Are your clients dreaming of getting away from it all?

Whether they’re headed to the beach or want a chance at the American Dream, CIPS provides the training, resources you need

It’s time to confess. We’re addicted to a certain international house hunting show. It’s a guilty pleasure. Just look at all that sand and the gorgeous views! Plus, it’s so unrealistic that it’s not really like going to work. At least, that what we tell our families. It’s not really all that far from the truth though, is it? Sure the show is completely ridiculous, but the idea isn’t. Last year, about 14 percent of Realtors reported having a client who was trying to buy a house abroad and nearly half of them didn’t have a referral partner abroad. What a huge missed opportunity! Imagine how many fees could have been earned if they had used the CIPS network to refer their clients to a trusted partner overseas. What if those agents had co-marketing relationships with international developers as well? If their clients were building a vacation home instead and were happy with the experience, wouldn’t they tell their friends? Might the developer and agent sell a lot of homes together that way?

Now consider this: if you happen to be one of those agents who knows an international buyer – whether they’re coming here or buying there – and you demonstrate a deeper knowledge and understanding of what it takes to live in the global village – would you be a more attractive agent to handle their business and that of their friends? What if your CIPS training taught you how to leverage that knowledge online to maximize the power of your network? It can and does.

For instance, if you begin to showcase yourself as a global expert, you will demonstrate your value is in who you are rather than what you are selling. It’s what sets you apart from the crowd. Search for and share (or write) content that targets your niche market. For instance, if there is a specialty restaurant or grocery store that caters to your target in the area, write a profile or review about it. Or, create a post about an upcoming cultural event that matters to your community. Make it relevant and add sensible hashtags so people can find it easily, especially when posting to Facebook and Twitter.

Next, if you’ve got clients going to a particular area, get to know it – at least on paper. Find out flight information like connections, frequency, duration, and airlines that fly the route. Know what language(s) are spoken and whether classes are available for non-native speakers. What’s the climate like and are there precautions that need to be taken? How does financing work? How easy is it for expats to buy or own property? What is the tax situation like? Can your buyers obtain a mortgage? Would it be better to rent first? Do properties come furnished? What’s included?

As you can see, there’s a whole lot to learn when it comes to handling international transactions. CIPS can teach you the answers to all of this and so much more. It will also open the door to an entire network of like-minded professionals and the potential for an entirely new income stream. CIPS classes are offered this spring at MetroTex