International buyers: Phone home
By Glenn Roberts Jr., Friday, May 9, 2008.Bookmarking Sites
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Some real estate agents and brokers are going to great lengths to boost business these days in searching for overseas buyers.
Any stories you care to share about efforts to market properties and services internationally? What is the state of foreign demand for U.S. property in your market area?
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Submitted by Toby Beavers on May 9, 2008 - 7:50pm.
The only foreigners purchasing Charlottesville real estate right now are the brits and they are mostly buying professional Virginia horse farms and/or Virginia 18th century historic homes. Funny how no other country is milling about our Central Virginia area when most of the more expensive ($1M+) Charlottesville homes are such a steal right now.
Submitted by Susie Blackmon on May 9, 2008 - 11:05pm.
Not seeing any international demand here in WNC. The only increase has been the pursuit of the international market by realtors due to our slowdown.
Susie Blackmon
http://www.BuckingtheRealEstateTrend.com
Submitted by Jonathan Dalton on May 10, 2008 - 1:23pm.
There are Canadians galore looking in the Phoenix area, though what they're looking for doesn't always mesh with what's available.
Most agents seem to parrot the mantra that you need to look internationally but most seem to have no idea how to do so. Those whose marketing ends with direct mail and open houses are stumped.
There's one agent in my office who keeps talking about European buyers but I don't see it happening, not with the longer trip here than to the East Coast.
Submitted by Maureen Francis on May 11, 2008 - 3:52am.
We weren't looking for them, but we've had them come to us through long tail searches because my husband, Dmitry, speaks Russian, Ukrainian, Polish and Belorussian. He's ended up with some Eastern European investors who've read in Russian business mags that Metro Detroit real estate is a great investment.
It's all ironic since I was one of the first American's working in the former Soviet Union on economic development after the wall came down. I was a Peace Corps Business Development volunteer in Ukraine.
Now we are looking to expand our investor clientele through Sotheby's affiliate offices and other measures.
Submitted by Roberta Murphy on May 11, 2008 - 7:48am.
We've recently had Swedes looking for beachfront property in north San Diego County. They came not as a result of any blogging or advertising; rather, through some of our family's Swedish friends.
I think the best way to reach a foreign audience is via their family and friends here in the United States.
The introduction is generally a warm one.
Roberta Murphy
Villa Sotheby's International Realty
http://www/SanDiegoPreviews.com
http://www.LuxuryHomeDigest.com
877-818-8197/760-402-9101
Submitted by Jay Thompson on May 12, 2008 - 4:21pm.
As Jonathan mentioned, Canadians, particularly from Western Canadian provinces are crawling all over Phoenix.
I wouldn't say we go to great lengths to court them. But if you can demonstrate, articulate, and deliver an understanding of their financial particulars (increased down payment requirements, the Loonie/USD exchange rate, etc) then it's not all that hard to find them. They tend to find you.
As long as the Loonie (Canadian dollar) stays at roughly parity to the greenback, I don't see them leaving our particular market any time soon.
Jay Thompson
Broker / Owner
Thompson's Realty
Blog: www.PhoenixRealEstateGuy.com
.
Submitted by Kevin Schmidtchen on May 14, 2008 - 8:25am.
Here in Santa Barbara and Montecito CA we are seeing a fair amount of foreign money coming in. Mostly it is from England and Canada from what I see of late....and much of it is in the $4 Million plus range.
Blog: www.SantaBarbaraRealEstateVoice.com
Submitted by George Farmer on September 2, 2008 - 6:07pm.
We are Land Incorporated a land for sale site located at www.landincorporated.com, are seeing many recent foreign buyers search for US land for sale. Historically US land has been a good investment and we feel that are aware of that and that many sellers are ready to make a once in a decade deal. We also co-list the properties on Properazzi to locate foreign buyers which may explains some of it but feel many come directly to the site to search.
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