1. In This Week’s “The EDGE”
The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business
In This Week’s “The EDGE”
• A New Case Against FSBOs
• HAR Honors Real Estate’s Rising Stars
• Impressive Houston Job Growth Rebound
• Houston Market Movements
• Become Internationally Certified
“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.

2. A New Case Against FSBOs
The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business
A New Case Against FSBOs
Over the years, research has challenged the value of the real estate agent, but a new study brings affirmation.
It suggests that homeowners will net roughly the same proceeds whether they sell through a real estate agent or go the For Sale By Owner (FSBO) route.
That’s because agents tend to achieve higher sales prices for properties than comparable FSBO listings — enough to offset their commission fee, according to a study released by automated valuation model (AVM) provider Collateral Analytics.
This makes a strong case for hiring an agent, considering that agents allow homeowners to reduce the work, risk and time of selling a home, said Dr. Michael Sklarz, CEO of Collateral Analytics and co-author of the study.
“Overall it is clear that FSBOs have a low probability of selling, and if they do they will likely net the same or less after closing issues, plus they are more likely to screw up on disclosures which may lead to lawsuits after the fact, when buyers discover material facts not disclosed,” added Norman Miller, who produced the study with Sklarz and is a real estate professor at the University of San Diego.
Read more about this report from Inman News here and get other relevant real estate industry news through the FREE Inman Select subscription to which all HAR members are entitled.

3. HAR Honors Real Estate’s Rising Stars
The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business
HAR Honors Real Estate’s Rising Stars
This week, it’s all about the sun and the moon, but on Thursday, October 5, HAR salutes the Rising Stars in Real Estate.
For more information and registration, please visit

4. Impressive Houston Job Growth Rebound
The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business
Impressive Houston Job Growth Rebound
The Houston area economy added 54,200 new jobs over the last year, which represents one of the strongest employment reports since job growth tailed off in 2015, according to the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and released last week by the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP).
The report covered a 12-month period ending July 31, 2017.
The sectors accounting for the bulk of the gains are manufacturing, healthcare, government, restaurants and bars, and employment services (temporary help agencies).
Houston's unemployment rate in July was 4.9 percent, down from 5.3 percent in June and 5.8 percent in July 2016.
Read the complete report online here.

5. Houston Market Movements
The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business
Houston Market Movements
New listings and sales were up nationally. The prevailing trends have remained consistent throughout the summer, which is no real surprise. There have not been any jolting changes in the economy that would affect residential real estate. This includes steady news for factors such as wage growth, unemployment, new construction and mortgage rates. Every locality has its unique challenges, but housing as a whole is performing as expected.
In the Houston region, for the week ending August 13:
• New Listings increased 8.1% to 2,956
• Pending Sales increased 17.5% to 2,005
• Closed Sales decreased 4.0% to 1,560

6. The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business
Become Internationally Certified
Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS)
HAR presents Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation classes August 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30th. NAR’s CIPS designation is an excellent resource if you want to expand your global reach. After you complete the CIPS coursework and apply for the designation, you become part of the CIPS referral network, comprised of over 2,800 agents from 50 different countries. Designees are profiled in the CIPS directory where consumers and other agents can search to find experienced international practitioners.
Date: August 24, 25, 28, 29 & 30th
Location: HAR Central
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Investment: $749
Register at Questions? Call ext. 6