The 13th to 15th November 2008 will see top golfing stars descend on the Middle East - as they head to Bahrain for the Riffa Views Invitational. Colin Montgomerie (winner of eight order of merit titles and 31 European Tour wins), Retief Goosen (twice US Open Champion), Michael Campbell (US Open Champion) and Camilo Villegas (twice victorious on the PGA Tour this year) will visit Riffa Views for this exciting Skins competition.
Riffa Views, known as 'the most distinguished residential address in Bahrain' and the first residential golf resort in the island Kingdom, features a Montgomerie-designed 18-hole championship golf course and it is the completion of this that the Invitational celebrates. Playing for a prize of $250,000 for their given charity, the golfers will go head to head to truly test the new course. Montgomerie is quietly confident, having said, "Although I will have some very stiff competition, I will be hoping that my 'local' knowledge of the course will give me a slight edge on the day!" Not only this, but the Invitational will also feature a pro-am with celebrities such as Boris Becker (who has a tennis academy on the site) and Sir Steve Redgrave taking part, adding to the anticipation of this three day event.
The Riffa Views Invitational is just another sign of Bahrain's growth as a desirable market of interest with one of the world's largest real estate advisors, DTZ, recently releasing findings that also adhere to this fact. Their 'Middle East Market Update: Bahrain' highlighted an increase in the number of real estate transactions taking place in the country, with 2008 turnover figures at BD 2,150 million, up 58% on the previous year. Quoted as saying that this is "being fuelled by strong indigenous demand, a relaxation of foreign ownership regulations in certain areas of the country, strong levels of liquidity in the regional market and improving financing options", Bahrain appears to be one Middle Eastern country where interest is still growing and this is being actively encouraged, with this reflected in the property market, unlike some neighbouring Emirates.
With the spotlight firmly on Bahrain, and foreign interest not abating, more and more people are looking to invest in the property market in this politically mild country, and Riffa Views itself offers an excellent opportunity for this. As James Wyatt, partner of Barton Wyatt, explains why a golf property of this kind can be a good investment,
"When looking to buy a second home or an investment property abroad, golf properties are always a secure investment choice. Not only is golf a growing sport with more and more people now looking to play at courses overseas, golf courses also often come with additional facilities that increase their appeal as excellent long term investments choices. Riffa Views, Bahrain's first development of this kind, is proving to be an exciting option for those looking to invest in the growing golf market and with events like the Riffa Views Invitational now taking place and a Colin Montgomerie-designed championship course, interest in the development is set to increase further still".
This exclusive residential development comprises of 870 luxury villas set around Colin Montgomerie's championship golf course, and a choice of 2 to 5 bedroom townhouses and villas are available. To play on the same course as the stars, Riffa Views property prices start at £260,000/ €342,200 through to £1,800,000/ €2,300,100.
Barton Wyatt provide luxury golf villas in Bahrain and select Overseas Property For Sale.
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
Showing posts with label Florida golf property. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Florida golf property. Show all posts
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Riffa Views draws interest to Bahrain
Monday, July 7, 2008
Florida Golf Property
Florida Golf Property
With over 60 million people visiting Florida each year, it is not surprising that the ‘Sunshine State’ is the world’s favourite holiday destination. Florida’s centre has the highest concentration of amusement parks anywhere in the world, but with its large number of golf courses and more than 100 natural lakes, it is easy for residents and visitors to distract themselves from the hustle and bustle of Disney World et al.All year around year, the keen golfers will find the golf courses in South Florida open and challenging. Usually half the year (May to October) the golf courses are hardly ever crowded. So you can pick your tee time and be assured of a leisurely round.
Also, many of the private courses are open to the public during these months. Throughout Florida there are more than 1,000 courses available catering to every level of player.
Barton Wyatt offers luxury golf property in Florida; especially at Reunion Resort:
Located on 2,300 acres of rolling terrain, 25 minutes southwest of Orlando, Reunion Resort & Club of Orlando is often described as "a new breed of family Resort". You will enjoy an unprecedented complete lifestyle, with engaging activities and luxury for the entire family. The epic vision begins with three signature golf courses from renowned designers Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus. Reunion owners and members can also choose from an array of amenities including two grand resort clubhouses, tennis courts and a superb spa and fitness centre. The Villas Condominiums are located within walking distance to Reunion’s Water Park, the shops and restaurants at Reunion Square. As it continues to grow, this area of Reunion will truly be the HUB of activity. All Villa units are 3-bedroom 3-bath condominiums. With the exchange rate at 2.02 (the highest since July 1981) this is an amazing time to get involved! For a limited time only, if you purchase a condo in The Villas at Reunion Square, Ginn Reunion will lease back the unit for two years at $5,000 a month! This is guaranteed income for two whole years while the property continues to mature - with virtually no money out of pocket!!! Contact us for more details.
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
Friday, June 27, 2008
Diary of an International Estate Agent - Viva Las Vegas
Dreaming of huge wins on the roulette tables and life changing poker hands, about 50 UK agents were delegates at the American National Association of Realtors (NAR) annual convention – this year in Las Vegas, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the NAR.
‘Sin City’ and ‘Estate Agents’ don’t make very good bedfellows, but with some 30,000 delegates from all over the World, the NAR has to use towns with gazillions of hotel beds and very large convention centres. Las Vegas fits the bill perfectly. A convention of this size is considered quite small in the US. Welcome to American where bigger very definitely means better (to them anyway).
