Month:November 2017

Case-Shiller: Home Prices Rise 6.2% in September

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller home price index jumped 6.2% in September, beating the 6.1% increase expected by economists polled by Reuters.

David Blitzer, S&P Dow Jones indexes managing director, said the index is rising “at the fastest annual rate since June 2014.”

Added Gino Blefari, president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices: “Home prices are rising across the country for many sound reasons. We have a healthy U.S. economy and an unemployment rate at its lowest level in nearly 17 years. With wages gradually rising and mortgage rates still near historic lows, people are feeling more confident and are looking to buy homes. A tight supply of homes has also contributed to home-price increases but we see a silver lining here. As home equity grows for existing homeowners, we believe more people will list their homes, which should bring greater balance to housing inventory and the market overall.”

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Thoughts on Leadership: Giving Thanks to Dwight “The Catch” Clark

By Gino Blefari

“[Quarterback Joe] Montana … Looking … Looking … Throwing into the end zone … Clark caught it! … It’s a madhouse at Candlestick …”

This week my travels find me in Northern California, working and preparing to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with friends and family. I’m feeling particularly grateful this year not only for my wonderful family but also for the friends who enrich my life in ways inextricable, intangible and extraordinary.

Leaders, as you know, are not born, they’re made, and the fabric of leaders is sewn from all the intelligent, inspiring people around them. One leader I’m thankful to call my close friend is Dwight “The Catch” Clark,” once an obscure, 10th-round draft pick in the 1979 NFL draft—the 249th player chosen—who went on to become Sports Illustrated’s NFL Player of the Year in 1982.  

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Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties Agent Named ‘Woman of the Year’

Tiffany Curry, agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties in Houston, has been named Woman of the Year at the 2017 Global Power Tour Houston, a summit for women entrepreneurs focused on building their business brand, strategy and finances.

Curry serves as a Board of Director for the National Association of REALTORS® and Chairs the NAR Mega Board Forum. She is also a member of the national Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices REthink Council. She ranks in the Top 2% of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brokerage network worldwide and is the No. 1 agent in closed sales at the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties’ Upper Kirby Office.

“I refused to be defined by walls, and so should you,” said Curry.  “Remember, slow and steady wins the race. Success doesn’t always happen overnight. Be patient, keep striving and align yourself with the right people.”

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Thursday Thoughts on Leadership: The Importance of Diversity

By Gino Blefari

This week my travels found me first in Irvine, CA for a Town Hall meeting at our HSF Affiliates HQ and next in Las Vegas for the Zillow Group Broker Forum at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. As I travel across the country and attend meetings led by some of our industry’s most powerful and innovative minds, I keep circling back to a theme prevalent in so many keynotes, panel discussions and coffee-break chats: diversity.

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Thoughts on Leadership: Michael Phelps, NAR and Winning

This week my travels took me to Chicago and then on to Southern California but let’s talk about Chicago and the 2017 REALTORS® Conference & Expo. My conference experience actually began in a very unusual way. Let me explain …

At exactly 7:22 a.m. –5:22 a.m. my time—I headed down to Starbucks for coffee, just as I do every morning to begin my usual routine. I was just waking up and had on a t-shirt and a bit of bed head when I arrived at Starbucks. (Hey, we’re always honest on this blog.) Anyway, there I am in line to get coffee when I recognized Michael Phelps was waiting right in front of me.

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Thoughts on Leadership: Get on Board

By Gino Blefari

This week my travels found me first in Minneapolis for a HomeServices of America, Inc. board meeting and then in chilly Chicago for the National Association of REALTORS® Conference & Expo. But more on my Windy City trip and NAR takeaways in next week’s post …

For now, let’s return to Minneapolis and talk about boards. In official corporate terms, a board of directors is primarily responsible for protecting shareholders’ assets and ensuring they receive a good return on investment. In this particular case, the HSoA board met to discuss budgeting, assess risk and in general, make decisions that would move the organization and its affiliates toward even more growth and profitability.

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