Real Estate Matters

Last week, Judy Schomaker, president of Suncoast International Realty and I returned from attending the SIMA08 Madrid International Real Estate Exhibition in Madrid with much excitement and optimism from the experience for international real estate investment in our area.  SIMA Madrid is the largest real estate exhibition in the world with over 800 exhibitors of which over 200 are international exhibitors, 160,000+ visitors covering 6 pavilions represented by over 60 countries.  The exhibition is comprised of an international tourism real estate fair pavilion; an international pavilion for worldwide investment markets; promotion, management and planning of cities pavilion and technology design and equipment for sustainable construction pavilion.

The international worldwide investment pavilion is not only made up of elaborate exhibitions but an International Business Center (IBC) is provided as a compliment of the international program for the exchange of information and business opportunity between professional visitors at SIMA.  The IBC meeting space is designed to enable the exhibitors and accredited real estate professionals in attendance to make contact with one another, business to business encounters and presentations focusing on the exchange of international business opportunities.  It was within the IBC area that the Sarasota Association of Realtors was provided presentation booth space for the entire event.  This enabled us to not only showcase the wonderful lifestyle of Sarasota but to present very desirable investment opportunities available to the international investor.  Among the countries that we received encouraging interest from were investors from Spain, Germany, Finland, Chile, France, Brazil and Eastern Europe to name just a few. 

In addition to the IBC, SIMA also provided a rather intense International Professional Program (IPP) in an adjacent convention center where, each day, various countries, including USA presented current real estate market conditions in their countries.  Of particular mention was the program entitled "Trends in the Global 2nd Homes Market" with presentations by John Tuccillo, former chief economist for the National Association of Realtors (NAR) along with presentations from Latin America and demand for second homes in European capitals.  Judy Schomaker, NAR's President's Liaison to Spain also was the chairperson for a day long program entitled "America From North To South" enabling officials from Canada to Chile to present and discuss real estate conditions in their countries.

There were many other opportunities at the exhibition to promote Sarasota including several social networking events throughout the week and evening events, and the Sarasota/Manatee area was very well represented. It was a very worthwhile experience.

Cheers,

Bill