A day on the plane, 4,500 miles and 8 time zones later, Las Vegas hits you like an over-excited teenager. Everything is in your face – constantly, coaxing you to play 24 hours a day. Sleep seems an irrelevant nuisance.
It’s been 10 years since I last visited, and the City has changed out of all recognition. Not much remains as I remember it. The New York New York hotel which I saw being constructed is billed as being reopened, after remodeling, refitted and updating – in just 10 years. Las Vegas comes to life at night with all the incredible lights and displays of erupting volcanoes, dancing fountains and so on. During the day, it looks tired and a bit miserable, like most of the people walking the streets after a long night getting smashed and losing their shirt on the roulette tables or mesmeric fruit machines.
There was great excitement within hours of arriving. The Stardust hotel was to be blown up that night, (to make way for another new 5,000 room hotel). Not something you see every day, so we struggled through to 2am to see and hear the quite incredibly loud firework display – clearly noise isn’t a problem given that everyone is still awake! – followed by a dramatic countdown and the explosion itself.
The building collapsed like the proverbial pack of cards just 200 metres away from us and we were soon engulfed by the cloud dust that raced towards us rather like the TV footage of 9/11, fortunately without the tragedy.
Gondolas in Vegas!
The Sands convention centre adjoins the Venetian Hotel, which, as the name suggests, take its cue from the watery Italian City. I’ve never seen roulette tables in Venice, but this hotel has genuine Venetian gondolas with real Italian gondoliers who, with a wistful sigh, will sing ‘O sole mio’ or “the Cornetto song” as you might know it!
My hotel is next to the convention centre but it still takes a 15 minute walk to get to the conference. The UK attendees who made the trip this year were given an endless list of lectures and talks to attend. Whilst the American way of selling property differs from ours, there are many common factors.
We speak the same language which helps, and we want to make money too, as well as sharing business tips, leadership skills amongst other matters.
Building international relations
On Tuesday evening, the NAEA, together with our friends from similar associations in New Zealand and Australia, held a drinks party as they had done last year in New Orleans. Last year’s success had clearly filtered back amongst other associations as there were infiltrators from Holland, France, South Africa, Spain and even a chap from Argentina. National flags adorned the walls, with top marks going to Peter Bolton King for noticing that the Union Jack was upside down. He must have paid attention in cub scouts.
Another early start the next morning. My cheap hotel corridor is strewn with hundreds of calling cards offering all manner of pastimes all for the same curious price of sixty nine dollars. The discount beer bar is still doing a roaring trade in the casino, and the tables are full of glazed-eyed punters. It is 7.30am.
One of the great attractions of NAR is the well organised networking opportunities with specific countries. There is particularly good representation from South America and the Caribbean in the International 2nd Home and Resort Pavilion and they are overly keen to do business without realising that the UK market for high rise apartments in the kidnapping quarter of Bogota is limited.
The Expo is vast. Row after row of stands offering everything from cheesy business cards with your photo on to supposedly high-tech ‘for sale’ boards illuminated by a couple of torches.
There are plenty of competitions to enter with prizes including holidays, Cadillac cars and Las Vegas sized piles of cash. Celebrities too. Sugar Ray Leonard, the ex world Champion and Olympic champion boxer made an appearance, although what for, and what the connection was with NAR remains a mystery.
Peter Knight of Phoenix plc has become something of a regular speaker at the NAR conventions, and this year his talk on ‘Profiting from International Sales’ had him on stage belting out an enthralling talk like a well rehearsed Elvis stage show for an hour and a half.
NAEA Chief Executive honoured
Later that day, old timer Bill Cosby took the stage in front of 6,000 delegates to keep us all amused before the International evening black tie dinner. Attended by several hundred, including our President Stewart Lilly and NAEA International chairman Ian Tonge, the highlight of the evening was a special award as an Honorary CIPS Designee presented to Peter Bolton King by the NAR for his fantastic efforts in promoting business links between our associations.
John Mike (a long term friend of the NAEA) who as the NAR’s presidential liaison officer to the UK was similarly recognised. The dancing to a great live band went on late into the night.The next NAR convention is in Orlando in November this year. Details from www.realtor.org Tickets go on sale first week in May.
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
‘Sin City’ and ‘Estate Agents’ don’t make very good bedfellows, but with some 30,000 delegates from all over the World, the NAR has to use towns with gazillions of hotel beds and very large convention centres. Las Vegas fits the bill perfectly. A convention of this size is considered quite small in the US. Welcome to American where bigger very definitely means better (to them anyway).
A day on the plane, 4,500 miles and 8 time zones later, Las Vegas hits you like an over-excited teenager. Everything is in your face – constantly, coaxing you to play 24 hours a day. Sleep seems an irrelevant nuisance.
It’s been 10 years since I last visited, and the City has changed out of all recognition. Not much remains as I remember it. The New York New York hotel which I saw being constructed is billed as being reopened, after remodeling, refitted and updating – in just 10 years. Las Vegas comes to life at night with all the incredible lights and displays of erupting volcanoes, dancing fountains and so on. During the day, it looks tired and a bit miserable, like most of the people walking the streets after a long night getting smashed and losing their shirt on the roulette tables or mesmeric fruit machines.
There was great excitement within hours of arriving. The Stardust hotel was to be blown up that night, (to make way for another new 5,000 room hotel). Not something you see every day, so we struggled through to 2am to see and hear the quite incredibly loud firework display – clearly noise isn’t a problem given that everyone is still awake! – followed by a dramatic countdown and the explosion itself.
