HAR's International Day: Think Globally, Work Locally

Today, I had the pleasure of attending HAR’s International Day. A big thank you to all the wonderful presenters who put this informative class together.  The purpose of the class was to give a broad overview of working with international clients.

Who are these clients?

1.  Retirees.  As the entire world continues to age, retirees are looking for places where they will get the most bang for their buck, and more times than not, it’s not where they presently reside. The allure of places like Costa Rica, Brazil, and Belize offer a relatively high standard of living.  The dollar stretches much farther in these places. Who doesn’t prefer a tropical climate, beautiful scenery and a slower pace of life?  Who doesn’t want to own a little piece of paradise?   

2.  Non US Residents.  You can also work with foreigners looking to purchase property in the United States.  Because the dollar is so weak against other currencies, U.S. property can be bought rather cheaply.  These foreigners are also looking to capitalize on our housing crisis; they are eager to acquire many of the great deals that exist in the foreclosure and short sale market.  Properties in Florida, California, and Texas continue to have enormous appeal.  These people are coming with deep pockets;  they are cash buyers, and they are eager to get to the closing table.

 3.  Second Home.  You can also work with Americans who are looking to purchase property abroad as a second home.   Many countries like Costa Rica, Panama, and Brazil are experiencing appreciation of property values, which is unheard of these days in the US.  This means you could be buying a sound financial investment for the years to come. 

I’ll be sharing alot of what I learned today as well as other research I have done on this topic in future posts.  For those of us looking for a little something to boost our business, this may be the right fit for you as well! 

My website, www.hotonproperty.com will be launched in the beginning of 2010.  It will showcase international properties for sale and lease as well as provide rich content.  Come take a look.