1. Average New Home Size Grows Though the average size of new homes keeps growing, there is more to this home buying trend than meets the eye, according to Census Bureau data presented by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) during the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas. The average home size has continued to rise for the past four years, from 2,362 square feet in 2009 to 2,679 square feet in 2013. The share of new homes with at least four bedrooms has also been on an upward trend, rising from 34 percent in 2009 to 48 percent last year. The upward trend also applies to the percentage of two-story single-family homes started, with the share steadily rising from 51 percent in 2009 to 60 percent in 2013. Bigger homes require higher credit scores and income to qualify for a mortgage; the spread between the average Experian credit score of all U.S. consumers and the average home borrower’s score has risen from 33 points in the early 2000s to 58 points in 2013. You may read the complete story here: http://ow.ly/ubTvt.http://ow.ly/ubTvt

2. Texas Primary Election is This Tuesday In case you didn’t cast your ballot during early voting, please remember that Tuesday, March 4 is the 2014 Texas Primary Election. The REALTOR® Party wants you to be informed as you head to the polls. Turning out is the best way for us to make the Texas REALTOR® voice heard. Election Day: Tuesday, March 4 (polls are open from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.) If you think that only the General Elections matter – think again. On the national scene, Texas is referred to as a “primary state.” That means most of our elections are decided in March. In fact, thanks to redistricting, there are only a handful of competitive elections in November, so your vote matters in this election! Go to HAR Connect for a list of polling locations by county as well as a rundown of the HAR recommended candidates: http://ow.ly/ubTUu

3. Realist Tax Launches This Wednesday Realist Tax launches in both Tempo and Fusion this Wednesday, March 5. Please be advised that Tempo will be unavailable from 5 to 8 a.m. that day while Realist Tax is activated. We thank you for your patience and understanding. Realist is compatible with all browsers and “lite” version for mobile browsers. Native apps for iPhone and Android devices coming soon. Coverage for all counties in Texas, including foreclosure and distressed property info. Here is a short video introduction: http://www.realist.com/support/tutorials/introduction. http://www.realist.com/support/tutorials/introduction If you would like to schedule an office visit, please contact HAR’s Professional Development department at: 713-629-1900 ext. 370.

4. Weekly HAR Market Stat According to early 2014 data, the trend is still one of improvement, albeit not at the speedy pace we'd prefer. Spring hasn't arrived yet and we'll have to weather a few more months of unpredictable weather before the sing-song tempo of May markets return. Although we await warmer days ahead, there's no need to wait to gear up for a headier market. Remaining on top of weekly trends and using data to bolster marketing efforts makes for a winning game plan. In the Houston region, for the week ending February 23: New Listings decreased 9.8% to 1,922 Pending Sales increased 21.1% to 1,878 Closed Sales increased 4.5% to 1,105

5. Questions? 713-629-1900 ext. 6 Open Your Mind to Learning Register at www.har.com/edu Master Certified Negotiation Expert 1 This program is part of a three-part series. This package features the following courses: Advanced Negotiation for Buyer's Agents Mastering Email Negotiations in Real Estate Advanced Negotiations for Buyers includes more advanced techniques and approaches to help buyers choose an effective negotiation plan and to help the buyer’s agent negotiate more effectively on their behalf. Email negotiating is becoming more common, especially with banks in short sales. But negotiating by email is the least effective way to negotiate! You typically experience poor results, more miscommunication and more hostility. Mastering Email Negotiations in Real Estate will teach you how to be most effective when negotiating by email or in writing. Learn to manage the content, message, and relationship and close more deals through email negotiating. Group discussions, case studies and student teaching will all be utilized to maximize the learning experience. Date: Wed. & Thurs., March 5 & 6 Time: 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Location: HAR Central Investment: $249