Several members of our Consulate General Liaison Program (l to r): Ahmed Badat (S. Africa), Maurice Hampton (Canada), Betty Milam (Ecuador), Andy Velkme (Latvia), John LaTourneau (Ireland) and Mikus Kins (Lithuania).

Several REALTOR® partner groups gathered last week in the Chicago area to learn more about serving the real estate needs of international customers.

On Thursday, the Illinois REALTORS® sponsored the Chicago Association of REALTORS® (CAR) Global Council event, “CANADA: What You Need to Know: Country, Culture, Clients and Costs!” Speakers discussed tax policy, marketing strategies, international mortgages, culture and geography of the provinces, and the housing market. Attendees asked questions and listened to short presentations during a series of roundtable discussions. Global staff members of the National Association of REALTORS® participated as well.

On Friday, the Northern Illinois Commercial Association of REALTORS held their monthly Global Business Council meeting. Bill Caton, Principal of Caton Commercial and a founding member of the Council spoke about the 2017 MIPIM real estate conference in Cannes, France. Several of the Illinois REALTOR® Consulate Liaisons also participated in the meeting and the discussion included strategies to promote commercial international business efforts.

The state and local associations are developing programming and strategies designed to better equip members to serve international real estate customers and to motivate them to expand their sphere of influence into the global realm. The Illinois REALTORS® are excited to be part of the expansion and excitement!