The building collapsed like the proverbial pack of cards just 200 metres away from us and we were soon engulfed by the cloud dust that raced towards us rather like the TV footage of 9/11, fortunately without the tragedy.
Gondolas in Vegas!
The Sands convention centre adjoins the Venetian Hotel, which, as the name suggests, take its cue from the watery Italian City. I’ve never seen roulette tables in Venice, but this hotel has genuine Venetian gondolas with real Italian gondoliers who, with a wistful sigh, will sing ‘O sole mio’ or “the Cornetto song” as you might know it!
My hotel is next to the convention centre but it still takes a 15 minute walk to get to the conference. The UK attendees who made the trip this year were given an endless list of lectures and talks to attend. Whilst the American way of selling property differs from ours, there are many common factors.
We speak the same language which helps, and we want to make money too, as well as sharing business tips, leadership skills amongst other matters.
Building international relations
On Tuesday evening, the NAEA, together with our friends from similar associations in New Zealand and Australia, held a drinks party as they had done last year in New Orleans. Last year’s success had clearly filtered back amongst other associations as there were infiltrators from Holland, France, South Africa, Spain and even a chap from Argentina. National flags adorned the walls, with top marks going to Peter Bolton King for noticing that the Union Jack was upside down. He must have paid attention in cub scouts.
Another early start the next morning. My cheap hotel corridor is strewn with hundreds of calling cards offering all manner of pastimes all for the same curious price of sixty nine dollars. The discount beer bar is still doing a roaring trade in the casino, and the tables are full of glazed-eyed punters. It is 7.30am.
One of the great attractions of NAR is the well organised networking opportunities with specific countries. There is particularly good representation from South America and the Caribbean in the International 2nd Home and Resort Pavilion and they are overly keen to do business without realising that the UK market for high rise apartments in the kidnapping quarter of Bogota is limited.
The Expo is vast. Row after row of stands offering everything from cheesy business cards with your photo on to supposedly high-tech ‘for sale’ boards illuminated by a couple of torches.
There are plenty of competitions to enter with prizes including holidays, Cadillac cars and Las Vegas sized piles of cash. Celebrities too. Sugar Ray Leonard, the ex world Champion and Olympic champion boxer made an appearance, although what for, and what the connection was with NAR remains a mystery.
Peter Knight of Phoenix plc has become something of a regular speaker at the NAR conventions, and this year his talk on ‘Profiting from International Sales’ had him on stage belting out an enthralling talk like a well rehearsed Elvis stage show for an hour and a half.
NAEA Chief Executive honoured
Later that day, old timer Bill Cosby took the stage in front of 6,000 delegates to keep us all amused before the International evening black tie dinner. Attended by several hundred, including our President Stewart Lilly and NAEA International chairman Ian Tonge, the highlight of the evening was a special award as an Honorary CIPS Designee presented to Peter Bolton King by the NAR for his fantastic efforts in promoting business links between our associations.
John Mike (a long term friend of the NAEA) who as the NAR’s presidential liaison officer to the UK was similarly recognised. The dancing to a great live band went on late into the night.The next NAR convention is in Orlando in November this year. Details from www.realtor.org Tickets go on sale first week in May.
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
The Diary of a Global Estate Agent - Florida
Chapter 6
To take the wife, or not. Take her, or not. Take, not, take, not. It’s a tricky one when you’re going on a business trip which on the face of it looks an attractive proposition to the missus.
I’m off to Florida on the grandly titled ‘NAEA Trade Mission’ which will take us away for a week meeting American Real Estate Agents and developers. Problem is that I’ve never taken the missus away on business. I mean, you don’t take your partner to the office – for a bit of comfort
or whatever – do you? On the other hand the benefits seem attractive. There’s a bird in your bed. The hotel room might stay tidy for once, and I’m unlikely to remain stuck in the bar until they throw me out at 2am.
Downsides are that I won’t be allowed to enjoy myself in the bar until 2am and there’ll certainly be no TV channel flicking fest every morning and evening. Bird in bed and clean hotel room win the day and she comes with me – for a week away from the kids, a week to shop, swim and sunbathe.
Wednesday
Mr Virgin transports us to Orlando during the day and before long we’re at the Hilton Garden Inn. It’s being renovated, so no swimming as the pool’s closed. Sorry love – still, there’s shopping to do. Our (very pleasant) room overlooks something resembling a nuclear research plant – no windows, and all a bit spooky. In the distance, a ride at SeaWorld soars upwards like a modern day church spire – willing us to prayer, except this one just wants you to pay.
The other delegates arrive during the day – our Commander in Chief, Chris Hall, via Amsterdam and somewhere in the North of the US. We all meet up with John Mike who is the NAR’s Presidential Liaison to the UK, who will marshal us around with great authority for the week. The overview of the week ahead doesn’t really take account of wives who might not have come along to work – they’ve got to join in – by order. Sorry love, no shopping either.
Thursday
Early bus to a resort by Pulte Homes. Bucks Fizz welcome – nice touch, before a lengthy talk by the developer. I sell homes on golf resorts, and this isn’t one of those, so I take only a vague interest in the apartments and townhouses. They provide a great lunch though. Then off to picturesque and historic Winter Park, North of Orlando. It must be one of the oldest parts of Florida dating back over a 100 years (gasp). Huge multi million dollar winter holiday homes overlook a number of connected lakes. After bumping into Jim Atkins (ex President of the NAEA) we take a boat ride around a couple of lakes. It rains hard for a while and in the absence of any roof, we all hold aloft a blue plastic sheet to cover us.
