Welcome to Area 82. No, you haven't just entered the Twilight Zone. Area 82 is your passport to international properties through the MLS.More

In one short year ,many things are still changing in our economy that have affected the commercial investment world. However, after much discussion with many of my international clients,More

The HAR International Council’s mission is "To help our HAR members increase their knowledge and activity in the International real estate arena.”  The council is made up of more than 3,600 members that have entered a second language or culture they specialize in into the member finder database.  Currently, 85 languages are listed in the database.More

So you’ve gotten a job transfer and are headed to Japan. How are you going to find housing? A quick trip to your local ‘Fudousan’ will be a good first step.More

With the worldwide financial crisis affecting most economies, some international buyers are taking this opportunity to buy a second home or business property in the United States.They hope for maximum appreciation now that residential and commercial real estate prices are depressed.More

When I got the chance to go and work for a real estate company in St. Tropez in France, I grabbed the opportunity with both hands. My idea was that selling houses is pretty much the same business every where but nothing is less true! I just settled down in the South of France and I'm trying to get acquainted with my professional environment. First of all, my biggest surprise was that I could work in real estate, under a licensed broker, without any professional education. I just have to make a trip to the chamber of commerce and register myself. The company takes care of the education. I just went through a two day sales coaching, later I will have to attend a five day seminar.
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Ciao!!

As international real estate goes, it is always interesting and informative to understand how real estate is conducted in other countriesMore

By being in Houston, we are all in the right place at the absolute right time. Houston is truly an international city, and we are increasingly on the world stage with respect to international real estate opportunities and transactions that either originate in Houston or close in Houston with an inbound investor, real estate developer or client buyer. More

Ringing in the Chinese New Year with lots of entertainment and merriment, the Asian American Real Estate Association (AAREA) held its 6th annual spring gala in late January.More

REALTOR.com® (Classic) allowed REALTORS® on an individual basis to add an "Internationally Featured” label on their Showcase listings, thereby opting-in to make these same listings searchable on the WorldProperties.com Web site. More

The Global New Homes & Resorts Portal (GNHR), accessible from the WorldProperties.com homepage, features high quality new construction products by established developers—primarily targeting holiday home and investment buyers. More

We begin 2009 with reports of falling markets, slow sales and reduced loan expectations for real estate. As Houston real estate professionals focusing on international markets, we must continue to maintain global awareness.More

Houston has been a key player on the world stage for many years without the recognition that it deserves. 2008 has been an incredible year for international real estate. With a robust economy through oil, medical, high-tech, biotech, agriculture and its port, Houston continues to attract heavy investment from around the world.More

Houston Association of Realtors® members participated in the first ever, five-day trade mission to Guadalajara, Mexico. The Texas Association of Realtors® along with the Asociación Mexicana de Profesionales Inmobiarios (AMPI, the Mexican NAR equivalent) hosted a trade mission that coincided with the AMPI Foro, an annual, one-day meeting for Mexican real estate professionals.More

My friend, Jasper Tramonte, always says "Cash is King." And, I say "Land is His Queen." I think land is one of the best investments, both for foreign and domestic investors, because they are not making any more of it.More

Most REALTORS® spend time doing networking of some sort. We attend breakfasts, lunches, happy hours, receptions, etc., for a chance to mingle with other colleagues with the expectation (or hope) that the exchange of information that occurs in those events will generate business for us.More

Growing your business in the midst of a major economic correction is not the first thing that comes to mind for most organizations. More

In June of 2007, HAR created an MLS area for properties located outside the United States. It is known as Area 82, and if you are a HAR MLS subscriber that can input property listings, you can add listings to Area 82 as well.More

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On April 30, I was among a group of representatives from the Houston Association of REALTORS® who, along with State Senator Glenn Hegar, were privileged to preview the American Bodhi Center near Hempstead.More

This year HAR's International Program is highlighting various areas of Mexico containing the greatest number of U.S. retirees living there.More

Hong Kong, described as a 'barren rock' more than 150 years ago, is now known as the world's freest economy and a leading financial, trading and business center.More

Here are some facts about the state of Jalisco, home of Guadalajara, the second largest city in the country of Mexico: [more]More

Texas Realtors^® and other U.S.-based Realtors^® will travel to Guadalajara, Mexico, Sept. 25-27, by invitation of our Mexican counterparts, AMPI members, who will host a three-day real estate trade mission. [more]More

As the purchase of real estate becomes ever more global, you as a real estate Professional may encounter a situation where knowledge of international real estate will be quite useful. What if you receive a call from a couple that want to relocate and live abroad, but have never been outside of the United States? They give you specifics on home size, desired lot size, desired topography, proximity to urban area, etc., but no country. They want you to help them, but where do you start?More

