Dawn Miller
By Dawn Miller, 2009 NAR Conference Blogger
In the real estate world where the average age of a REALTOR® is 52 years old, some may agree it’s a challenge as a young professional, or YPNer. I may have just added another challenge to the equation—trying to break into the international real estate world.
While myth has it that one should know another language besides English, travel around the globe, or live in California, Florida or Texas, this is not the case. Saturday I will be receiving my CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist) designation. I am here to diminish the myths and challenges of everything one thinks about getting involved in “international real estate,” including a former broker who once said, “As if you’ll ever use it!”
Serving in international real estate involves helping those in the your local area who were not born in the America purchase or sell in your own backyard, helping those in your area purchase or invest overseas, or helping someone living overseas purchase or invest in your local area.
We are living in a shrinking world. Gone are the elementary school days where one adopts a “pen pal” overseas, writes an actual letter and waits a month for a response back via mail. Here we are today, where I send a LinkedIn message to one of my international real estate groups looking for fellow colleagues attending the NAR Conference, and a day later am meeting Federico A. Marin-Schumacher, a builder/developer from Costa Rica at last night’s International Welcome Reception. The ability to connect with people in any part of world has exploded, and the amount of information available has as well.
Join me during the conference while I am recognized for obtaining my CIPS designation, and I’ll tell you more about the possibilities of serving your “international” market in your own backyard and the opportunities this conference offers in the international market. Meanwhile, I am off to catch up with @GerryCarillo7 to learn more about a new Hispanic real estate organization, at Booth 3309.