Time to speed on, and next stop is the Orlando Regional Realtors Association for a reception. This local Association has more members than the NAEA! Another wonderful spread of nosh and wine. 7 or 8 different nationalities explain how they celebrate Christmas – the Panamanians go totally over the top with ‘courting dancers’ (who looked as though they had just divorced) in traditional costume and a TV crew filming them. For the Brits, Laura Dickinson from UK company Moneycorp (who generously sponsored our coach) handed out mince pies and party
crackers. Cue, for everyone to put a silly hat on for the rest of the proceedings. We finished with
the first of many networking events.
Friday
Boarded coach and were whisked off to a very strange development near Disneyland. So strange that I kept no details for fear of catching something. The polystyrene ceiling tiles were a bad sign – the developer was from Slough, which probably had something to do with it. The cast of salesmen, advisors etc obviously had second jobs with The Addams Family across the road. A very odd bunch. Not interested, Bye-bye.
We escaped and drove to our first star resort of the trip, Reunion, being developed by Ginn who are a huge NYSE 100 company. We were due to see a number of their golf resorts during the week. After a slick introduction, a delicious lunch was served in their clubhouse and we then toured the impressive facility. Beautiful manicured golf course, and a smart selection of homes in all shapes and sizes.
And then on to Bella Collina – a Tuscan inspired development. Another Ginn resort where our home grown Nick Faldo is the course designer. The resort is very much in its infancy – the roads are in and woodland is being cleared, and that’s about it. Apart from a row of eight multi-million dollar showhomes – “Street of Dreams”, all of about 10,000 square feet, overlooking a lake. We are treated to a ‘reception’ (aka – flowing drinks and great nosh) in two of the houses, and carefully watch a large alligator crawling around the rear lawn!
Saturday
Up at 5.30am for our 6.20am coach to get us up to Flagler Beach airport. Ginn are flying us to their Ginn sur Mer resort in Grand Bahama. Their private terminal wouldn’t be out of place of a large house in Golders Green – fireplace and all!
A hop down to West Palm Beach to pick up some others and then just 20 minutes to the development’s private airstrip where they have their own customs house. This multibillion dollar resort is just underway and early investors should make a killing. For now, the deserted beaches covered in conch shells are dreamy. After lunch we all wander down to a nearby beach where a reggae band is playing which gets to the Commander, and he takes off his trousers for a paddle in the sea.
Sunday
Goodbye Orlando. We head South past endless orange groves towards The Palm Beaches and stop off at another Ginn resort – Tesoro, where we meet up with NAEA CEO Peter Bolton-King and his wife Laura. After last night, the ‘welcome’ drink of a Bloody Mary is, well… welcome. More golf to see, more lunch, more houses. It’s a big resort, so they have a helicopter (naturellement) to hand so we can see it more clearly from the air. Our pilot takes us for a spin down to the coast for a bit of dolphin chasing.
After arriving at our Marriot hotel, we are welcomed formally by John Mike and others from the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches, as well as meeting a nice little old lady who turns out to be the local Mayor. Then a networking event where we are outnumbered about 5 to 1. The pace of the ‘networking’ is bewildering – ‘Hi, my name is Randy Yank, here’s my card, can I have yours. Good to meet you. Goodbye’ …Next! A delicious gala dinner follows.
Monday
The Missus is ‘worn out’ and skives off for the day to do some shopping at the giant City Place centre next to the hotel. We’re not seeing any golfing resorts today so I drift along accepting the hospitality and making corny Agent comments –‘very spacious’ and ‘nice high ceilings’ etc etc.
Mid afternoon we stop at the offices of the Realtors Association of the Palm Beach for an excellent lecture on the American multiple listing system, and then move on for the essential late afternoon cocktail party at the Casa Bella development in Boca Raton. Four months ago these 4,500 sq ft houses were selling for $1.2m, but the US market has recently suffered a horrendous crash (they like to say ‘correction’). Some developers are desperate for cash, and we were offered the same house for $750,000 – about £380,000. Five beds, five baths, swimming
pool – amazing value. Fortified by a couple of gin and tonics, our CEO started rounding us up suggesting we all put £25,000 in each to buy one. The cocktails had done their job, and it seemed a jolly good idea. Fortunately, we were herded on to the coach before contracts were agreed.
Tuesday
Big slap-up breakfast at Emerald Dunes where we get transported from one apartment block to another by buggy – it is all of 100 metres. Two hours later at Toll Brothers offices, a huge lunch is on offer….Toll Brothers are a huge US builder and they have some products I could be interested in.
The girls then get their dearest wish, and are granted 2 hours shopping time, whilst the rest of us get to play a bit of golf at the fantastically swish Old Palm Golf Club. Their multi-video computerized training bay shows us all just how bad we really are. The pro spends his time with a look of complete bewilderment on his face. After a quick look at an $8m home (his and hers loos in the ensuite!), we meet up with the shoppers at the clubhouse for a very smart champagne and canapés party.
Back to the hotel before dressing up for the farewell dinner at the Governor’s Club in West Palm Beach. Speeches from both sides and lots of laughter and a great meal.
