At a time when a lot of people talk about being “global,” Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® truly lives it—having built a powerful international presence long before being global was in fashion. At Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE), it’s not just about having it in their name; it’s about connecting market-leading real estate firms through an approach that is world-wise and globally aware.
With a reach that extends to 52 countries with over 500 firms, LeadingRE is home to some of the world’s premier independent real estate brokerages, providing the business resources and global connections of a franchise while allowing its members to build their own brands rather than someone else’s.
Already a powerhouse in the U.S., LeadingRE is building connections to all corners of the world, with some of the newest destinations including Sydney, Auckland, Dubai, Johannesburg, Istanbul, Venice, and more. While each member firm is a leader in the markets they serve, they value being internationally aligned in this world of global connectivity.
“We want to make sure that the values that characterize LeadingRE agents and brokers are accessible to everyone, everywhere in the global marketplace—values like local insight, global world-view, community orientation, trusted experience and high performance,” LeadingRE President/CEO Pam O’Connor says. “It’s this motivation that has fueled our phenomenal growth in recent years.”
LeadingRE’s world-wise approach can be seen throughout its operations. The organization has corporate offices in London and Singapore, in addition to its headquarters in Chicago and multiple field offices in the U.S. and abroad. Its Vice President of International Operations Chris Dietz represents the organization at international real estate events around the world. RELO Direct®, its corporate relocation company, manages employee moves for major clients on virtually every continent. Luxury Portfolio International®, its award-winning marketing program for affluent properties, was launched over a decade ago and was among the first to feature property listings in nine languages and 60 currencies. And its events consistently draw a distinctively international audience.
“I have been coming to LeadingRE meetings since our company affiliated in 2001,” says Benedetta Viganò, owner of Giorgio Viganò Real Estate in Milan, Italy. “The relationships created at those meetings are unparalleled by any other real estate organization, and I greatly value the personal and professional connections I have made,” Viganò says.
In fact, 23 countries were represented at LeadingRE’s recent Conference Week held at Wynn Las Vegas, an event that attracted more than 2,000 attendees who came together to learn, network and connect with fellow members. While Conference Week is the network’s signature gathering, LeadingRE continues to add new international events to its calendar each year.
Last October, the network’s International Symposium took place in the beautiful city of Dubrovnik, Croatia, where attendees absorbed the ancient culture while learning and networking for future business opportunities. This year, the group heads to Berlin in October to jointly experience the creative center of Germany and continue the dialogue on global real estate trends. Also on the horizon is the Asia Pacific International Property Awards show in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this May, an event that brings together leaders from all facets of the real estate industry from around the region, sponsored by LeadingRE and Luxury Portfolio.
Understanding the significance and impact of the Asian market, Luxury Portfolio International® hosted its Asian Immersion Conference in Shanghai last summer, which presented a unique opportunity for luxury real estate specialists who work with Chinese homebuyers and sellers to gain knowledge of Chinese culture and traditions and, specifically, how they may impact decisions relating to real estate. The event was part of Luxury Portfolio’s strategic outreach to Asian consumers, which also includes a deeply expanded online and print presence in the region through Chinese partners.
“The Immersion Conference was such an enlightening experience for all attendees. For example, we learned that the Chinese have a saying, ‘One should live near enough to family that if you were to hand-deliver a bowl of soup, it would still be warm when you arrived.’ So it’s no surprise that we are seeing investors from China more likely to purchase in the same building or neighborhood as another family member,” comments Luxury Portfolio President and LeadingRE COO Paul Boomsma.
Gaining a deeper understanding of how culture drives decision-making is critical for real estate professionals across the board, whether they are assisting a buyer from another country or working with someone who is buying in their native country, but may be influenced by his or her heritage or by increased global awareness. LeadingRE strives to foster this understanding not only through its meetings, but also with its online professional development program, Institute, which includes globally-focused topics and shares insights on differences in real estate practices around the world.
To ensure its offerings are relevant to the diverse membership, LeadingRE enlists its International Advisory Board to provide feedback and direction as the network grows its global footprint. The board consists of an accomplished group of real estate leaders from far-reaching locations: Chairman Ron Stader (CIR REALTY, Canada), who succeeds immediate past Chairman José Ribes Bas (Inmobiliaria Rimontgó, Spain); Marco Argentieri (Cofim-Immobiliare, Italy); Frank Morrice Arias (Siuma Realty, Panama); Steve Burson (H&R Consultants, Japan); Philippe de Beer (Park Lane, Mauritius); Claude Ginesta (Ginesta Immobilien, Switzerland); Jeremy Hurst (International Realty Group Ltd., Cayman Islands); Charles-Marie Jottras (Daniel Féau Conseil d’Immobilier, France); and Codrin Matei (Crosspoint, Romania).
With its growth, the network has seen a dramatic increase in members doing business across borders. Last year alone, referrals were placed in 87 countries—and activity continues to expand each year. These figures, paired with industry-leading referral activity within the U.S., mean that LeadingRE members are placing a referral somewhere in the world every four minutes—over 30,000 in total.
“We’ve seen extraordinary growth in the number of members who are making client introductions to other affiliates around the world,” notes O’Connor. “Much of this success stems from the support of our Cross Borders Referral Team, which helps our members navigate the issues that are often involved with this type of business, such as different time zones, cultural and language barriers, various legal systems and vastly different market realities. This helps them make the best introduction for their clients. The impersonality and overwhelming choice on the Internet is actually driving more personal recommendations, and this is a core competency of our network.”
