The local real estate market has gone global and is increasingly mobile. The big question is, does your agent have a global strategy to take advantage and expose your home to international buyers? Before you settle with just anyone to help sell your home, learn more about what it takes to tap into the international potential that exists on the market right now.
Here are some of the most important facts to consider and questions to ask your agent before you choose the best equipped professional to sell your home.
International Wealth Is Looking For U.S. Real Estate
The past 15 years have brought developing economies, like China, immense wealth. Now that growth has slowed, Chinese investors are looking for safe investments. The US housing market is considered a stable investment for many Chinese who have invested over $28.6 billion in American homes in the last year. 69% of Chinese home purchases were paid in cash, according to the Realtors Association. These figures show an overwhelming opportunity for realtors who know how to tap into the market.
That’s why our international strategy at First Team Real Estate includes positioning our luxury listings in front of high-net-worth buyers on the largest Chinese international property portal Juwai.com.
Is your agent connected?
In today’s market, your agent not only needs to be a local expert, but a global one as well in order to reach international buyers. Here in Southern California, First Team Real Estate has the local market on lock. We sell 2X as many homes as any other brokerage in Orange County. What makes us global however is our luxury affiliates all over the world. As an invited member of the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, we have access to a referral network including over 500 companies in 30 countries, which we tap into for our own buyers and sellers. This referral network is Luxury Portfolio International®, the luxury face of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.
We also work with Christie’s International Real Estate to put our own properties in front of the wealthiest buyers in the world including affluent investors and renowned business leaders. With Christie’s massive online and print portals, there is no international stone left unturned when it comes to marketing exposure.
Is your agent mobile friendly?
Establishing a mobile presence is key. More than half of the population prefers searching on their mobile devices than on desktops. If your agent’s site and listings are not “mobile-friendly,” Google will show preference to competing sites. Less visibility for your agent and listings translates to fewer home visitors. Fewer visitors equal fewer offers on your home.
That’s why we have equipped each and every one of our First Team agents with their own personal website that is mobile optimized, just like our company wide site as well. When potential buyers have an easy online experience they’re more likely to browse, build connections to properties and eventually buy.
Quality of Experience Can Sell the Home
Crucially, the quality of the call is a key factor in the perception of your home and its likelihood of being sold. According to Agora CEO Tony Zhao, “Showing real estate via real-time video within an app or site can be challenging if either party is mobile and/or on opposite sides of the globe. Integration of real-time video must address inconsistencies in Wi-Fi and 3/4G networks, as well as any speed bumps the Internet may throw up between the parties.”
Dropped calls and fuzzy video will derail interest and negotiations. Assure your agent has addressed all technical issues within the global communication strategy.
Talk with your agent about their international strategy and assure they have a plan to reach outside of the local market and you could find your house selling faster than expected. Reach out and chat with a First Team agent about how we can expand the reach of your home sale.
Email us at clientservices@firstteam.com
Call us at 888-870-1142
This guest post is written by JT Ripton, a freelance writer out of Tampa. JT writes on a myriad of topics, real estate and home improvement being a couple of them. You can follow him on Twitter @JTRipton