Wednesday
Time to go home. Spend the morning trying to pack. We’ve picked up an unbelievable amount of gifts, brochures – you name it. Books, dressing gowns, bottle openers, frisbees, pens and pads by the ton. After chucking out what I don’t need, there’s still the small issue of an extra 50kg of luggage…
We have lunch at the incredibly swish Breakers Hotel with Laura from Moneycorp and her boyfriend. Fish and chips and a coke for $50 a head! Over the three hour drive back to Orlando we agree that the trip has been an enormous success. It has been a very full programme, brilliant organised, and we’ve had a lot of fun too. The serious side of the trip is that we have to convert our visit into earning commissions. The hard work will start when we get home.
And I’m pleased I took the Missus. She enjoyed the ‘work’ side of the trip and got to go shopping…
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
To take the wife, or not. Take her, or not. Take, not, take, not. It’s a tricky one when you’re going on a business trip which on the face of it looks an attractive proposition to the missus.
I’m off to Florida on the grandly titled ‘NAEA Trade Mission’ which will take us away for a week meeting American Real Estate Agents and developers. Problem is that I’ve never taken the missus away on business. I mean, you don’t take your partner to the office – for a bit of comfort
or whatever – do you? On the other hand the benefits seem attractive. There’s a bird in your bed. The hotel room might stay tidy for once, and I’m unlikely to remain stuck in the bar until they throw me out at 2am.
Downsides are that I won’t be allowed to enjoy myself in the bar until 2am and there’ll certainly be no TV channel flicking fest every morning and evening. Bird in bed and clean hotel room win the day and she comes with me – for a week away from the kids, a week to shop, swim and sunbathe.
Wednesday
Mr Virgin transports us to Orlando during the day and before long we’re at the Hilton Garden Inn. It’s being renovated, so no swimming as the pool’s closed. Sorry love – still, there’s shopping to do. Our (very pleasant) room overlooks something resembling a nuclear research plant – no windows, and all a bit spooky. In the distance, a ride at SeaWorld soars upwards like a modern day church spire – willing us to prayer, except this one just wants you to pay.
The other delegates arrive during the day – our Commander in Chief, Chris Hall, via Amsterdam and somewhere in the North of the US. We all meet up with John Mike who is the NAR’s Presidential Liaison to the UK, who will marshal us around with great authority for the week. The overview of the week ahead doesn’t really take account of wives who might not have come along to work – they’ve got to join in – by order. Sorry love, no shopping either.
Thursday
Early bus to a resort by Pulte Homes. Bucks Fizz welcome – nice touch, before a lengthy talk by the developer. I sell homes on golf resorts, and this isn’t one of those, so I take only a vague interest in the apartments and townhouses. They provide a great lunch though. Then off to picturesque and historic Winter Park, North of Orlando. It must be one of the oldest parts of Florida dating back over a 100 years (gasp). Huge multi million dollar winter holiday homes overlook a number of connected lakes. After bumping into Jim Atkins (ex President of the NAEA) we take a boat ride around a couple of lakes. It rains hard for a while and in the absence of any roof, we all hold aloft a blue plastic sheet to cover us.
Time to speed on, and next stop is the Orlando Regional Realtors Association for a reception. This local Association has more members than the NAEA! Another wonderful spread of nosh and wine. 7 or 8 different nationalities explain how they celebrate Christmas – the Panamanians go totally over the top with ‘courting dancers’ (who looked as though they had just divorced) in traditional costume and a TV crew filming them. For the Brits, Laura Dickinson from UK company Moneycorp (who generously sponsored our coach) handed out mince pies and party
crackers. Cue, for everyone to put a silly hat on for the rest of the proceedings. We finished with
the first of many networking events.
Friday
Boarded coach and were whisked off to a very strange development near Disneyland. So strange that I kept no details for fear of catching something. The polystyrene ceiling tiles were a bad sign – the developer was from Slough, which probably had something to do with it. The cast of salesmen, advisors etc obviously had second jobs with The Addams Family across the road. A very odd bunch. Not interested, Bye-bye.
We escaped and drove to our first star resort of the trip, Reunion, being developed by Ginn who are a huge NYSE 100 company. We were due to see a number of their golf resorts during the week. After a slick introduction, a delicious lunch was served in their clubhouse and we then toured the impressive facility. Beautiful manicured golf course, and a smart selection of homes in all shapes and sizes.
And then on to Bella Collina – a Tuscan inspired development. Another Ginn resort where our home grown Nick Faldo is the course designer. The resort is very much in its infancy – the roads are in and woodland is being cleared, and that’s about it. Apart from a row of eight multi-million dollar showhomes – “Street of Dreams”, all of about 10,000 square feet, overlooking a lake. We are treated to a ‘reception’ (aka – flowing drinks and great nosh) in two of the houses, and carefully watch a large alligator crawling around the rear lawn!
Saturday
Up at 5.30am for our 6.20am coach to get us up to Flagler Beach airport. Ginn are flying us to their Ginn sur Mer resort in Grand Bahama. Their private terminal wouldn’t be out of place of a large house in Golders Green – fireplace and all!
A hop down to West Palm Beach to pick up some others and then just 20 minutes to the development’s private airstrip where they have their own customs house. This multibillion dollar resort is just underway and early investors should make a killing. For now, the deserted beaches covered in conch shells are dreamy. After lunch we all wander down to a nearby beach where a reggae band is playing which gets to the Commander, and he takes off his trousers for a paddle in the sea.
