Across the globe, despite the impact of the credit crunch, many buyers are still actively seeking opportunities in overseas property and two international magazines, Overseas Property Professional (OPP) and OPP Russia, have recently highlighted Romania as a market for agents to consider for their clients. However, the next stage for the market is for developers to work with agents to drive sales based on this interest.
Whether for investors looking to benefit from rentals or capital appreciation, second-homes buyers or those re-locating to the country, a number of developers have experienced demand from outside Romania. OPP has learnt about buyers coming from the US, Scandinavia, Germany, France, Spain, Israel, Greece and Italy, amongst others – highlighting the appeal of the market for a range of nationalities. In addition, Tibor Fuchsel, territory manager at Overseas Property Professional (OPP), feels the Russian buyer market is one that developers should seek to engage: “Russian buyers are constantly looking for new areas where they can not only invest their money but also buy something unique, Romania has so much to offer them. There is no reason Romania can’t follow the path of Bulgaria in terms of engaging the Russian buyers. Bulgaria stands at number 1 on the top list of Russian buyers.”
While good news for those developers with property to sell, this does throw up challenges in marketing to so many diverse markets.
For many developers this can seem a daunting task, requiring a re-think of their marketing activities, an understanding of how to interact with agents, and an examination of ways to teach new agents about what the Romanian market offers. However, Tibor Fuchsel, territory manager at Overseas Property Professional (OPP), says: “The shift in mindset isn’t as great as some may fear – the fundamentals of the business remain the same. You want to sell property through an intermediary and – whether you use a domestic agent, based in Romania selling to Romanians’, or an overseas agents selling to their local clients – the relationship is similar.”
This year, OPP and OPP Russia have increased coverage of the Romanian markets, to educate international agents about the opportunities their clients may be interested in. However, Fuchsel says: “To capitalise on this interest, developers also need to ensure they have dialogue with agents, and are working pro-actively to establish, and facilitate, these sales channels. Buyer interest is out there, as OPP has found, but the only way to benefit from this is to engage the companies that will bring you the buyers. OPP strives to facilitate these partnerships, and aims to provide a medium through which developers can reach agents.”
Reaching the international buyer
OPP- helping Romanian developers establish overseas networks
For many Romanian developers, selling property to overseas buyers can seem a daunting task, requiring a re-think of marketing activities and an understanding of how to interact with agents. However, in reality, the philosophies of doing business remain the same, according to Tibor Fuchsel, territory manager at Overseas Property Professional (OPP).
Fuchsel says: “The shift in mindset isn’t as great as some may fear – the fundamentals of the business remain the same. You want to sell property through an intermediary and – whether you use a domestic agent, based in Romania selling to Romanians, or an overseas agents selling to their local clients – the relationship is conducted on a similar basis.”
The only real challenge is creating relationships with overseas agents – and this is a challenge OPP is helping Romanian developers meet head-on.
Fuchsel explains: “The OPP brand incorporates two trade magazines, with related websites, and the OPPLive exhibition, where agents and developers meet to learn about new business strategies and conduct business. Using the OPP platform, developers can structure a campaign that successfully uses print, online and face-to-face marketing to reach key agents.”
A typical campaign can be structured to combine the following elements to achieve maximum results:
1) Print advertising in the monthly OPP and OPPRussia magazines to build brand awareness, credibility and trust amongst agents throughout Europe and Russia. It is recommended that campaigns run for a minimum of 3-6 months for maximum effect.
2) Online activity through direct emails and banner advertising to the largest trade database available, consisting of 56,000 agents globally and 7,000 agents specifically from Russia and the CIS, in order to drive direct response and encourage a dialogue (either prior to a face to face meeting at the OPPLive event in November or to follow up after the show).
3) Presence at OPPLive 08 exhibition. This is an opportunity to meet with over 3,000 key agents face-to-face at a 2 day event in London on the 25 and 26 November. The conference and exhibition will allow you to solidify relationships, train agents on selling your development, network with top professionals and attend a range of conferences that will educate you and your team on all elements of marketing and selling your development to an international audience.
