Renee Davy Oakum is the only CNS agent for Royal Oak Country with Day Oakum Properties.

Every week, we ask a Houston real estate professional for their thoughts on the top three stories from the week before.

This week, we talked with Renee Davy Oakum of Day Oakum Properties, who has been a Realtor since 1989 and, in addition to her Certified Neighborhood Specialist (CNS) designation, is the only CNS agent for the prestigious Royal Oaks Country Club.

Houston Agent (HA): Our coverage of GSE reform generated quite a bit of interest among our readers. Do you think home financing works for your buyers, or are there aspects of it that you’d like to change?

Renee Davy Oakum (RDO): Home financing works for those who qualify.

HA: Readers also continue to read our story on 2013 market predictions; how is 2013 going for you, so far, and how do you feel about the rest of the year?

RDO: 2013 is off-the-charts busy!  Houston has exceeded through the housing meltdown and is flying high! With inventory at an all-time low since 1999 and interest rates where there are, there is a huge demand. I believe this will continue throughout the year; builders are back and lessening the strain, however, in school-driven areas, it’s a scramble for buyers and a true seller’s market.

HA: What forms of online marketing have you found to be the most effective for your business? And do you use different kinds of marketing for different purposes?

RDO: I use multiple monthly print advertising in local magazines. Facebook has been brilliant for branding and marketing, and my lead generation is from referrals, farming and marketing. We do not chase leads by lead generators, however, we do have great success converting FSBOs.