The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business In This Week’s “The EDGE” Early Vote in the March 1 Primary Around the World in 60 Minutes Real Estate’s Disruptive Millennials Houston Market Movements Come Prepared “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 Early Voting for the 2016 Primary Election begins this Tuesday, February 16, and concludes on Friday, February 26. If you do not participate in early voting, Primary Election Day is coming up in two weeks, on Tuesday, March 1. For information about the election, including a complete rundown of the HAR recommended candidates, please go here.here Early Vote in the March 1 Primary

The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business Do you want to discover a new approach to working with your real estate clients? Learn about being a Holistic REALTOR ® ? With the endless waves of different cultures surging the Texas real estate market you will need to embrace different approaches to cater to your global clientele. Learn about each culture and assist your client throughout the entire buying process. From selecting the right home lot to creating the perfect holistically balanced house, learn how to balance the energy and use different holistic techniques to help your client quickly buy or sell their home. Deyanira Gonzalez, with over 12 years of experience as a holistic living space advisor and holistic life coach, will share her expertise regarding holistic private and commercial real estate practices this Wednesday, February 17, from 12 to 1 p.m. at HAR Central. Register now at at har.com/edu! Lunch will be provided at 11:30 a.m. (please advise us of any food allergies). Around the World in 60 Minutes

The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business What if the next disruption in real estate is not some new technology? What if it’s a generation – one that does not value home ownership the way prior generations have? The real estate industry will tell you that Millennials have thus far delayed home ownership. Perhaps “delayed” is not the right word, and instead Millennials are forgoing home ownership for other reasons. You've probably heard plenty about student loan debt as a key reason Millennials aren't buying. Is that the case for some? Sure. But other reasons cited include flexibility and convenience. Perhaps Millennials view home ownership in the same way they view marriage: many are disenchanted with what they perceive to be an outdated tradition. Others, too, see renting as the best way to maximize lifestyle. Read more of this guest column on HAR Connect.HAR Connect Real Estate’s Disruptive Millennials

The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business The winter doldrums have hit the U.S. real estate market, with the same trends from late January continuing into February. Fewer home choices means less competition for sellers, and buyers are still in the housing game with federal rate hikes not anticipated to deter home buying in 2016, as mortgage rates are expected to stay low. What’s doing around Houston? Glad you asked! In the Houston region, for the week ending February 7: New Listings increased 6.7% to 2,615 Pending Sales increased 24.5% to 1,817 Closed Sales increased 2.0% to 801 Houston Market Movements

The EDGE Information and news that gives you an edge in the real estate business