Beginning this month we will feature a city or state in Mexico with a large number of U.S. citizens residing there. Mexico City is home to the largest population of Americans living outside of the U.S. Some estimates are as high as 600,000 Americans living in Mexico City.More

The economies of the United States and Mexico have become increasingly intertwined during the past 20 years and, since the advent of NAFTA in 1994, the economic cooperation and integration of business activities between the U.S. and Mexico has accelerated dramatically. [more]More

The Mexican state of Baja California occupies the northern half of the Baja California Peninsula.The state is divided into five municipalities and each municipality is divided into smaller boroughs. [more]More

Below are some facts about our neighbor to the south, Mexico.  [more]More

Thank you to our 2008 HAR International Council Advisory Group.  [more]More

These members of HAR received the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation in 2007. They were required to take a 2 day pre-requisite course on international matters and once they passed the exam could take the 5 day Institute of classes. They will be included in the international CIPS database on the NAR Web site. [more...]More

Little known facts:

• India is the world's largest producer of milk and livestock, the second largest of fruits and vegetables, the third largest of food grains and the fifth largest of eggs.

• India is the second largest country in the world with more than one billion inhabitants (compare that to the United States with a population of 300 million.) As India becomes more industrialized the citizens will look for places to invest their new-found wealth. The United States could prove to be a lucrative real estate market for their dollars.

• Indians often respond positively to a question by shaking their head in a way that Westerners interpret as 'no'   [more...]

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This was a successful year for the International Council, and we achieved many of the goals that we set out to accomplish. Lori Carper, HAR International Council Liaison with Rita Klein have paved the way to make events happen and to coordinate the day-to-day activities. In the spring, we sponsored the "Doing Business in Mexico" course with Adrian Arriaga and Mitch Creekmoore. With more than 75 participants, we saw great interest in cross-boarder real estate.   [more...]

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The opportunity to work with foreign buyers isn't limited to certain markets or practitioners who travel overseas. It also includes dealing with clients investing or purchasing a home in your local areaMore

Paris was one of the top five cities for real estate investment in 2006. In case you, or a client, are interested in investing there, here are some helpful ideas to assist you.More

The Mexican state of Baja California occupies the northern half of the Baja California Peninsula.The state is divided into five municipalities and each municipality is divided into smaller boroughs.More

Ireland is one of the top eight countries supplying foreign buyers of U.S. Real Estate. At this Web site, www.worldbiz.com/bizireland.html, you can order reports on different aspects of doing business in Ireland and Irish business etiquette.More

HAR MLS has not had a method for properly listing timeshare and fractional exclusive properties, until now. Recent changes in our system make it possible now, and it is as simple as choosing one button!More

The Middle East is one of the top regions of the world that contains active buyers of U.S. real estate. This month we are focusing on Dubai.More

A number of years ago we had a nice home on the market for lease in a great neighborhood. A lovely European couple viewed the home with their agent and presented a lease. After the lease was negotiated and signed, who shows up with a huge, and I mean huge, laundry list of things she wanted done to the home before this foreign couple moved in?More

The Mexican-Texican history and culture have been, and are presently, so entwined as to be almost indistinguishable at times. While thousands of Texans own property in Mexico today, there is still considerable confusion about Mexican property ownership, not only for the general public, but among Realtors® as well.  In simple fact, North Americans can own Mexican property ‘fee simple’ anywhere in the interior of the country and through a Mexican Chartered Bank Trust (a ‘Fideicomiso’) in the so-called restricted zone…that area encompassing approximately 60 miles from any border, 30 miles of any ocean and all of Baja.  Ownership through this mechanism still entitles North American’s full rights to hold, sell, bequeath, transfer and inherit their property.  Title insurance and traditional mortgages products are also available from multiple sources at comparable rates to those products available in the United States. More

Singapore, population 4.5 million, was one of the top 10 countries to buy real estate in the United States last year.

Singapore experiences a Per capital GDP equal to that of the 4 largest Western European countries 3.1% unemployment rate

Listed below are some cultural insights for transacting business with investors from this island located in Southeast Asia.
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How many times do your hear someone say "I can’t meet you for lunch because I’m too busy.  I can’t meet you for breakfast or a glass of wine after work because I am so swamped.  I can’t serve on your committee because I am so overloaded and don’t have the time.”  It has been my experience that the busier people are, the more productive and profitable they are.More

More real estate business is being done with Japan than ever before!  Here are some things you may not have known about Japanese customs:

 

The Hand Shake

This is a Western custom, however, the Japanese have become accustomed to this tradition and often shake hands to promote good relations. You should not judge the kind of hand shake a Japanese person returns nor should you be too aggressive or excited shaking the hand of a Japanese person.More

Each month the HAR International Council spotlights a different country or region that currently purchases a large volume of real estate in the United States. This information is meant to assist you in your international real estate transactions.

