The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business In This Week’s “The EDGE” Median Price Hits Record High in June HAR Member Support Still Needed for NAR Call for Action Are You a Rising Star in Real Estate? Houston Market Movements Open Your Mind to Learning “The Edge” is a weekly tool for managers to use to inform their agents and stay current and up-to-date with important real estate industry issues. Brought to you by the HAR Communications Department.

The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business HAR will release the June 2016 MLS statistics this Wednesday, July 13, and here are some highlights of the monthly report: Houston home sales were flat year-over-year, with a total of 7,696 single-family units sold. The single-family home median price rose 2.5 percent to an all-time high of $230,538 while the average price declined 0.8 percent to $300,178, the second highest average price of all time. Months of inventory grew to a 3.7-months supply compared to a 3.2-months supply in June Housing inventory nationally stands at a 4.7-months supply, according to NAR. June rentals of single-family homes rose 4.8 percent year-over- year and the cost of renting those homes edged up slightly to $1,883. For more detailed information, please visit the HAR Online Newsroom for this and all other HAR news releases.HAR Online Newsroom Median Price Hits Record High in June

The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business HAR continues to urge all members to take action today through the recently launched NAR Call for Action in support of H.R. 3700, the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act. This legislation provides significant benefits to taxpayers, homebuyers and the real estate market by: Removing a burdensome and expensive FHA Condo approval process; Reducing FHA restrictions on the number of condos available to homebuyers; Permanently streamlining Rural Housing Service loan processing. The U.S. House passed H.R by a vote, however the U.S. Senate yet to act on H.R Click on this link to urge your U.S. Senators to bring H.R to the Senate Floor for a vote! This action only takes one minute or less. Also, please share this with all of your REALTOR® colleagues and friends!Click on this link to urge your U.S. Senators to bring H.R to the Senate Floor for a vote HAR’s response rate for this Call for Action stands at 13.03% as of Monday morning, July 11. The goal is to reach 20% participation rate. Click here to view the response rate for all Associations across Texas.Click here to view the response rate for all Associations across Texas. HAR Member Support Still Needed for NAR Call for Action

The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business 2016 marks the seventh annual YPN 20 Under 40 Rising Stars in Real Estate awards. This prestigious honor is presented to 20 HAR members 40 years of age or younger who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of sales, leadership and community involvement. To apply and view the qualifications and FAQs, please visit The deadline to apply is July 20, You may receive this honor only once. Awards will be presented on October 5 at Bayou City Event Center. Are You a Rising Star in Real Estate?

The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business The UK’s vote for exit from the European Union (Brexit) has apparently had at least one short-term effect on the U.S. housing market. The decision to not raise interest rates until later this year was likely made because of Brexit, so unrest in financial markets can be monitored with hopes of stabilization. Long-term effects may include more or less foreign investment in U.S. residential real estate, but wholesale price declines are not expected any time soon. In the Houston region, for the week ending July 3: New Listings increased 14.7% to 3,121 Pending Sales increased 28.4% to 2,146 Closed Sales increased 19.7% to 2,583 Houston Market Movements

The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE-2) *These courses may be taken in any order. Day One covers advanced negotiation techniques for buyer’s agents. Day Two covers working more effectively with listing agents mastering written negotiations in real estate. Certified Negotiation Expert designation awarded at the end of Day Two (no annual or renewal fee) 12 MCE Credit Hours Student Manuals Credit Towards the Master Certified Negotiation Expert (MCNE) Designation Greater confidence in ALL your negotiations Customizable forms to attract more Buyers and get better results Better results for your clients and yourself! Dates: July 11& 12 at HAR Central July 13 & 14 at HAR Montgomery County Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Investment: $249 Questions? Call ext. 6 Open Your Mind to Learning