Fuchsel concludes: “Despite current economic conditions across the world, there are still many people looking to buy property in new markets. The key is ensuring they know what you offer – and the most direct way to ensure this is to establish an international agent network to do the selling and marketing for you.”
GOLF GENERATES €53BN FOR EMEA ECONOMIES
The game of golf is an enterprise now worth more than €50billion a year in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), according to a study from KPMG Golf Advisory Practice, launched at The Ryder Cup yesterday.
Although golf in the EMEA region is about one-third the size of the US industry, it is growing fast, especially in golf tourism and real estate.
According to KPMG’s research, these key sectors now account for almost half of the game’s total revenue. Real estate is the number-one money earner, bringing in almost €19billion, which outstrips the total cash generated on-course from green fees, memberships and sponsorship and attracts five times more investment than golf courses themselves.
The report found that in 2006, more than 160 new golf courses and almost 100 major course expansion projects were underway across the EMEA, producing 17,000 new villas, houses and apartments and generating a total of €18.8billion. Buyers are also prepared to pay up to a 30% premium on a property located in a golf community or golf resort.
To help drive sales during the credit crunch, the master agent of the Desert Springs Golf Resort in Almeria, southern Spain, is holding an open day on November 5 to encourage agents to sell its properties.
Open for inspection will be the apartments, townhouses, cottages, villas and country houses available for sale and agents will be able to learn about the ‘100% extra commission’ deal offered by the developer’s principal agent in northern Europe, the Cheltenham-based Almanzora Group. Until the end of this year the firm is offering a commission of 12% on selected properties for reservations confirmed by December 31, 2008.
Prices start at €233,000 for an apartment, rising to €2.5million and more than 300 units have been sold so far. The developer, the Almanzora Bay Group is currently working on new phases of the 750 ha project.
Further north on the Costa Daurada, the developer of Bonmont golf and residential community, the Med Group, has launched a golfing academy on site to help train new players and to attract potential buyers. The company also plans to launch a scholarship scheme with select public schools across the UK as part of its brand awareness campaign.
“We are proud to boast such a renowned golf course and it is tribute to the facilities we have at Bonmont that the decision was made to base the academy here,” said managing director Jesus Abellan. “All those participating in the tutoring packages will be able to sample the superb properties we have for sale, all of which overlook this stunning course and make it one of the most popular destinations for people wanting to invest in property abroad.”
Bucureşti, 8 aug /Agerpres/ – Overseas Property Professional (OPP),…
… revistă britanică lunară dedicată profesioniştilor pieţei imobiliare şi investiţiilor din străinătate, a întocmit, în numărul său din iulie, o analiză a pieţei imobiliare româneşti.
Helen Dutton, redactor la OPP, a dorit să afle ce oportunităţi apar pentru agenţii imobiliari din România, în condiţiile în care turismul se află în plin stadiu de dezvoltare, după modernizarea infrastructurii şi a industriei.
Adrian Niculescu, manager la Euroest, crede că sectorul imobiliar încă se află într-o “perioadă de preconsolidare, în care există suficient loc pentru ca alţi jucători să intre pe piaţă, la nivel local şi internaţional”. El recomandă achiziţii în asociere cu companiile locale, pentru a putea obţine cea mai bună poziţionare de brand.
“Pentru investitorii străini, este relativ uşor să pornească o afacere în România, întrucât aportul minim de capital este mic, 200 lei, şi nu există reglementări sau limitări impuse agenţilor imobiliari, susţine Cristian Antonescu, managing partner la Imoinvest.
În legătură cu zonele din România pretabile investiţiilor, Adrian Niculescu menţionează că pieţele cele mai importante sunt marile oraşe şi periferiile acestora.
“Pe lângă Bucureşti, cu 1.944.000 locuitori, şi cartierele sale mărginaşe, care deţin 50 la sută din dezvoltările rezidenţiale, Timişoara (312.400 locuitori), Cluj (309.300 locuitori) şi Iaşi (306.600 locuitori) se vor dezvolta mult, ca rezultat al creşterii economice”, spune Niculescu.
