By Nelly DeLourdes Mitford, CIPS, ABR, MCNE, TRLP-2013

The 2017 HAR International Advisory Group (IAG) year closes with the HAR International Listing Agreement approved and implemented and the IAG as the recipient of the NAR Global Achievement Program Platinum Award for the fifth year in a row! Way to go team!

I cannot believe the year is almost over, it seems like it was yesterday when I wrote about the upcoming events and goals for 2017. As I look back to our accomplishments for the year, I realize once again that hard work, dedication and passion for what you do pays off in the end every time.

A big “Thank You” to Lori Carper, HAR International Director, Aracely Arrazolo, HAR Meetings and TREPAC Coordinator, HAR Legal Counselor Grant Harpold as well as all the HAR International Advisory Group volunteers and honorary members that contributed to making 2017 a fantastic year.

INTERNATIONAL YEAR in REVIEW

Business Plan
In July, the HAR Board of Directors approved the International Listing Agreement to be promulgated to all HAR members. It is currently listed under the forms manager, ZipForms, DotLoop and Transaction Desk. I believe this has been the most sought after goal for this group for a long time and a huge accomplishment!

Another big accomplishment for this year was approval for the MLS quality assurance team to require global listings uploaded to Area 82 to provide a copy of the executed international listing agreement. This will promote and ensure the integrity of the data input into the MLS system. This was approved in late July by the Board of Directors.

Our annual global survey to members that speak another language or specialize in another culture was sent out the first week of October. Results are available on har.com/international

Marketing and Communications
We publish a monthly article in the Houston REALTOR® magazine featuring international real estate news.

We also email changes in rules and regulations affecting global and local real estate such as FIRPTA updates. New this year in the magazine, we began featuring the top countries that visit HAR.com each month.

The HAR International website is well on its way to be updated and to provide translation of its content for up to seven languages.

Education
One of the cornerstones of our mission is to educate our members on international real estate and the foreign national transaction process. Some of the classes and education provided this year were the At Home With Diversity class, the Certified International Property Specialist five-day institute or C-I-P-S for short, and International Day among others.

Outreach
We had a great success with building strong relationships with the international real estate community and implemented new programs. We visited and presented news about HAR to the local consulates of Mexico, Japan, Australia and India.

We hosted a delegation from Villa Hermosa Mexico for a trade mission in Houston. Several of our members attended the AMPI Convention in Mexcio and different conferences offered in 2017. We also participated in several international real estate networking events.

HAR IAG formed an alliance with FIABCI, an international real estate federation, and brought back to “life” the FIABCI Houston chapter with one of our own members, Pius Dawson, as the new president.

IAG sponsored a table at the first AREAA gala in Houston.

I, along with Edna Corona, Richard Miranda, Mario Arriaga and other members of the IAG attended the NAR 2017 Legislative Meetings in Washington D.C.

Susan Annoura, Richard Miranda, Edna Corona, Mario Arriaga and other IAG members, along with myself,  represented the IAG at the NAR Annual International Dinner and Award ceremony in Chicago along with Lori Carper, Director of HAR International.

We continue to be actively involved with the City of Houston, The World Affairs Council, The Greater Houston Partnership and affiliate organizations such as AAREA, AREAA, NAHREP, FIABCI and others.

I strongly encourage our members to expand their international real estate knowledge and to consider attending the upcoming programs and classes that will be offered in 2018 by the International Advisory Group.

It has been an honor and privilege to serve you as the HAR International Advisory Group Chairperson for 2017. I look forward to continuing my participation as an honorary member of this prestigious group.