Our next meeting is coming up this month - there is still time to register and come network with us and market your services to the Asia Pacific Rim members and all of our FIABCI members.
The APREC is in Honolulu from 10/22/08 - 10/25/08 and it will be a spectacular event. Please join us if you want to market your properties internationally.
Click on our website and go to calendar of events - you can register on-line.
I wanted to see if any of our FIABCI-USA members want to work with a task force in these areas:
1. FIABCI-USA Luxury Properties Group - making a CD, creating a flyer, new brochure.
2. FIABCI-USA Image Building & Brand Awareness - those professionals that do not know our organization and are missing out so much - we want to attract their attention to exactly what they are missing.
3. Technology - bringing to our members new technology that they may not have seen yet. New video productions, new marketing ideas through technology, etc.
Please contact me if you are interested. Thank you so much. Dagmar Sands
This morning I attended a class for 3 hours to get updated on the new Immigration laws that apply to foreign investors coming over to the United States to purchase real estate, buy a business or relocate for purpose of working for a major corporation.
We learned from an Immigration Attorney Mr. Gonzales how " You, the investor, will create a company; purchase real estate through the company and apply for a selected visa status based on your roll in that company".
Mr. Gonzales explained the differences of visas. Here are few examples: E-1, E-2, EB-5, L1-A, Permanent Residency, Working Visa, etc.
EB-5 - The United States government offers of 10,000 visas to qualified individuals who simply want to purchase permanent residency in the United States through their investment immediately. In a nutshell, those investors can either invest $500,000 or $1,000,000 in twenty seriously depressed areas of the country in order to earn their permanent residency. The corporation must employ ten individuals and the total investment must be made within two years. A good immigration attorney should be hired to set up all documents properly.
E-2 Visa - The treaty investor visa for a non-immigrant visa called (E-2) based on US and Foreign Country agreements. The E-2 visa is issued to foreign nationals of specific countries under the premise that the visa holder is coming to the United States for the sole purpose of developing and managing their particular business entity with which they have invested and the funds are at risk should the business fail.
L1-A Visa - The Intra-Company Transferee visa is a non-immigrant visa allows managers, executives and specialized knowledge employees to transfer from a foreign company to a use parent company, affiliate, branch or subsidiary corporation to perform managerial, executive or specialized worker functions.
There is also a form called FIRPTA.
FIRPTA authorized the IRS to apply a withholding income tax on nonresident aliens and foreign corporations with sales of US real property interests. A real property interest includes sales of real property as well as sales of shares in certain US corporations that primarily hold and sell real property in the US. When a person or corporation purchases a US real property interest from nonresident aliens or foreign corporation, they are required to withhold 10% of the amount realized.
The withholding tax is intended to ensure that the US is able to tax the gains realized on the sale of such interests.
A common exception to FIRPTA withholding is that the person or corporation purchasing the property is not required to withhold tax when the purchaser purchases real estate for his or her own home and the purchase price is $300,000 or less.
If you are a foreign investor looking to purchase real estate in the United States you can should hire a good Immigration Attorney, follow the proper rules and enjoy great investments in the U.S. As a Realtor you can attend these classes offered by NAR, FIABCI, Mr. Gonzales, and your Local Boards.
Dagmar Sands ATTENDS VIP LUNCHEON AT THE UNITED NATIONS
Arlington, VA: Dagmar Sands, Broker of Real Estate International, Inc. from Atlanta, Georgia just returned from FIABCI-USA's Annual VIP Luncheon at the United Nations in New York. The luncheon celebrated the International Real Estate Federation's, or FIABCI's, Special Consultative Status to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Over 130 leading international real estate professionals from around the world and representatives from the UN were in attendance. Sands partook in an unparalleled opportunity to network and do business on a truly global level.
"Robert M. White Jr.'s presentation on the global outlook for commercial properties and currencies was very informative, especially with recent events," said Sands. "Mr. White noted that 10% of US buyers in 2007 were foreign and 70% of European buyers are global buyers with the number of global buyers in the US on the increase. As this happens, the whole world is competing for the same buyers. These statistics are invaluable when trying to market US properties to foreign buyers. It also shows that we need to start thinking outside of American boundaries and attract Europeans and Asians to the US real estate market," expanded Sands. Dagmar is a Immediate Past President of FIABCI-USA and President of Real Estate International, Inc. based in Atlanta, Georiga specializing in working with foreign investors. Ms. Sands has relocated many clients to Atlanta, Georgia with Coca Cola, CNN, TBS, AT&T and other Atlanta based companies. Through its individual, company, and professional and association members in 68 countries, FIABCI members have access to more than 2 million potential contacts. FIABCI-USA (the US Chapter) is the only international real estate organization representing the entire spectrum of the real estate industry in the US. FIABCI-USA's mission is to open the international community to its members on a local, national, and international level, so that they may develop a broad base of real estate contacts that will translate into increased business opportunities and ultimately financial success.