Clujul, potrivit acestuia, a devenit un loc atrtactiv după implementarea fabricii Nokia. Craiova (300.000 locuitori) va beneficia de ancora care este fabrica Ford, Braşovul (279.700 locuitori) se află în mijlocul ţării, cu o ofertă turistică generoasă, cu potenţial rezidenţial şi de afaceri, iar Constanţa (303.700 locuitori), oraş la Marea Neagră, este poarta de apă spre lume.
“Cred că Braşov şi Constanţa se vor dezvolta ca arii preferate pentru casele de vacanţă”, mai spune Niculescu.
Ca tip de locuinţe, reprezentantul Euroest estimează creşteri semnificative în cartierele de la marginea oraşelor importante, în condiţiile în care familiile din România descoperă din ce în ce mai mult calitatea vieţii departe de traficul urban. Dezvoltarea infrastructurii, precum şi abilitatea de a pregăti proiecte care au acces la fondurile europene pot concretiza speranţele românilor într-un trai decent. Următoarea creştere semnificativă ar fi în oraşe cu mai puţin de 150.000 locuitori, care prezintă o cerere ridicată pentru apartamente localizate în zone centrale. Niculescu observă deja o “globalizare” a achiziţiilor: “Dintr-un hipermarket, de exemplu, poţi cumpăra produse de folosinţă zilnică, o maşină micuţă de 5.000 de euro şi poţi rezerva un apartament cu 3.000 de euro. Aceste tipuri de proprietăţi au devenit aproape produse de retail”, apreciază consultantul de la Euroest.
Antonescu prezice, în schimb, că va fi cerere mare pentru casele de la periferia oraşelor, unde dezvoltatorii pot cumpăra pământ mai ieftin şi, de aceea, vor vinde case mai ieftin. Cele mai populare locuinţe sunt, însă, apartamentele, studiourile şi apartamentele cu două camere, arată reprezentantul Imoinvest.
Niculescu face referiri şi la cine sunt cumpărătorii.
“România nu este văzută astăzi ca o destinaţie pentru retragere şi nu ar trebui să fie promovată aşa. Grupurile ţintă sunt investitorii, care urmăresc să revândă sau să închirieze proprietăţile, utilizatorii străini şi interni pentru prima casă a lor şi utilizatorii apartamentelor de vacanţă”, susţine Adrian Niculescu. Tot el spune că publicitatea outdoor este bună pentru a creşte gradul de conştientizare sau pentru a anunţa localizarea proiectului, în timp ce materialele tipărite familiarizează potenţialii cumpărători cu proprietăţile. Internetul este, de asemenea, important, pentru că potenţialii clienţi caută ce doresc pe google.
OPP a fost lansată în 2004 de PFI Media Ltd, împreună cu site-ul propriu. Revista nu se adresează celor care vor să cumpere o locuinţă, ci dezvoltatorilor sau agenţilor imobiliari pentru investiţii în afara Marii Britanii, juriştilor din domeniul imobiliare, brokerilor imobiliari sau oricui este interesat să-şi vândă proprietăţile sau să-şi ofere serviciile pe pieţele de proprietăţi din afara graniţelor Marii Britanii.
Publicaţia prezintă ştiri, tendinţe, analize, profile, interviuri, anchete, statistici, recenzii despre noile dezvoltări imobiliare.AGERPRES/(AS,Evelin Ceciu)
How much will increase the Beijing real estate market after The Olympics?
It is known that the prices for the residential units from the Beijing Olympic Village arrived at 2.826 euros/ sqm (30.000 yuans) and will be available for sale after The Olympic Games will be finished.
