Real estate community responds to Harvey’s challenge
The last several weeks have been a forceful reminder of the emotional and physical importance of our homes as well as the capacity of individuals to help, share and care. It is impossible to catalogue the ongoing heroics and kindnesses of neighbors or guess how, when or if things will be “normal” again.
The examples that follow represent not the largest or best efforts of members of the real estate community, but a glimpse at the various ways companies and agents responded even while their own homes and livelihoods were challenged.
At this writing, several companies are operating out of temporary offices and agents living in transitional quarters, but homes are being sold and clients served under challenging and often bizarre circumstances, because the core duties of the residential real estate community are more necessary than ever.
Many local companies with national affiliations were proud to see their parent companies step up with Harvey-related financial donations to national and local charities.
••• Sotheby’s International Realty saw several affiliates match their corporate gift while the headquarters office of Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty has been forced to move their operations to outlying offices. Terri Lemons, community outreach coordinator, reported that more than 15 agents and staff in that office saw their own homes damaged or destroyed.
Robin Conner, senior vice president, said her husband Ben and friends made their first rescue of their daughter, Kate, who was stranded on the second floor of her home, but soon found their red canoe team very busy.
“I am so proud of how our community came together so quickly,” Connor said. “Our neighborhood streets became launching sites for john boats, Jet Skis, canoes, kayaks, skiffs, you name it. Via numerous group texts, we spent the next three or four days alongside our friends and neighbors, making numerous water rescues up and down Memorial.”
Two of the Team Connor rescues included the elderly parents of a fellow agent and an another agent with her daughter, her parents and their four dogs.
“Once on dry land, we would direct the evacuees to a line of cars waiting with neighbors to drive them to the closest church or shelter,” she said. “I do not think any of us know how many people, dogs, cats, birds, or bags we helped carry and evacuate.” She did recall one man had a total of 12 cages of birds. “I am proud of my family, friends and neighbors for their selfless acts,” Connor said. “I am Houston proud.”
••• John Daugherty, Realtors agents shared similar stories of local rescue and donations by their team — and welcomed the support of one of their Leading Real Estate Companies of the World partners, Gardner Realtors from Metairie — folks who understand from their own experience with Katrina the devastation in the aftermath of such a storm.
Chip Gardner, vice president of operations and Kenny Favre drove a large truck to the John Daugherty, Realtors office fully loaded with generous donations from their staff and agents of diapers, water, cleaning supplies and clothing from their 24 offices located throughout southern Louisiana and Mississippi. These items were added to relief supplies gathered here in Houston by local agents. Cheri Fama, Anne Incorvia, Isabel Dove, Alason Connell, Sara Waguespack, Angelica Reyes, Jonathan Chau, Jaime Sanchez, Tadenni Lopez and Emily Bruch helped unload the truck and sort through the donations for distribution.
People at Roland P. Harris Elementary in east Houston received clothing, cleaning supplies and water and additional items items were provided to families in neighboring apartment complexes. St. Monica Catholic Church, a designated FEMA distribution site, received the balance of the donations.
••• Mark McNitt of Bernstein Realty found himself hosting and supporting a group of about 20 volunteers from Louisiana — helping them extend their abilities to the areas that needed them most.
••• Ed Wolff, president, of Beth Wolff Realtors Real Living, has been speaking and writing on Houston flood planning and development for several years. He speaks regularly to professional groups on the larger issues, but responded to Harvey with an event rich in practical consumer information.
A large group of homeowners from all over Houston gathered at Ragin Cajun last week for an informative session with Wolff covering remediation, FEMA assistance, Small Business Association (SBA) loans, and the impact location within the floodplain can have on city permitting.
Wolff enlisted Tim Hedderman of Hedderman Engineering to address the impact flooding can have on the structural systems of a home.
Wolff , who has personal experience with the floods of 2016 and 2017, put together the event and handouts to help homeowners with the difficult questions of what comes next.
••• At the Better Homes and Gardens, Gary Greene Real Estate, Champions office agents Tim Merritt and Melanie Whiting spread word on social media about the need for pet crates, collars, leashes, bedding, toys, food and treats and were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the northwest Houston area. Merritt’s Paws for a Cause collected pet supplies for evacuees and their pets at the office for two days.
“We filled a 17-foot truck and on Friday morning dropped all the supplies off to shelter distribution points in downtown Houston,” Merritt said. “The more we can do to keep these humans and their pets comfortable — and together — the fewer pets we will see in local shelters,” he added.
Judi Griggs is a writer who lives in Houston in the winter and Buffalo in the summer — because the reverse would be ridiculous. Contact her at realnewshouston@gmail.com or through judigriggs.com.