Buying real estate is more than ever a matter of people’s relationships. In todays US market the perceived value is more important than the actual value, which becomes sometimes difficult to establish. Each person assigns different importances to things and homes or real estate properties in general often have some time of emotion and dream connected with it. Dealing with international buyers I often find that they buy into a dream even before buying into a deal. Of course figures must make sense, but the trust that you build in the relationship is far more important.
About one year ago, during a Web marketing conference in Florence, I was taught that people buy what they want not what they need. This struck me then and it became more and more real as I moved forward into my career of international investor. It seems almost too obvious, but the only way you can find out what people want is by talking to them, and I don’t mean any kind of clever negotiation scheme or play, I simply mean having a straightforward and honest conversation with another human being who has dreams and passions and who is looking for ways to bring that dream into a reality.
I have met several Italian and European people who had the dream of visiting the US, of living there for a while and maybe also owning a piece of it. With the current market situation and the fact that the average European family has some savings that can be put to good use with the strong euro currency, this dream of owning a piece of America becomes a reality. Some of these investors will also get involved into major projects, but the majority of them will buy just one house and it will be the making of a dream.
Making this dream come true requires bridging the innate carefulness that anyone of us feel when he has to spend a big sum of money and when he has to spend it for something he doesn’t full know. There are many differences in the way houses are built in Europe and in the way the are built in the US. These differences can create misunderstandings and uneasiness. But this can be overcome with communication and with the willingness to help and to explain, in addition to the willingness to sell.
Get your message straight and honest and you will win more and more costumers, as word of mouth is very strong in Europe. Treat a customer unfairly and you will find a wall in front of you from there on.
There are many, many benefits for arranging international real estate transactions: the seller will be able to sell for cash and the buyer will make a good deal compounding the discount she can get on the properties and the advantage given by the currency exchange.
Please read more of my blog posts on my new blog that has been created to host all of my content and that will be kept updated regularly from now on. Commodoreblack.com was my first blog ever and I owe it my beginning in this beautiful blogging world, but with experience I learned that it was better for me ton create a blog that carried my own name. And I advise you to do the same if you ever plan to start a blog.