The cost of the Olympic Village is not different from the cost of a regular development as stated by Mr. Ding Jianming, engineer in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Project Construction Headquarters Office. The name of the village is Dream World 2008 and doesn’t need big investment in marketing because, by default its image is associated with The Olympic Games brand which is a huge, huge anchor. The profile of current buyers for apartments in Beinjing is of clients for personal use and investors buying 2,3, 10, 20 or more apartments. There is not something very different here than other markets. The price for residential sqm built in Beijing increased 3.5 times from 2001 when this city was allected as host for the 2008 edition of Olympic Games due to a statement issued by the local real estate brokerage agency 5i5j. The government spent 40 bn USD to improve the city’s infrastructure for The Olympics.
The figure of figures!!!
The price for a sqm built for a new apartment in Beijing represents the medium annual income of a regular Chinese and the big question is if the demand will be (not the same) but kept at a high level after The Olympics? The analysts said that the potential in Beijing is incredibly high for new developments so there is still much pace for growth.
Real estate franchises around the world – the best 8
A very interesting analisys came in my attention these days regarding the first 8 most successful real estate franchises around the world and I am pleased to present it to you.
The most appealing observation in it is the comparison between the first two positions, Remax and Coldwell Banker where the number of agents is very close – 120,000 to 124,000, the number of offices is double at Remax – 6,800 vs 3,824 but the most important is the transaction volume per agent – 4,5 million US in Remax case vs. 2,7 million US in Coldwell Banker case.
Also, regarding the 8th position, the agents from Realty Executives posted a transaction volume per agent of 3,5 million dollars having a staff of 14,000 agents. In Romania, from these 8 franchises are present (as far as I know) Remax, Coldwell Banker and Century 21.
Gemenii Marii – a new residential development in Mamaia North, The Black Sea Coast, Romania
During the next 2 years, across the touristic complex La Scoica from Mamaia North, Gemenii Marii (The Twins of the Sea) residential complex will be built; a complex in which the client’s satisfaction, the comfort and safety are the key elements for the new ‘’home generation’’.
Being in the middle of the events but far from the city noise in the same time, you can watch like a VIP, the international circuit of Formula 1 on the water, or in less than 2 hours you can go on a trip to Danube Delta. Moreover, from this place you can easily access Mamaia resort – 2 km, the entrance in Constanta 6 km and at only 11 km distance from the project is the center of Constanta.
The complex represents a unique architectural concept in the area: the height of the two towers (18 floors) and the re-partition of the apartments – not met at any developer so far – are the first among the successful elements of the complex, offering to the client a total freedom of choice.
Regardless of the area, any client can park his car on one of the 3 parking levels, ca go ,,shopping’’ in the retail area, spent his time either in the multifunctional spaces or in the fitness room. If the weather is excellent, the beach of 100m width is waits for its clients in chaise-longues or can invite them to ‘’ride’’ the waves by paragliding or to drive the ATV.
The complex comprises 2 towers of 192 2-room apartments and 22 penthouses with view to the Siutghiol Lake or to the Black Sea. The 2-room apartments have built areas of 79.40 sqm and 90.55 sqm and are located between the 2nd and 13th floor.
Upon request, they can be re-partitioned in 3-room apartments.
The prices of the 2-room apartments start from 122,056 euro, and of the penthouses start from 341.471 euro.
For the apartments purchased until 12th of August 2008 you benefit from a discount of 10% and 1 parking place included in the purchase price of the apartment.
The prices with discount range between:
• 109.850 euro + VAT and 168.898 euro+ VAT for the 2-room apartments and
• 307.324 euro+ VAT and 592.942 euro + VAT for the penthouses
For any details related to the Gemenii Marii (The Twins of the Sea) Residential Complex, do not hesitate to contact Euroest.
