Today I took a class from Pablo Wong, the head of a title company. His mother was Guatemalan & his father was Japanese. He grew up in Guatemala with a mixed culture family. I had an opportunity to learn from Mr Wong about working with the two fastest growing groups, the Hispanic & Asian home buyer.
When working with these two groups in particular there are some cultural differences to consider, explained Mr. Wong. These tips are in general yet can give the real estate professional some in-site:
Culture -
- they may feel at a disadvantage & uncomfortable if they speak little English
- Family usually includes what we call extended family such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, compadre, madrina & padrino. Consider this when showing homes & signing at escrow. Think ahead to make enough space for everyone
- Loyalty is important
- important that they feel respected
- having a social relationship first before a business relationship is important.
- if they invite you to a social event, attend! and if you go out to eat, PAY!
- they are "value conscious". It's not that they are cheap, it's their culture. In their culture price is a starting point to negotiate
- a head nod does not mean they are in agreement, it simply means they hear you
- If they use two hands to present something to you, such as a business card, receive it with two hands. Acknowledge something about the card (nice design, premium paper) & never write on the card (even if its a cell phone number) as that would be disrespectful
- They are family oriented
- May times the entire extended family will pull resources to come up with down payment
NOTE: As a whole, Asians have the highest income & are the highest education levels of all ethnicities
- therefore, their children's education is important
DO's
- Radiate Warmth & hospitality
- Be humble
- Value social relationships
- Talk about family
- Exhibit Sincerity
- Learn their culture (by the way, this is the year of the DRAGON)
DON'T
- Be Aggressive
- Refuse invitations
- Embarrass or put on the spot
- Raise voice or point finger
- Assume their English is not proficient
- Correct their words or make fun of accent
More than anything, use common sense, we are all human so be good to each other. I love working with people and my goal is to treat my clients the way I'd want someone to treat my mom.
Thank you,
Xie Xie,
Gracias,
Salamat,
Dhanyawad,
Arigato,
Kamsahamnida,
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