Hi FIABCI members - our upcoming monthly call for the Luxury Properties Group is coming up this Wednesday. I would love to hear what is working for you and what it is you would love to share with others about your market in your own area and what you have to do that is different.
Please share with us your tips, your ideas, your marketing that works. I will post it and share with everyone else. Thank you so much. Dagmar Sands
In every aspect of business people are loosing sight of what TRUE Customer Service is.
When you go out to a restaurant these days and a waiter brings you a dish that tastes like its ingredients have passed their expiration date, one usually gets upset with the waiter when in fact they should be upset with the chef. Too many people take for granted the servers and sales associates that take care of them to the point that there is a constant battle between the two categories.
In real estate it is our job to underline for our clients a complete team that will carry out their part of the transaction so that it can be a smooth closing. Even though it is not the job of the agent to be an inspector, the agent should have several good inspectors to recommend. The agent can not appraise the home, however, on someone on his/her team will be someone that can get the home appraised. The agent can not originate the loan, however, he/she can recomend a good loan officer. It is the team that you surround yourself with that will be a reflection on your customer service.
Clients will come back over and over again and they will refer you to their friends, colleagues and associates. Go that extra mile to give GOOD SERVICE!
I bet you are wonderfing... What is a TEAM Captain? Well, FIABCI has a great new program called the TEAM Plan. And in order for you to be on a TEAM you need to find a TEAM Captain that will spearhead your TEAM. You can have unique TEAMS. Either every member of the TEAM can speak a different language, or your TEAM can be comprised of members in different categories (appraisers, brokers, lender, inspector, architect, attorney, title co.) or your TEAM can be brokers from different states around the country.
It doesn't matter - as long as you get on a TEAM and you work with your TEAM. After all, on TEAM - Together Everyone Achieves More! Sincerely, Dagmar Sands - Real Estate International, Inc. - FIABCI-USA
P.S. Just remember - if a seller is hiring you - he's not getting just YOU - he's getting a complete TEAM!.
Have you ever had a transaction where you had multiple sellers all closing at one time? What interesting challenges did you have to overcome. How did you handle the transaction to a smooth closing?
I have been blessed many times to go through this and it always comes to having a great TEAM of professionals involved in the transaction. It has to have two great agents both representing their party but working together in communicating. It has to have a realistic SELLER and realistic BUYER both of them willing to work with the other. Then there is no reason why you should have any problems. Everyone arrives at the closing table smiling and leaves the table feeling like a WINNER!
The truth will always sets you FREE! is the first rule. Always tell the truth whether you are a buyers agent or sellers agent. Return phone calls when you are needed for answers. Follow the GOLDEN RULE - "Do unto others as you like others do unto you".
Communication + working hard = SUCCESS!
I wish you all the success in all your closings! Sincerely, Dagmar Sands Real Estate International, Inc.
Stop and think about it! Isn't cooperation of Agents the MOST important thing these days in negotiations?
I find that agents sometimes are their own worst enemy. I know that some of them want to protect their clients but sometimes some of them GET IN THE WAY of getting a transaction closed. WHY? 1) Agents create fancy stipulations full of words and make the contract so complicated... I've had sellers tell my clients at the closing - "Oh I really didn't care anything at all about that" and yet their agent pressed so hard where we almost lost the deal. 2) Agents argue over commissions before the deal ever closes. Get it all worked out up front and then there should be no complications at the closing table. 3) Agent refuse to present offers and act as if they are the sellers. This is very scary. 4) Agents - especially in bank foreclosures don't return phone calls. They delay their sellers (banks, investors) from closing transactions faster.
Let's all realize that even if we work on different teams we are all still working together to accomplish the same goal. WIN-WIN-WIN-WIN for all the parties. The only DEAL killers these days are agents that don't take their job seriously. Let's work together to help our buyers and sellers accomplish their goals.
Sincerely, Dagmar Sands - Real Estate International, Inc.
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