Piata rezidentiala: riscuri si provocari
Pe data de 24 iunie am participat la conferinta “Piata rezidentiala: riscuri si provocari” organizata de Business Standard in parteneriat cu Casa Voastra – Agentie Imobiliara si sponsorizata de ImoInvest – Consulting & Development. Conferinta s-a tinut in cadrul hotelului Intercontinental si a avut oaspeti de seama, precum: Simina Istrate, Head of Investment Team Redisential Division, Colliers International; Ioan Bejan, Business Development Manager, Raiffeisen Banca pentru Locuinte; Marian Micu, Director, Casa Voastra; Shimon Gallon, CEO, Globe Trade Center; Gabriel Biris, Managing Partner, Biris Goran; Bogdan Suditu, Director General Adjunct al Directiei pentru Politica Locuirii din Ministerul Dezvoltarii, Lucrarilor Publice si Locuintelor; Arh. Calin Negoescu, Director Tehnic, Westfourth Architecture; Alejandro Solano, Director General, Hercesa Romania; Cristian Antonescu, Managing Partner, ImoInvest Consulting & Development; Daniel Mitarcu, Director, DTZ Echinox.
Conferinta s-a desfasurat in doua sesiuni plenare, timp in care speaker-ii au luat cuvantul si au adus clarificari asupra temei propuse spre dezbatere.
Pentru o prezentare cat mai succinta si aerisita voi relata ideile principale sustinute de invitati, astfel:
Dl. Marian Micu, Director, Casa Voastra
Romania este a doua tara dupa Albania din UE ca numar de proprietari;
Oferta de inchiriere este relativ mica, de proasta calitate si nereglementata de lege. Apar fluctuatii si contractele nu o sa aiba repere clare;
Exista o cerere mare de inchiriere in imobilele noi, dar cei care le-au achizitionat la preturi promotionale sunt in stand-by, nu inchirieaza, ci prefera sa le tina goale;
Ca piata de vanzari inchirierile se afla intr-o perioada sensibila, in aceasta perioada se asteapta ca preturile sa creasca. Se estimeaza ca piata isi va reveni in septembrie – octombrie la nivelul de vanzare / cumparare acceptat de ambele parti;
Momentan exista o reticenta a clientului pana cand acesta se va hotari ca preturile sunt aproape realiste;
Piata imobiliara tinde sa devina o piata sanatoasa, transparenta si este nevoie de o clasificare a agentiilor imobiliare, a jucatorilor de pe piata, a proiectelor, o clasificare gen stelele din industria hoteliera. Este important sa se stie ce clasa are un anumit proiect, iar clasificarea sa se faca in functie de finisaje, calitate etc;
Declin pe piata rezidentiala? – Nu are cum! Suntem la inceputul potentialului pe piata imobiliara din Romania.
Dl. Shimon Gallon, CEO, Globe Trade Center
Astazi pe piata rezidentiala sunt 9000 apartamente, dintre care 4000 sunt detinute de domnia sa;
In Bucuresti nu exista scoli, nu exista infrastructura, iar lipsa acesteia din urma nu suporta noi constructii;
GTC nu construieste cladiri rezidentiale mai mari de 3 etaje, deorece developerul are in vedere confortul sporit al familiilor ce vor locui acolo, GTC prefera cladirile cu 2 etaje, avand in portofoliu o singura cladire cu 3 etaje;
La inceputul dezvoltarii pietei rezidentiale era foarte usor pentru dezvoltatori sa primeasca fonduri de la banci, dar acum acest lucru este din ce in ce mai dificil;
Este foarte important sa se faca diferentierea intre proiecte. Si domnia sa a adus in discutie clasificarea tip “stele”;
Nu se mai gasesc constructori, nu mai exista muncitori pe santier, sau este foarte dificil sa mentii forta de munca;
Un loc de parcare subteran costa 500 euro/mp si avand in vedere ca un loc de parcare necesita 30 mp, acesta ajunge la suma de 15.000 euro;
Situatia pe piata rezidentiala este foarte simpla: doar jucatorii mari vor mai rezista pe piata pentru ca ei au forta sa fie in stand-by atunci cand situatia o cere si doar cei care au “past performance” vor mai putea vinde pe viitor. Viitorul este al marilor developer-i.