This month, we discuss the Kingdom of the Netherlands and it’s culture:
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Say "Area 51” to a group of Realtors® and it’ll likely conjure images of secret government bases in Nevada, UFO’s, aliens, "X” Files and who knows what others. Now….say "Area 82” to the same people and you are likely to get a blank or a "deer-in- the-headlights” stare. So, just what is Area 82?  For those Realtors® who know, Area 82 is another tool providing exposure for their international listings. And yes, it’s available in the Houston MLS system.More

As the general market shrinks, multicultural consumers have become more important for a company’s success.

 

In the past, the process for reaching multicultural consumers was often limited to one dimensional effort such as the literal translations of general market campaigns.

 

Today organizations are developing new products designed specifically to meet the needs of this new America.More

In 2006 the Australians were the largest foreign buyers of U.S. real estate!

 

The Australians have been mostly entering into joint ventures with domestic firms and are focusing on such lower-profile assets as grocery-anchored shopping centers and industrial facilities. To date, Australians have not been targeting the nation’s trophy buildings as Japanese investors had done in years past.  Australia’s relationship with the United States is fundamental to Australia’s prosperity and security, and is founded on a long tradition of cooperation, shared values, extensive economic ties and many other common interests.More

To recount my first experience in international real estate, I have to go back several years to when I was referred my first client who was moving from a foreign country.  He was coming from Venezuela, and I was fortunate to have the translation skills and international cultural knowledge of my wife, who is also a Realtor®.  What a great experience.  I not only helped the couple find a townhome, but also, as his job at Reliant Energy was phased out two days after closing, I became his personnel manager, calling many of my contacts from the corporate world.   That was the start of my working with international families transferring into and out of the Houston area. Last year, I heard about the International Council and its Advisory Group. I applied for and joined the Advisory Group and found an incredibly knowledgeable group of fellow Realtors® who have the common bond of really enjoying working with folks from all over the world.More

If you’re looking to buy and sell real estate in Mexico, you need to be aware of cultural as well as professional differences between you and your Mexican counterparts.More

Sometimes, we get complacent in our own market. We look carefully at the comparative market analysis and the "Months-of-Inventory” figures when helping buyers in our market. When we describe these facts to a foreign buyer—our knowledge of current market conditions and the best price strategies—we have to realize that these may be only part of the larger picture that a foreign national considers.More

International Council Task Force members mixed and mingled at the year-end holiday luncheon in late December. The luncheon was a way of saying "thank you" to volunteer members for their hard work and efforts on behalf of HAR's international program. More

HAR has been appointed by the National Association of Realtors® to serve as the Ambassador Association to the real estate association in Hong Kong, The Society of Hong Kong Real Estate Agents (SHKREAL). HAR board member Kenneth Li, CIPS serves as the Presidential Liaison to Hong Kong on behalf of NAR. Many investors from Hong Kong purchase real estate in the United States and in our city of Houston so we thought it appropriate to mention some factoids about doing business in Hong Kong. More

Before we end the year, I am presenting to you a recap of the HAR International Council happenings of 2006.More

A few years ago when I first read the definition of International Transactions by the NAR, I realized that many of my sales transactions during the past 27 years met that definition.More

"Foreign property investors including Citigroup, Morgan Stanley and the U.S. pension fund CalPERS are investing in Indian property and dozens of developers are planning to raise funds in IPOs.”  A quote from a Merrill-Capgemini report.More

A delegation from the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire visited the HAR offices while in Houston for meetings about business opportunities in the areas of commercial and residential real estate, medical equipment and supplies, trade and aviation.More

Several years back I received an e-mail, but I had no idea what "com.au" meant. I asked my manager "What does dot-com-dot-au mean at the end of an e-mail address?"More

As Houston becomes a larger and more diversified city, we as real estate professionals become more and more likely to represent a foreign buyer in a real estate transaction.More

From casa to crib, the language of homeownership may sound different, but it means the same thing. Mayor Bill White, U.S. Representatives Sheila Jackson-Lee, Al Green and Gene Green were all front and center to meet the home buying public and to kick off the first, H.O.M.E. event.More

HAR International Day on Tuesday, August 29 The morning will consist of the transnational referral certification course followed by an afternoon of topics to include the lucrative second home market.More

Houston MLS members now have the ability to place listings from around the world into the HAR MLS.

Since 1990 we have added several Texas counties as MLS "Z" Areas. We have annexed half way to Dallas, San Antonio and all of Southeast Texas. In the past we had an area 27 that was a catch all for properties that did not fit into the local Houston area. It has recently been closed to input as we opened three new areas so that searching those areas would be easier. The new areas available on the HAR MLS are 80 for the balance of Texas, 81 for the balance of the USA and 82 for all International properties.

