The Gavel Strikes in Austin The 84 th Texas Legislature convened on January 13, and while much of what is going on is procedural and not specifically germane to real estate, your HAR Governmental Affairs team is monitoring activities and will keep you informed. After a dozen years of stable leadership, this session is marked by new faces in every major statewide office. There are also 24 freshmen representatives and 8 freshmen senators. After all the special-election chips fall, the Texas House will likely have 98 republicans and 52 democrats; the Texas Senate will have 20 republicans and 11 democrats. But, don’t fall in to the trap of only looking at a member’s party. There are lots of ways to break down the Legislature: urban/rural; coastal/inland; arid/moist; shale areas/non-shale areas. Plus, members from a particular area may band together for local legislation. For a copy of TAR’s 2015 Public Policy Statements and Legislative Priorities, see

Zillow-Trulia Merger Review May Get Sticky Much of the discussion about the Federal Trade Commission’s review of the pending Zillow-Trulia merger has centered around the share of advertising dollars that both parties command and the percentage of consumer traffic they represent. But another factor may play into the FTC’s analysis on whether the merger might harm competition in the real estate portal space. Zillow, Trulia and Realtor.com routinely cut deals with many of the nation’s largest brokerages and franchisors to purchase advertising at favorable prices that helps them capture more leads from the popular search portals. These arrangements, which give larger real estate companies an edge, may complicate the FTC review. When examining possible adverse competitive effects, the FTC considers whether those effects vary significantly for different customers purchasing the same or similar products. Such differential impacts are possible when sellers can discriminate by raising prices for certain targeted customers, but not to others. The possibility of price discrimination could weigh on the FTC approval of the merger — or lead it to impose specific conditions before agreeing to sign off on the deal. Read more about this story from Inman News at

Questions? ext. 6 This Way to Your Career! HAR REALTOR ® Launch: Your Path to Success HAR announces a new initiative to assist REALTORS ® in their career path to success! This intensive three-day class offers insights into how to handle your transaction from contract to closing. The program will include tools such as: Prospecting - How to Create Business Buyer and Seller Expectations - Understanding your role before, during and after the transaction Insight into the ancillary roles by subject matter experts such as appraisers, inspectors, lenders, title companies, home warranty reps and much more. You will have hands-on, interactive experience to help you with your business before you even have business. A light breakfast and lunch are included in the program. Date: Wed. - Fri., February 18, 19 & 20 Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Location: HAR Central Investment: $129 Register at