Gabriel Biris, Managing Partner, Biris Goran
Dezvoltarile de proiecte pe persoana fizica au creat distorsiuni pentru ca pretul de vanzare era fara TVA. Acest comportament stimuleaza evaziunea fiscal si poate fi Indus si de suprasolicitarea impusa companiilor;
Incepand cu 1 ianuarie 2008 nu se mai aplica masurile de simplificare in materie de TVA pentru achizitiile de terenuri construibile si imobile noi sau lucrari de constructii montaj;
TVA-ul aferent imobilelor achizitionate pe firma si folosite in scop personal este nedeductibil;
Impozitul pe cladiri suporta diferente exagerate de tratament: – persoane fizice: 0,1% din valoarea impozabila a cladiri; – persoane juridice: 0,25% – 1,50% din valoarea de inventar a cladiri (sau intre 5-10% daca acea cladire este mai veche de 3 ani);
Daniel Mitarcu, Director, DTZ Echinox
S-a observat o scadere a numarului de tranzactii ca urmare a ajustarii asteptarilor;
Cristian Antonescu, Managing Partner, ImoInvest Consulting & Development
Exista un teren de vanzare cu 7000 euro/mp in Aviatorilor pentru residential;
Pipera este “mahalaua secolului XX”
Bogdan Suditu, Director General Adjunct al Directiei pentru Politica Locuirii din Ministerul Dezvoltarii, Lucrarilor Publice si Locuintelor
In momentul de fata exista 3 proiecte pe site-ul ministerului deschise spre dezbatere publica pentru ca in luna septembrie sa existe transparenta in legislatia pietei rezidentiale;
Domnia sa a subliniat importanta comunicarii dintre dezvoltatori si autoritati si a salutat cazurile unde dezvoltatorii au semnalat neclaritati, care ulterior au fost rezolvate si stipulate corespunzator. Orice se poate rezolva, legea se poate modela atata timp cat fluxul comunicarii functioneaza.
Arh. Calin Negoescu, Director Tehnic, Westfourth Architecture
In planul urbanistic general aprobat in anul 2000 existau 30 – 40 pasaje in Bucuresti. Tragedia face ca pana in acest moment nici macar unul dintre acestea nu este finalizat. Totusi s-au inceput constructiile la 2 astfel de pasaje, la Baneasa, dar acestea se fac din fonduri private;
Pasajul Basarab nu este gata dupa ce lucrarile la acesta au inceput cu mai bine de 40 ani in urma;
Exista cateva orase in Bucuresti, “orasele dormitor”, cum este de exemplu Drumul Taberei, care nu au dotari, nu au scoli, nu raspund nevoilor de educatie, cultura, etc, unde se doarme si dimineata se pleaca spre zonele centrale ale Bucurestiului. Domnia sa a accentuat importanta dotarilor din fiecare ansamblu residential, ba mai mult 10-15% din sumele necesare construrii acestor proiecte rezidentiale sa fie destinate pentru dotari.
Impresii generale:
Conferinta a avut speaker-i importanti ce au acoperit diferitele aspecte cheie ale pietei rezidentiale;
Dl. Gallon a fost un speaker spumos care a captat atentia intregului public si a primit aplauze la scena deschisa;
Cel putin jumatate de ora s-a purtat o polemica avandu-l drept tinta pe Dl. Suditu, care insa a facut fata cu brio intrebarilor din public, oferind informatii pertinente despre proiectele ministerului;
Marele absent al acestei reuniuni a fost Dl. Sorin Oprescu, noul Primar General al Municipiului Bucuresti, care se pare ca a avut alte prioritati in agenda sa;
Campaign for real beauty – a video from Dove
The message of the video linked below is for mothers to find the channel of communication with their daughter(s) before the beauty industry will do the same but in a different manner. One of the models starring the video from Dove is Ileana Howard, a close friend of mine her website being listed in the “People” area of this blog. I am happy to congratulate her!!! Ileana is a native Romanian realtor in Florida living in US for the last 15 years.
http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/dsef07/t5.aspx?id=7373&filmno=0