Sunday
Goodbye Orlando. We head South past endless orange groves towards The Palm Beaches and stop off at another Ginn resort – Tesoro, where we meet up with NAEA CEO Peter Bolton-King and his wife Laura. After last night, the ‘welcome’ drink of a Bloody Mary is, well… welcome. More golf to see, more lunch, more houses. It’s a big resort, so they have a helicopter (naturellement) to hand so we can see it more clearly from the air. Our pilot takes us for a spin down to the coast for a bit of dolphin chasing.
After arriving at our Marriot hotel, we are welcomed formally by John Mike and others from the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches, as well as meeting a nice little old lady who turns out to be the local Mayor. Then a networking event where we are outnumbered about 5 to 1. The pace of the ‘networking’ is bewildering – ‘Hi, my name is Randy Yank, here’s my card, can I have yours. Good to meet you. Goodbye’ …Next! A delicious gala dinner follows.
Monday
The Missus is ‘worn out’ and skives off for the day to do some shopping at the giant City Place centre next to the hotel. We’re not seeing any golfing resorts today so I drift along accepting the hospitality and making corny Agent comments –‘very spacious’ and ‘nice high ceilings’ etc etc.
Mid afternoon we stop at the offices of the Realtors Association of the Palm Beach for an excellent lecture on the American multiple listing system, and then move on for the essential late afternoon cocktail party at the Casa Bella development in Boca Raton. Four months ago these 4,500 sq ft houses were selling for $1.2m, but the US market has recently suffered a horrendous crash (they like to say ‘correction’). Some developers are desperate for cash, and we were offered the same house for $750,000 – about £380,000. Five beds, five baths, swimming
pool – amazing value. Fortified by a couple of gin and tonics, our CEO started rounding us up suggesting we all put £25,000 in each to buy one. The cocktails had done their job, and it seemed a jolly good idea. Fortunately, we were herded on to the coach before contracts were agreed.
Tuesday
Big slap-up breakfast at Emerald Dunes where we get transported from one apartment block to another by buggy – it is all of 100 metres. Two hours later at Toll Brothers offices, a huge lunch is on offer….Toll Brothers are a huge US builder and they have some products I could be interested in.
The girls then get their dearest wish, and are granted 2 hours shopping time, whilst the rest of us get to play a bit of golf at the fantastically swish Old Palm Golf Club. Their multi-video computerized training bay shows us all just how bad we really are. The pro spends his time with a look of complete bewilderment on his face. After a quick look at an $8m home (his and hers loos in the ensuite!), we meet up with the shoppers at the clubhouse for a very smart champagne and canapés party.
Back to the hotel before dressing up for the farewell dinner at the Governor’s Club in West Palm Beach. Speeches from both sides and lots of laughter and a great meal.
Wednesday
Time to go home. Spend the morning trying to pack. We’ve picked up an unbelievable amount of gifts, brochures – you name it. Books, dressing gowns, bottle openers, frisbees, pens and pads by the ton. After chucking out what I don’t need, there’s still the small issue of an extra 50kg of luggage…
We have lunch at the incredibly swish Breakers Hotel with Laura from Moneycorp and her boyfriend. Fish and chips and a coke for $50 a head! Over the three hour drive back to Orlando we agree that the trip has been an enormous success. It has been a very full programme, brilliant organised, and we’ve had a lot of fun too. The serious side of the trip is that we have to convert our visit into earning commissions. The hard work will start when we get home.
And I’m pleased I took the Missus. She enjoyed the ‘work’ side of the trip and got to go shopping…
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
The Diary of a Global Estate Agent - New Orleans
Chapter 5
James Wyatt hits New Orleans – joining 30,000 realtors for NARdi Gras!
There are three gatherings during the year that are well worth attending if you are (or are looking to be) in the overseas sales market. SIMA in Madrid is the world’s biggest property
exhibition covering an area 50% bigger than London’s ExCel Halls. With 800 exhibitors and 160,000 visitors from 60 countries, it is busy! Hugely worth visiting to see the staggering size and variety of stands which are quite often on two levels (display downstairs, bar upstairs), and usually built specifically for the show and then demolished! I’ve heard of developers spending €500,000 on a stand.
OPPLive! held it’s first B2B show last December and it is being repeated next month at Alexandra Palace on a grander scale. This was a brilliantly run two day event giving developers, agents, foreign exchange specialists etc the opportunity to network without the ‘complication’ of
‘Joe public’.
Lastly, The National Association of Realtors (NAR) in America hold their annual convention each year in a different city. This year, nearly 30,000 of us headed out to New Orleans – devastated in August 2005 by Hurricane Katrina and flooding – and NARdi Gras.
Thursday
Not a good start at Gatwick. I’ve got an iPod earbud firmly wedged in my ear, and a supervisor thinks I should go to hospital – “the ambulance will get you there in no time”. Slight panic on my part as the plane leaves in 40 minutes. Fortunately, common sense prevails. A paramedic turns up and extracts the offending thing with a pop.
Someone kindly takes pity on me and my pathetic earbud story, and moves me up to a giant seat at the front of the plane for the day trip to Philadelphia and then on to New Orleans.
Friday
Wide awake at 4am. I eventually decide to head into town on the tram for an early breakfast. First sign of Hurricane Katrina – there are no trams as the power lines were blown away.
