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By Susanne Dwyer

Smart Expansion Fuels Growth at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties

Mike Huff has a simple philosophy when it comes to growth: go to where the opportunities are. It is this mindset that put him on the path to taking Anderson Properties from five agents in Houston to 1,000 agents in 40 locations throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. With a focus on consolidation within the firm’s footprint and acquisitions from outside, Huff believes in getting out of the way and letting agents do what they do best: “Do your job and work hard and good things are going to happen.” Find out more about Huff’s winning attitude and the strategies that have led to the firm’s success in this exclusive feature.

Maria Patterson: Tell us a little about how you got started in the business world.
Mike Huff: I spent most of my childhood in a town that no one’s heard of but everybody knows. Mount Airy, N.C. is the real Mayberry—it’s where Andy Griffith was born and where “The Andy Griffith Show” was conceived. My father had a wholesale distribution business that covered all of Western North Carolina. After graduating college, I got into that business with my father; we had multiple locations and we were very successful. We worked with contractors and dealt in building, plumbing, heating, air conditioning and electrical supplies.

But like most businesses, everything goes through a phase of consolidation, and so did we. When we sold the business, I worked with the new owners for three years. When my contract was not renewed, I had a job offer from a competitor in Houston within an hour, and I joined that firm. But that was a publicly traded company, and I was used to being my own boss. I quit three times and they talked me into staying twice.

MP: How did your career path lead you toward real estate?
MH: I had gotten my real estate license and started acquiring properties in Houston. I had acquired 100 properties and decided I would start managing them; that grew to 400 properties. I had my license with a small company with just five agents, Anderson Properties. When I got there in the early 2000s, Suzanne Anderson was about to shut the business down, and I got to thinking, this is a chance for me to show what I can do. I was frustrated with the publicly traded company I worked for and felt like this was a chance to put my money where my mouth is and see if what I thought about running a business would really work.

MP: Seems like you made the right decision—the company has certainly grown since then!
MH: I took those five agents and in 12 years, have grown it to 1,000 agents in 40 locations within three states.

MP: What did your path to growth look like?
MH: The company did pretty well in Houston the first 3-4 years, and then we had an agent who wanted to move to Austin, so we bought a company there.

When we got to …read more

From:: Real Estate News

By Susanne Dwyer

Nearly 200,000 members of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) are already age 65 or older, and next year, it’s estimated that nearly 100 members will turn 65 every day, according to the NAR 2017 Member Profile. Turning 65 is a milestone event that typically includes eligibility for Medicare; however, most Medicare recipients also purchase supplemental insurance to help pay for medical services that Medicare doesn’t cover.

Recognizing that well-rounded insurance coverage is important for our members, NAR’s REALTOR Benefits® Program is proud to introduce the Members Medicare Exchange, available through REALTORS® Insurance Marketplace. NAR members who are eligible for Medicare (or have family members who are Medicare-eligible) now have an easy way to research and select among a variety of Medicare supplemental insurance options at highly competitive prices.

“The Members Medicare Exchange is our latest effort to assist NAR members aged 65 and older as they explore options that expand their coverage,” explains Shannon Kennedy, president of SASid, Inc. (Smart and Simple Insurance Development). SASid is the administrator of REALTORS® Insurance Marketplace, and a proud partner in NAR’s REALTOR Benefits® Program. “We believe in hands-on personal service, so if at any point a member needs assistance in navigating the Medicare supplemental insurance landscape, our licensed benefit specialists are available to answer questions and provide basic information, including the highlights and differences between the individual plans, basic eligibility, and enrollment information.”

How It Works
After obtaining Original Medicare through the federal government, Medicare-eligible NAR members who want to explore their coverage options can use the Members Medicare Exchange to quote, shop and enroll in a variety of supplemental Medicare insurance products.

The new Exchange includes a resource center with a variety of educational tools to assist NAR members in understanding Medicare overall, in addition to available plan options. These resources include:

• Educational articles and videos
• FAQs and glossary of terms
• Savings calculators and coverage checklists
• Caregiver resources
• A prescription drug tool (to assist in selecting the best plan based on prescriptions used)

Members can benefit from these resources, regardless of whether they decide to select a plan through REALTORS® Insurance Marketplace or elsewhere. Complimentary consultation and personal assistance from a licensed benefits specialist is included as a benefit of NAR membership.

Open Enrollment: It’s on Now
While many of the products offered through REALTORS® Insurance Marketplace can be purchased year-round, it’s important to note that the annual open enrollment period for Medicare is on now, running from October 15 to December 7.

Take note though: If this is the year you turn 65, you can enroll in supplemental Medicare coverage at any point in the three months up to or after the month of your birthday.

To access the Members Medicare Exchange, visit RealtorsInsuranceMarketplace.com/Medicare or call 877-267-3752.

Discover ALL Your Benefits
Designed with you in mind, the REALTOR Benefits® Program is your official (NAR) member benefits resource, bringing you savings and special offers just for REALTORS®. Program partners are carefully selected, so you can be assured they understand the unique needs of real estate professionals and are committed to your …read more

From:: Real Estate News

By Susanne Dwyer

Builders anticipate green homes will comprise more than half of their business in five years, moving to necessity from specialty, according to a recently released report by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Energy-efficiency is in demand, as well as a “healthy indoor living environment,” the report reveals.

“These findings show that green building has become an established part of the residential construction landscape,” says Granger MacDonald, chairman of the NAHB. “It is no longer a niche business; our members recognize the value of building green and are incorporating these elements into their standard business practices.”

Net zero or zero energy homes are also popular, the report shows. Twenty-nine percent of builders report they have constructed a net zero home, some with solar panels, in the last two years.

Builders, the report shows, are embracing green for many reasons, including: “appraisers recognizing greater value in green homes;” “customer demand;” and “greater availability and affordability of green products.”

Source: National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)

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The post Building Green No Longer a Specialty appeared first on RISMedia.

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From:: Real Estate News