The Right Place at the Right Time

I listen to my Publisher’s Advisory Board.

After all, that’s why I have an advisory board. They are the 24 most knowledgeable and influential people that I know in Houston real estate. I have hand picked each one from all facets of the real estate industry since we started the magazine in April of 2002.

Their primary function is to nominate and vote on our cover honorees using specific criteria that remains the same every month. The advisory board is also called upon for their feedback on editorials and sometimes to help me make business decisions.
They also serve as “Good Will Ambassadors” for the magazine.

Through these incredible individuals and their networks, there is (literally) no question that can’t be answered.

Which brings me to the subject for this months column…being in the right place at the right time. There is great deal of information being shared on the national news, the internet and around local conference room tables about the state of the real estate industry in the Houston area that is very negative. It is the kind of news that makes us question the future of this industry and businesses in it.

There is no question that the mortgage “meltdown” and current credit crisis has changed our business climate.

So, when two of my advisory board members, who are also regular columnists submit their articles for this issue and both articles address the positive side of being in real estate and communicate that we are all in “the right place at the right time”, I am going to believe no matter what else I hear or read on the subject, that we should feel truly “blessed” to be in this amazing business right here and right now!

Rita Santamaria’s article is entitled “Now is the Time to Be in Sales in Texas”…Rita should know with her award winning schools in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio!


Chris Nooney’s article is entitled, “Put the Facts On Your Side!” which backs up (with facts) everything that Rita is saying.

Feel free to make copies of these articles and share them with everyone on your team and in your office.

Now, on to this month’s cover honoree.

One such agent who personifies exactly what we look for in a cover honoree and is still fairly new to the real estate industry is this month’s cover honoree, Martha Tatum of Keller Williams Realty Southwest.

Martha’s enthusiastic attitude and solid work ethic have won over many colleagues and clients along her quick road to a stable and successful real estate career at Keller Williams Southwest. With only a handful of years logged in the business, the giddy agent has solidified her reputation as a caring, compassionate Realtor® in Houston’s Southwest market. What I admire and respect the most about Martha is how she is able to balance a full-time real estate career and being a single mom to her son, Jacob-Paul. Managing Jacob’s many extra curricular activities and being there for each and every one is a full-time job in itself. Martha makes it all look easy. She is a terrific mom and real estate agent. You will enjoy her story.

As always, good reading and good sales!
Success to you!

Steve Levine
Publisher