HAR is committed to ensuring our members and consumers have accurate information about the MLS rule changes that take effect August 17.
We understand this is a significant development in the real estate industry, and we want to be a trusted resource for everyone impacted.
Media Outreach: We are continuing to do extensive media outreach. We have sent Media Fact Sheets to all local media outlets in English and Spanish multiple times as things were updated along the way. Another email went out yesterday. We previously ran a column in the Houston Chronicle about the upcoming changes and had an op-ed in the Houston Business Journal. We have another column booked to run in both the Houston Chronicle and Galveston County Daily News this week.
We are also continuing to run an HAR print and online ad in the Houston Chronicle to attempt to educate consumers on these new changes that are occurring.
HAR Chair Thomas Mouton has been doing multiple media interviews across all communications channels and will continue doing them this coming week in advance of the deadline. He will also be on Great Day Houston on August 22 to talk about the changes, and another board member was interviewed yesterday for a Spanish-language media outlet.
Social Media Engagement: We have posted on all HAR.com consumer-facing (and member-facing) social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn and YouTube) with informational content about the changes. We have a reach of more than 100,000 people across those channels.
HAR.com Visibility: Lastly, and probably most powerfully, we have had the Reality of Real Estate campaign prominently displayed on the homepage of HAR.com, which has six million visitors every month (who are obviously interested in real estate), since April. We also have the REALTOR® side of the campaign available through the Members Only Portal that provides lots of resources for members to educate their prospects and clients.
These are some of the many ways we are working to educate consumers. We will never be able to reach everyone, but we are doing our absolute best to reach as many as we can and will continue to do so.
