ABoR’s 2023 Central Texas Housing Summit is just days away, and attendees can expect an impressive lineup of industry experts ready to share their knowledge. If you haven’t secured your ticket yet, it’s time to take action! You’ll come away with a vast amount of market analysis, new research, and economic updates to immediately share with your clients.

Apart from the highly anticipated Central Texas Housing Summit, there are many more ABoR and MLS programs coming up that will elevate your expertise and boost your production. The second half of 2023 is going to be a busy and rewarding period for industry professionals.

Farm & Ranch Day – Tuesday, August 8

Location: ABoR Headquarters

This full-day event offers a variety of classes focusing on farm, land, and ranch topics. Notable speakers include Texas broker and instructor Avis Wukasch and Dr. Blake Bennett, an associate professor and extension economist from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension service. Attendees will also enjoy a complimentary lunch as part of their registration.

MLS Power Hour – Thursday, 10

Location: Virtual

 join the MLS Power Hour virtually to explore the lead-generation and client management tools integrated into your MLS subscription. This session aims to help you harness the power of technology to enhance your business and increase successful deal closures.

REACH Labs Innovation Showcase – Wednesday, August 16

Location: ABoR Headquarters

Did you know that AI can help with business planning? For those interested in the intersection of real estate and innovative technology, the REACH Labs Innovation Showcase on August 16th at the ABoR Headquarters is a must-attend event. Digital expert Marki Lemons-Ryhal will present “Six Figures in Twelve Months: Real Estate Planning on Steroids with AI,” offering valuable insights into AI-powered business planning. The event also features an in-person REACH Labs pitch battle with proptech startups, allowing you to witness cutting-edge ideas firsthand.

Strategic Partner & Member Happy Hour – Thursday, August 31

Location: The Haute Spot

Join fellow industry professionals from 4 to 7:00 p.m. to enjoy complimentary bites and beverages while strengthening your network and connecting with ABoR’s strategic partner organizations.

Central Texas International Homebuyers Report Release – Wednesday, September 6

Mark your calendars for Sept. 6, as ABoR will release the highly anticipated 2023 Central Texas International Homebuyers Report. This year’s report will include research conducted by Dr. Clare Losey, ABoR housing economist, providing valuable insights into the international real estate market in Central Texas.

NAR’s Sustainability Summit – September 12-13

Location: Hyatt Regency Austin

The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) Sustainability Summit is taking place in Austin this year at the Hyatt Regency Austin. This annual conference explores the progress and market transformation in sustainability affecting real estate associations and professionals. The event aligns with NAR’s Sustainability and Resilience Plan and Strategic Plan, providing valuable programming and discussions for attendees.

Diversity Summit – Wednesday, September 20

Location: ABoR Headquarters

ABoR’s inaugural Diversity Summit will take place at the ABoR Headquarters. This half-day event aims to foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging in both the Association and the communities. Keep an eye out for the program agenda and registration details, which will be available soon.

ABoR City Hall Visits – October 26

Location: Austin City Hall

This is an opportunity to meet with Austin City Council Members and Mayor Kirk Watson to share firsthand experiences from the market and advocate for prioritizing housing. Meetings with Council Members will take place from 1 to 4 p.m., followed by a reception on the Mayor’s Balcony from 4 to 6 p.m.

With the constant buzz surrounding the housing market and the multitude of conflicting opinions, it has become increasingly crucial for the Austin Board of REALTORS (ABoR) to be the trusted source of accurate real estate information. As a result, I am delighted to announce that ABoR has reached a significant milestone in hiring its first-ever in-house economist: Dr. Clare Losey.

We are in an era where real estate decisions are constantly influenced by ever-evolving economic factors, and having an economist on our team enables us to cut through the noise and provide you and your clients with a reliable, insightful perspective on the Austin housing market and economy. With Dr. Losey’s expertise and guidance, ABoR empowers you to stay on top of the market.

For better market awareness, ABoR recently launched a new member benefit – Driving It Home, a weekly interview with Dr. Losey. Every Tuesday, members receive an email with the interview explaining the week’s need-to-know trends so that you can be caught up on the market before finishing your morning drive.

Our new Economic Report, Driving It Home, is just the first of several new economic reports and market resources you’ll receive as part of your ABoR membership! Also, ABoR released its flagship Central Texas Housing Market Report earlier this month. They are currently working on additional research and reports, including a Rent vs. Buy Index slated for release next month.

These annual research reports are invaluable tools that unlock the opportunity to stay ahead in the ever-evolving real estate landscape. The insights and analysis that can be found in these reports can help you enhance your decision-making abilities, offer informed guidance to your clients, and make the most of the unique opportunities that the Central Texas market presents to you. ABoR is committed to ensuring that you have every opportunity to succeed as a real estate professional and that you have access to the knowledge you need in order to achieve your goals. In case you haven’t already seen them, I would encourage you to read and share ABoR’s previous reports, such as the Central Texas Housing Fees Analysis Report that was released last July and the 2022 International Home Buyers Report.

Lastly, but certainly not least, do not forget all the MLS tools and benefits available to you to keep you as the source of real estate information for your clients. Apart from the MLS, Remine Pro and RPR® are the two most critical tools available to you. With its remarkable farming capabilities and analysis of on- and off-market data, there is no tool as powerful as Remine at this time. The RPR® mobile app, which was recently updated, has greatly improved access to MLS on the go. In addition to a top-of-the-line CMA tool, RPR® Mobile also provides access to powerful data, tools and reports wherever you are. When these tools are used together, they can serve as a lifeline for staying on top of the market at all times. You can register for a FREE training at ABoR.com/Take-A-Class and then have access to both Remine and RPR® directly through the Clareity dashboard.

