament, so take a look!

For more information please call Curtis Anderson at 832-435-0257 or Campbell Weber at 713-626-4222 or cweber@ccatexas.org

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Whether you're interested in buying your first home, your next home, or just want to know more about home-ownership in general, I encourage you to check out a couple of great online resources: http://www.texasrealestate.com/ or http://www.har.com/. And for all of your Pearland, TX and Northern Brazoria and Galveston County real estate needs, please visit my site at: http://www.danfrankrealty.com. All of these sites offer tons of useful, real estate-related information geared specifically for Texans.

Remember, Danny Frank is a local Pearland, TX Real Estate expert! You can see my entire blog at: http://www.pearlandrealtyblog.com

Danny Frank
Turbo Realty
2012 Chair-Elect HAR.com
Mobile: 713-581-4702
Fax: 866-304-3433
Email: danfranktx@gmail.com
www.danfrankrealty.com
Information About Brokerage Services

Chat: Google Talk: DanFrankTX Skype: DanFrankTX

To My Dad, Happy Fathers Day

Danny Frank, The Real Estate Expert (Turbo Realty 713-581-4702) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 10:12:36 -0700

Dad, thanks for being my Father, my guiding light...my Dad. Thanks for teaching me to fish, to be independent, to work on things that most would be afraid to touch. Thank you for all you have taught me about life. Thanks for being there for me when I fell down and for always helping me back up. Thanks for everything you have ever done - just for always being there. I know I have not told you enough how much I love you.

I am proud to call you my Dad...there are no sufficient words.

I love you Dad, Happy Fathers Day.

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Whether you're interested in buying your first home, your next home, or just want to know more about home-ownership in general, I encourage you to check out a couple of great online resources: http://www.texasrealestate.com/ or http://www.har.com/. And for all of your Pearland, TX and Northern Brazoria and Galveston County real estate needs, please visit my site at: http://www.danfrankrealty.com. All of these sites offer tons of useful, real estate-related information geared specifically for Texans.

Remember, Danny Frank is a local Pearland, TX Real Estate expert! You can see my entire blog at: http://www.pearlandrealtyblog.com

Danny Frank
Turbo Realty
2012 Chair-Elect HAR.com
Mobile: 713-581-4702
Fax: 866-304-3433
Email: danfranktx@gmail.com
www.danfrankrealty.com
Information About Brokerage Services

Chat: Google Talk: DanFrankTX Skype: DanFrankTX

LLano River Running No More - Dryed Up

Danny Frank, The Real Estate Expert (Turbo Realty 713-581-4702) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 09:40:39 -0700

The Llano river has run dry. This seems to be the first time this has happened in more than 100 years. I grew up playing in and around the Llano river and the low water crossing in Kingsland TX. What fond memories I have of that time in my life.

As of Wednesday, the Llano River, which normally courses through town at 158 cubic feet per second this time of year, was flowing at 3.8 cubic feet per second — the slowest since 1953, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The river is the city's sole source of drinking water.

Officials expect the river's flow to stop as soon as the end of this week, prompting bans on personal car washing, sprinkler use and pool filling.
The city has between 60 and 90 days of untreated water stored behind two dams. But with the water as low as it is, it might be too cloudy or contain too much algae to be treated.

When those stores are gone, the city may need to dig wells or truck in water as a last resort.

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Whether you're interested in buying your first home, your next home, or just want to know more about home-ownership in general, I encourage you to check out a couple of great online resources: http://www.texasrealestate.com/ or http://www.har.com/. And for all of your Pearland, TX and Northern Brazoria and Galveston County real estate needs, please visit my site at: http://www.danfrankrealty.com. All of these sites offer tons of useful, real estate-related information geared specifically for Texans.

Remember, Danny Frank is a local Pearland, TX Real Estate expert! You can see my entire blog at: http://www.pearlandrealtyblog.com

Danny Frank
Turbo Realty
2012 Chair-Elect HAR.com
Mobile: 713-581-4702
Fax: 866-304-3433
Email: danfranktx@gmail.com
www.danfrankrealty.com
Information About Brokerage Services

Chat: Google Talk: DanFrankTX Skype: DanFrankTX