Eventually find the Ernest Morial Convention Center which is a colossal 3 million square foot building beside the River Mississippi (and they’re about to add another 500,000 sq ft). One
end to the other is nearly three quarters of a mile long. That’s fine, but most of the meetings/lectures I have are at one end of the building, and the exhibition stands and food court are at the other end. Note for tomorrow – bring more comfortable shoes!
The day is spent at various meetings with gripping titles including “Top money making strategies in Online Marketing”, “Increase your Profits with Global Referrals!” and “Partnering
with Developers in the Second Homes Market”.
Later in the day, the exhibition is ‘officially’ opened by Tom Stevens, President of the NAR with lots of American hoo-ha. 800 exhibitors enthusiastically hand out thimble full sized drinks – not enough for any effect whatsoever. Fortunately the NAEA cocktail reception at the Sheraton lures us for proper sized drinks. Joint hosts are the Real Estate Institutes of New Zealand and Australia. Big-wigs from the UK include NAEA Chief Executive Peter Bolton King, President Charles Smailes and NAEA International supremo Ian Tonge. Other notables included Aussie
Marketing guru Ian Grace who talked at the NAEA Congress in London last year as well as brilliant motivational speaker Julie Ryan who I hope the NAEA will get over to the UK soon.
Saturday
Another lovely sunny day – absolutely perfect for being couped up in windowless meeting rooms. Today is mainly spent at the International Networking Center discussing opportunities with developers from Brazil, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Bahamas, Panama, USA and Nicaragua
for some reason (apparently it’s really safe there now...). I bump into an old friend Kirkor Ajderhanyan who runs a hugely successful agency on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. Being
from France he embraces me and plants a kiss on each cheek, which freaks out the Americans standing around us. Immediate discussion about “my wife and kids at home…” to ensure they
knew what was what.
Peter Knight who runs Phoenix plc (PR firm for the NAEA) is one of the speakers at a session entitled “Innovative Marketing Strategies from around the World”. His 25 minutes go down very well, and part of his presentation mentions me. He also points me out to the other delegates. At the end of the session there is a long queue (I’m not joking!) of people want to meet me. 45 minutes later, I have a load of cards, of which two or three may well be profitable. Thank-you Peter!
Later, 6000 of us jam into a hall with a massive stage for various award ceremonies, followed by a talk by ex-Presidents Bush and Clinton about their Bush/Clinton Katrina Fund which has raised $130m to ease the suffering of those caught by the devastating hurricane and flooding. George Bush was very funny (“let me tell you about the time I threw-up on the President of
Japan” etc), whilst Clinton played the straight man.
The evening is spent in Bourbon Street in the NAR ‘NARdi Gras’ parade passing by all the pubs, bars, music halls, strip joints etc. This attractive part of town has buildings in the French Colonial style – decorative wrought ironwork supporting balconies from which hundreds of ‘merry’ well-wishers hurl string beads at us. Ouch.
Sunday
Business starts a bit later today, so I head off for a walk into town. The old town was built above sea level and whilst Katrina did a lot of damage – windows blown in, trees blown away – it missed out on the flooding. This tourist area is largely back to normal. But I didn’t have to go far to find shopping Malls where half the shops were still empty, collecting dust. The Malls’ food hall had three of 15 counters open. Once you get into the badly flooded areas, it becomes a lot, lot worse. Street after street virtually abandoned. House after house still uninhabitable. This was a city of over 800,000 people before the August 2005 storm, and 15 months later, less than 200,000 are living here full time. It is a city which is slowly dragging itself off it’s knees, but these are still early days.
30,000 Estate Agents will have dropped $40m into the local economy over a few days – it is the biggest convention since Katrina. We followed the 2006 Librarians convention, which one shopkeeper described to me as being ‘a little quiet’!! Everywhere you went, bar tenders, shopkeepers, restaurateurs, bell-boys – everyone thanked us for coming to New Orleans.
Back to work and the rest of the day spent talking to exhibitors and developers. Anyone know of anyone interested in investing in El Salvador?! The convention was rounded off by a wonderful concert by Harry Connick JR, who is a New Orleans boy – remember his music from “When Harry met Sally”?
Monday
Time to head home. Bump into NAEA President Charles Smailes in the bar at the airport and we chat about the last few days. 44 Brits made it to New Orleans. 250 South Africans came, a similar number from Australia and 150 from New Zealand. Lets have more Brits in Las Vegas
next year! There are a huge number of opportunities and ideas to be had from the NAR convention. I’ve brought back plenty to keep me busy for some time and eventually good fees will pay back the cost of the trip many times over.
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
James Wyatt hits New Orleans – joining 30,000 realtors for NARdi Gras!
There are three gatherings during the year that are well worth attending if you are (or are looking to be) in the overseas sales market. SIMA in Madrid is the world’s biggest property
exhibition covering an area 50% bigger than London’s ExCel Halls. With 800 exhibitors and 160,000 visitors from 60 countries, it is busy! Hugely worth visiting to see the staggering size and variety of stands which are quite often on two levels (display downstairs, bar upstairs), and usually built specifically for the show and then demolished! I’ve heard of developers spending €500,000 on a stand.
OPPLive! held it’s first B2B show last December and it is being repeated next month at Alexandra Palace on a grander scale. This was a brilliantly run two day event giving developers, agents, foreign exchange specialists etc the opportunity to network without the ‘complication’ of
‘Joe public’.
Lastly, The National Association of Realtors (NAR) in America hold their annual convention each year in a different city. This year, nearly 30,000 of us headed out to New Orleans – devastated in August 2005 by Hurricane Katrina and flooding – and NARdi Gras.