Join Us for Central Texas Housing Summit in July

We encourage you to save the date for ABoR’s Central Texas Housing Summit, set to take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday, July 26. The Housing Summit will offer participants the chance to hear presentations and discussions regarding the regional housing market, to gain valuable insights, and to network with other industry leaders. Come and explore with us the current housing landscape, economic trends, and potential solutions we can implement to make our housing market in Central Texas more vibrant and sustainable. Visit ABoR.com/HousingSummit for more information and to register for the event.

RentSpree is coming to ACTRIS MLS!

With Austin being a bustling rental market, I am thrilled that we’ll have one more tool in our toolbelt to help streamline the rental application process — and your future tenants will love it too!

To give you a bit of insight, RentSpree is a fully integrated MLS product that helps landlords and property managers quickly and easily screen potential tenants. It streamlines the rental process by allowing applicants to submit their rental application, background check, and other documentation—all in one place. The platform can provide applicants’ rental history, credit scores, and more, so landlords and property managers can make informed decisions about potential tenants.

With RentSpree, members will be able to:

• Sign up and start screening your first tenant in as little as five minutes. Screening reports and rental applications are available 24/7, and you can access RentSpree on the go from any mobile device

• Reduce liability by allowing RentSpree to manage the screening process. Stop needlessly handling sensitive information or collecting screening fees from clients

• Receive a clean and professional application package from each applicant. Your clients will thank you for giving them an easy and efficient way to make an informed decision

This addition of RentSpree was all thanks to the hard work of last year’s Leasing Management Services (LMS) Task Force. I appreciate the time and effort they put into finding a valuable rental solution for our LMS Subscribers, and I know you will find it very useful for your business.

LMS Subscribers can claim their account by visiting www.rentspree.com/partner/abor and then simply opt-in to RentSpree on any Residential Lease listing to begin using the product. For subscribers interested in adding the LMS subscription to gain access to rentals and use RentSpree within ACTRIS MLS, simply go to your ABoR member portal and manage your MLS subscriptions.

You can also sign up for the upcoming MLS Power Hour on Tuesday, April 4th, where we’ll have RentSpree’s Senior Client Success Manager Steven Pastores give a deep dive into the benefits and features of the product integration within ACTRIS. Register for the MLS Power Hour at ABoR.com/Events.

Get Ready for the 24K Gold Gala!

I want to personally invite you to the 2022 Industry Awards Celebration on Friday, March 31 at the Fairmont Austin Hotel. This year’s theme is 24K Gold Gala, and the gilded and glamorous evening will begin at 6 p.m., with the unveiling of the winners of our 2022 Industry Awards starting at 7 p.m.

Attendees can look forward to an incredible dinner, a vacation raffle to a luxurious destination and surprise entertainment that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

After dinner and cocktails, we’ll hit the dance floor for an epic afterparty from 9 to 11 p.m. with music from a live band. Most importantly, make sure to dress in your best gold attire and accessories to capture the fun and savor the memories at our 360° photo booth.

Purchase your tickets at ABoR.com/Celebrate today. I can’t wait to see you there!

As your Austin Board of REALTORS (ABoR) & ACTRIS President, I am declaring 2023 as our Year of Connection. As you know, one thing about our business is that it’s all about cultivating connections and strengthening relationships with our clients, colleagues and community. We should never lose sight of how important it is to find time to connect with one another.

A great place to start connecting is at ABoR. Now more than ever, leveraging the benefits provided by ABoR and ACTRIS keeps you in the know and gives you the opportunity to better serve your clients. Getting plugged into our Association and learning about issues affecting our industry has made me a better professional. This has ultimately allowed me to serve my clients at a much higher level.

As I was thinking back over how I became involved at ABoR, I remembered ABoR’s CEO Emily Chenevert coming to speak at one of our brokerage sales meetings. She talked about the importance of advocacy, why it was essential to our business, and how we could get involved in the decision-making that impacts our business. There are so many opportunities to make industry connections. From events like Coffee with a Council Member to REALTOR® Day at the Capitol, ABoR Advocacy gives you a direct line to connect and engage with key decision-makers in Central Texas. Over the years, my business has thrived, and I largely attribute my success to my involvement on the Legislative Management Team, TREPAC, and other advocacy opportunities at ABoR.  

If your calendar is already overflowing with appointments, one easy way to give back to your community is to invest in your industry. This can be done through TREPAC or the ABoR Foundation. Both opportunities positively impact the real estate industry right here in Central Texas, whether it’s protecting property rights, promoting homeownership, or providing resources for housing, education, and disaster relief. 

I challenge you to get involved with the Association, TREPAC, ABoR Foundation, ABoR Global, or other organizations right here in our backyard. As REALTORS®, we are uniquely positioned to care for and be ambassadors for those who live around us. Take the time to learn from your colleagues who have been in the business for a long time, call on a mentor, or write a thank you note to someone who has impacted your personal or professional life for the better. Communication, connection, and community are the keys to personal and career success.

If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this Year of Connection, it would be to reach out to each other, lend a hand, bridge the gap, introduce people to each other, and ask members to join us. We are stronger together when everyone has a voice and is represented. I will work hard alongside our Boards of Directors to create opportunities for members to have a seat at the table. This will enable them to join the conversation at the local, state, and national level. So, how will you get involved and stay connected?

Learn more about ABoR volunteer opportunities at ABoR.com/Volunteer.