International Investors Will Help U.S. Real Estate
The U.S. real estate market is obviously well on the path to recovery, but there is one factor many investors may not have caught onto yet. Global investment in America is expected to explode in 2014, but it could be even bigger than analysts imagine because of economic shifts abroad. U.S. real estate investors that catch onto this early and position themselves to catch the windfall could far exceed their goals this year. In other words, international investors will help the U.S. real estate market. Both residential and commercial U.S. property markets appear to be on cruise control, with even the laggards of 2013 making solid efforts to catch up. Commercial analysts from the CCIM Institute have acknowledged that all sectors are performing well and the main focus of investors has decidedly turned to growth opportunities, especially in the form of seeking out deals in secondary markets and Class C properties. Mortgage lenders and funds are even pulling out all the stops to make money as accessible as possible, including pushing the limits with innovative loan programs. However, while economies around the globe may also be improving, there are issues none the less. Technology is disrupting industry, including real estate business abroad. Even the best funded organizations have witnessed the fall of others and recognize the need to adapt, trim the fat and get streamlined. This is resulting in layoffs and redundancies. Many of those being given the axe are mature workers and even executives. They have reasonable retirement savings and many will receive handsome severance packages. However, most will still need incomes. All of this makes U.S. real estate investing the best move for these individuals. Many will be foreign nationals flush with cash. However, a good number may also be expats ready to return which could make leverage and volume of deals even easier. Some will come to stay, and others will be in search of second homes to vacation in. Moreover, there will be a large influx of individuals looking to expand their portfolios. A lot of them will focus on traditional gateway cities like New York, Miami, Dallas and San Diego. Yet, for a variety of reasons, this surge in capital and activity will permeate even deeper. Still, how can U.S. based real estate investors and investment firms best position themselves to serve most of these individuals? Building a visible brand is a great start. This can be achieved with PR, a solid brand identity, and consistent top of mind advertising. Of course, this may not help separate you from the pack enough to fully realize your potential. Those serious about commanding as much of this business as possible need to stand out as the best option, or at least beat the competition to the leads. Some of the most natural extensions of current real estate marketing may be themed blogging, targeted reports, new landing pages, and adding concierge services to assist with common challenges and concerns. Some real estate investment firms could benefit from going to where these prospects are now, and ensure they are speaking the right language. This can include website translations, a customer service staff to back them up, Google Adwords and a Global Advertiser to pinpoint and get in front of overseas prospects. Those that really want to leverage themselves, time and resources could focus on developing new strategic referral partnerships.