Thursday
Not a good start at Gatwick. I’ve got an iPod earbud firmly wedged in my ear, and a supervisor thinks I should go to hospital – “the ambulance will get you there in no time”. Slight panic on my part as the plane leaves in 40 minutes. Fortunately, common sense prevails. A paramedic turns up and extracts the offending thing with a pop.
Someone kindly takes pity on me and my pathetic earbud story, and moves me up to a giant seat at the front of the plane for the day trip to Philadelphia and then on to New Orleans.
Friday
Wide awake at 4am. I eventually decide to head into town on the tram for an early breakfast. First sign of Hurricane Katrina – there are no trams as the power lines were blown away.
Eventually find the Ernest Morial Convention Center which is a colossal 3 million square foot building beside the River Mississippi (and they’re about to add another 500,000 sq ft). One
end to the other is nearly three quarters of a mile long. That’s fine, but most of the meetings/lectures I have are at one end of the building, and the exhibition stands and food court are at the other end. Note for tomorrow – bring more comfortable shoes!
The day is spent at various meetings with gripping titles including “Top money making strategies in Online Marketing”, “Increase your Profits with Global Referrals!” and “Partnering
with Developers in the Second Homes Market”.
Later in the day, the exhibition is ‘officially’ opened by Tom Stevens, President of the NAR with lots of American hoo-ha. 800 exhibitors enthusiastically hand out thimble full sized drinks – not enough for any effect whatsoever. Fortunately the NAEA cocktail reception at the Sheraton lures us for proper sized drinks. Joint hosts are the Real Estate Institutes of New Zealand and Australia. Big-wigs from the UK include NAEA Chief Executive Peter Bolton King, President Charles Smailes and NAEA International supremo Ian Tonge. Other notables included Aussie
Marketing guru Ian Grace who talked at the NAEA Congress in London last year as well as brilliant motivational speaker Julie Ryan who I hope the NAEA will get over to the UK soon.
Saturday
Another lovely sunny day – absolutely perfect for being couped up in windowless meeting rooms. Today is mainly spent at the International Networking Center discussing opportunities with developers from Brazil, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Bahamas, Panama, USA and Nicaragua
for some reason (apparently it’s really safe there now...). I bump into an old friend Kirkor Ajderhanyan who runs a hugely successful agency on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. Being
from France he embraces me and plants a kiss on each cheek, which freaks out the Americans standing around us. Immediate discussion about “my wife and kids at home…” to ensure they
knew what was what.
Peter Knight who runs Phoenix plc (PR firm for the NAEA) is one of the speakers at a session entitled “Innovative Marketing Strategies from around the World”. His 25 minutes go down very well, and part of his presentation mentions me. He also points me out to the other delegates. At the end of the session there is a long queue (I’m not joking!) of people want to meet me. 45 minutes later, I have a load of cards, of which two or three may well be profitable. Thank-you Peter!
Later, 6000 of us jam into a hall with a massive stage for various award ceremonies, followed by a talk by ex-Presidents Bush and Clinton about their Bush/Clinton Katrina Fund which has raised $130m to ease the suffering of those caught by the devastating hurricane and flooding. George Bush was very funny (“let me tell you about the time I threw-up on the President of
Japan” etc), whilst Clinton played the straight man.
The evening is spent in Bourbon Street in the NAR ‘NARdi Gras’ parade passing by all the pubs, bars, music halls, strip joints etc. This attractive part of town has buildings in the French Colonial style – decorative wrought ironwork supporting balconies from which hundreds of ‘merry’ well-wishers hurl string beads at us. Ouch.
Sunday
Business starts a bit later today, so I head off for a walk into town. The old town was built above sea level and whilst Katrina did a lot of damage – windows blown in, trees blown away – it missed out on the flooding. This tourist area is largely back to normal. But I didn’t have to go far to find shopping Malls where half the shops were still empty, collecting dust. The Malls’ food hall had three of 15 counters open. Once you get into the badly flooded areas, it becomes a lot, lot worse. Street after street virtually abandoned. House after house still uninhabitable. This was a city of over 800,000 people before the August 2005 storm, and 15 months later, less than 200,000 are living here full time. It is a city which is slowly dragging itself off it’s knees, but these are still early days.
30,000 Estate Agents will have dropped $40m into the local economy over a few days – it is the biggest convention since Katrina. We followed the 2006 Librarians convention, which one shopkeeper described to me as being ‘a little quiet’!! Everywhere you went, bar tenders, shopkeepers, restaurateurs, bell-boys – everyone thanked us for coming to New Orleans.
Back to work and the rest of the day spent talking to exhibitors and developers. Anyone know of anyone interested in investing in El Salvador?! The convention was rounded off by a wonderful concert by Harry Connick JR, who is a New Orleans boy – remember his music from “When Harry met Sally”?
Monday
Time to head home. Bump into NAEA President Charles Smailes in the bar at the airport and we chat about the last few days. 44 Brits made it to New Orleans. 250 South Africans came, a similar number from Australia and 150 from New Zealand. Lets have more Brits in Las Vegas
next year! There are a huge number of opportunities and ideas to be had from the NAR convention. I’ve brought back plenty to keep me busy for some time and eventually good fees will pay back the cost of the trip many times over.
James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt International based in Wentworth, Virginia Water. Tel: 01344 843000
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