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In 1970, my wife, Marilyn and I were bitten by the international bug. I interviewed for a job in the Atacama Desert in Chile. Fortunately or unfortunately we did not go, but when the next international opportunity arose it was Iran in 1973.More

We have heard it for years, "real estate is going global." The day has come; real estate has gone global and the opportunities are limitless.More

When I started my career in real estate, my goal was to go international. I like the diversification, the challenges, and the adventure. You have to be ready to learn; learn about foreign cultures, politics, geo-politics, financing and I can go on for a while.More

Houston is diversified! On a large scale, we see it in the 2000 census and locally, the current Metropolitan Houston population of different ethnic groups: Caucasians, African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans.More

The HAR's International Council's mission is "To help our HAR members increase their knowledge and profitability in the International real estate arena."More

Thinking about expanding and diversifying your real estate practice into the global marketplace?  The idea is not as far reaching as it might sound.

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The HAR International Council task force, made up of 20 members in good standing and involved in international real estate, voted for HAR to join FIABCI, the International Real Estate Federation, as a company member for the year 2006.More

On Friday, December 16, the Vietnamese American Real Estate Association (VAREA) will have their holiday party and you are cordially invited to attend. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Ocean Palace Restaurant, 11215 Bellaire Boulevard.More

The International Council is a service of the Houston Association of REALTORS®. Members pay no additional dues to belong and may attend informational seminars...More

Long time HAR member Pius Leung, who has been instrumental in getting the HAR International Council program underway, is stepping down as the NAR appointed Presidential Liaison to Hong Kong.More

Effective this month, HAR member Kenneth Li has been appointed by the National Association of REALTORS® as the Presidential Liaison to Hong Kong. He succeeds HAR member and 2005 CCIM National President Pius Leung in the role. HAR became the NAR ambassador association to the Society of Hong Kong Real Estate Agents Ltd. (SHKREAL) in 1999.More

The HAR International Council presents the second in a series on emerging market segments in Houston, "Spotlight on Houston's Asian Homebuyer."

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The HAR International Council presents "How to market to the prospective Asian Homebuyer" on Wednesday, September 21.More

The  mission  of the International Council is "To help our HAR members increase their knowledge and profitability in the International real estate arena."

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"How to Market to Hispanic Homebuyers" is presented by The HAR International Council on Thursday, June 9, featuring Dr. Oscar Gonzales, Adrian Arriaga and Marisol Moreno.More

Why just limit yourself to the Houston area when the whole world is at your fingertips. The HAR International Council 2005 Task Force met earlier this year and laid out plans for three exciting member oriented seminars and networking sessions for the calendar year.

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Real estate professionals from over 50 countries converged in Houston to attend the World Congress of the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) May 27-29.More

The Asian Real Estate Association of America is proud to launch its new Web site, www.areaa.org, which will serve as both a resource and voice for real estate professionals who serve the Asian American population.More

The newly-formed Asian American Real Estate Association of Houston recently held its first spring banquet to celebrate the Lunar New Year and install its 2004 board of directors.More

HAR members now have the opportunity to search and add international listings on www.worldproperties.com, the official site of the International Consortium of Real Estate Associations (ICREA).More

It is with great pleasure that I announce Steve Montgomery, HAR International Council Chairman for the past 3 years, has graciously agreed to offer his time and talent for yet another year and serve as the 2004 HAR International Council Chairman.More

Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States with a population of almost two million people. Include all of Harris County and the number jumps close to four million inhabitants. A 2002 study by Rice University concluded that the city of Houston would most likely never have a majority race again. More

The HAR’s International Council’s mission is "To help our HAR members increase their knowledge and profitability in the international real estate arena.”More

Did you know the Hispanic population grew 58 percent in only 10 years and has $600 billion in buying power? Hispanics are a powerful market that has even captured the attention of the White House.More

Look here for the International calendar.More

Check here for a list of upcoming International Council meetings and events.More

Have you ever wondered how you can grow your business to encompass clients from sunny Mexico?  Well wonder no more!  More

Check here for the list of upcoming International meetings and events.More

HAR is compiling a database aimed at helping consumers and members alike locate Realtors® who are multi-lingual or specialize in other cultures.
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April is Fair Housing Month and to help our members expand their markets, HAR is compiling a database aimed at helping consumers and members alike locate Realtors® who are multi-lingual or specialize in other cultures.More

Check here for a calendar of upcoming International meetings and events.More

Check here for a list of upcoming International events.More

As the global business cycles become increasingly more important, the next layer of investment complexity is investing by industry.  We anticipate that industry to be real estate, both commercial and residential, and that no organization can afford to be purely domestic in its thinking.More

Steve Montgomery teaches Realtors how to utilize and grow international leads.More