S.E.C. Real Estate Observer

• Tweet

• Tweet

The life of Hopkins “Hank” Henry Haden, III depicts an adventurous, independent and competitive ‘deal making’ spirit reflecting the roots of his Texas City, Texas, upbringing.

Family

Hank Haden was born in Galveston, Texas. Hank attended junior and senior high schools in Texas City where he lived with his parents, Galveston native Hopkins Henry Haden, Jr., and Texas City native Lois Noble Haden, two sisters and one brother. Hank is the oldest of the four children. His brother Earl Noble Haden lives in Austin, Texas. Hank’s two sisters, Nancy Haden and Peggy Yates, reside respectively in Dallas, Texas, and Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Hank has three children, all of whom live in Texas. “Hoppy”, Hank’s eldest son, born in 1963, lives in Lockhart. His second son, Jake Martin, born in 1965, lives in Willis. Hank’s daughter, Holly, born in 1967, lives in Austin.

Hank’s most significant life event in his words is, “My three children, and marrying my wife Diann.” Hank states, “That was a very happy, happy day for me.” Diann and Hank met in The Woodlands, Texas, in 1980 at a Chamber social, with both working in the real estate sales business at the time. Hank and Diann currently live in The Woodlands and find themselves “blessed with fourteen grandchildren between the two of us.”

Education and Introduction to the Real Estate Industry

Upon graduation from North Texas State in Denton, Texas, Hank’s first job experience was in retail sales in Dallas followed by a position eighteen months later with Hallmark Cards in El Paso. At this juncture, Hank met Bill Schmitz, who was his first manager. Hank recalls Bill’s wise counsel, “He told me to always follow my heart, even when it comes to business.” Hank continues, “Real estate has been my heart for many years. I love real estate and all that is connected to it.”

Five years with Hallmark in El Paso allowed Hank to accumulate the capital needed to begin his real estate investment career in 1970. He initially began with residential rentals.

Early Interests Contributing to Real Estate Strengths

Hank’s early interests during high school and college carry over into his real estate career today. Hank is a sports enthusiast including baseball, football (Houston Texans) and routinely, a less structured “street fight.” Additionally, he enjoys outdoor interests such as hunting and fishing (especially in Old Mexico). The “street fighting” particularly carries over to his passion in regards to the “pricing of real estate.” He enjoys “buying cheap” and “selling cheap.” “‘Still realizing the same 25% return on your investment”…”Beating the seller up,” referencing the street fighting of his youth. Hank sees his strengths in the real estate business as owning residential property, developing land and being able to recognize a “really good deal.”

Potential Weakness in Real Estate Business

When questioned about his weakness regarding real estate, Hank will tell you that it is “trusting everyone to do what they say they will do.”

Motivation

Hank loves “doing the deal.” Hank considers himself a true “deal junkie” and continues to find value in “doing any deal” one decides to pursue.

Regarding one such deal, Hank notes his “ever so fair” Corsicana experience. (Those who know Hank personally may recall him using a different description in regard to this city.) Hank surmises, “I met some fine people there, and I learned a lot from the small town folks with really big ideas and hearts to see them through. A small town can become a big town overnight with several players involved.” ‘Corsicana’ was a land development project in Corsicana, Texas, that required a tremendous amount of persistence and tenacity to complete in an ultimately profitable manner. Hank’s counsel to aspiring land developers is simple: 1. Acquire the land at a price you can afford. 2. Divide into tracts per market demand. 3. Plug in your development costs (water, sewer, roads, etc.). 4. Determine from the analysis of the numbers if you “can make a profit.”

Real Estate and Civic Leadership

• President of Montgomery County Board of Realtors
• President of NCE (The National Council of Exchangers)
• Principle Broker and Owner of a Century 21 Franchise
• Active Member of Lions Club

Most Significant Event in S.E.C.

• Winning the Yvonne Nasch Award in 1993

In Overview

Hank Haden embodies success, honesty, wisdom, candor (Corsicana) and humor regarding his lifetime of real estate results. During his real estate career, the professional techniques he employs include the following:

• Effective Real Estate Counseling
• Land Development and Redevelopment
• Exchanging
• Rehabbing
• Mentoring
• Investing, Individually as well as in Partnerships

Hank is quick to say “Do your due diligence” and “watch out, because if anything can go wrong, it probably will.” In summary, Hank’s philosophy on real estate and business is, in his words, “Do what you can do and be happy with the results. It will change anyway!” His closing comments were, “My sense of humor has kept me smiling for a long, long, long time. Hope that never leaves me.”

When asked about Hank Haden, anyone who has known Hank for any length of time mentions his dry wit and sense of humor. Hank has the ability to laugh at himself as well as outside humor. His manner clearly reflects his self-expressed life goal of “being nice to everyone and helping all I can help.” As business goals, Hank had planned to become a millionaire by age forty, and to have at least five million by age fifty. “Still working on these; I am not dead yet,” he quips.

Hank’s wife Diann concludes, “I have never met anyone with more ‘heart’ than Hank Haden!”