Speakers to include co-founder of major Chinese property-listing website, array of international business experts
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (September 2015) – A leader of one of China’s largest property-listing websites for overseas buyers will be among the international business stars taking center stage at a prominent Staten Island, business event Sept. 30.
Simon Henry, co-founder and co-CEO of Juwai.com, will provide attendees of the ninth annual Staten Island Board of Realtors® (SIBOR) Global Real Estate Symposium with a gateway for sharing international real estate information.
The much-anticipated conference also will feature Staten Island Borough President James S. Oddo; Amir Sagie, deputy consul general of Israel in New York; Richard Marin, president and CEO, New York Wheel; Joseph Ferrara, BFC Partners; Elysa Goldman, Triangle Equities, and a host of notable experts discussing topics ranging from local real estate development to opportunities in the global marketplace.
Juwai.com is an authoritative source for global property in Chinese, with over 2.4 million property listings spanning 58 countries. The site embraces over 12,000 current news stories, country buying guides, education and emigration articles, along with one of the largest Chinese social media communities focused on international property.
TOP INTERNATIONAL BUYERS
In 2014, five countries accounted for 51 percent of all purchases in the United States by international buyers: China, Canada, Mexico, India and the United Kingdom, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) 2015 Profile of Home Buying Activity of International Clients. For the first time, buyers from China exceeded all other countries in terms of units purchased and dollar volume, purchasing an estimated $28.6 billion worth of property.
“As the allure of Staten Island continues to grow among foreign investors, it makes good sense for real estate professionals and others to set their business sights on the international marketplace and gain a better understanding of how it operates,” said Sandy Krueger, CEO of SIBOR. “Our annual symposium, titled this year as Global Connect, is designed to help New Yorkers start or further advance their ability to work with foreign investors.”
WHERE AND WHEN
The Sept. 30 conference will take place 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in The Vanderbilt at South Beach, 300 Father Capodanno Blvd., Staten Island. The event includes a day filled with information and networking opportunities for real estate professionals and entrepreneurs seeking to work with foreign buyers.
TIMING IS RIGHT
The 2015 symposium is arriving at a particularly opportune time for local business people, said Global Connect Chairman Ron Molcho, a SIBOR director.
“This year’s symposium comes as SIBOR prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary in October and is underscored by a recent flurry of major development projects on Staten Island’s North Shore, healthy home sales in the borough and an uptick in revenues within the international real estate arena,” Molcho said.
As the dollars generated in the United States from international home buyers increase, so does the interest of Staten Island real estate professionals seeking to delve into the global arena.
The total volume of U.S. sales dollars generated from international home buyers grew 13 percent last year, according to NAR. For the period of April 2014 through March 2015, total international sales were estimated at $104 billion, compared to the previous year’s estimate of $92.2 billion. This represents 8 percent of the total existing-home sales dollar volume.
WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS
Global Connect, said SIBOR President Dil Gillani, “is a must-attend event for Realtors and business people who are determined to expand their influence on an international scale. The knowledge shared on this day will be priceless.”
Experts at the symposium will cover a range of topics, such as: Building a Global Real Estate Network; Servicing Overseas Investors and Consumers; Working with Global Realtors; Addressing the Needs and Wants of Millennials; Staten Island Rising, and Modernization of Staten Island’s North Shore.
DISTINGUISED PRESENTERS
Additional presenters and panel members will include Danielle Grossenbacher, Brown Harris Stevens, International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) world president; Vanessa Saunders, Global Property Systems Real Estate; Roseann Farrow, Roseann Farrow Seminars; Katie Kue Hwa Kao, North America Real Estate Investment Group (NAREIG); Nino Perdomo, Espanol Realty Ltd.; Yoshi Takita, Keystone Realty U.S.A.; Isabel Zenocratti, NAREIG; Farook Mahmood, Silverline Group; R. Randy Lee, Esq., Leewood Real Estate Group; Assaf Epstein, NADLAN 2000 Real Estate, Israel; Sari Kingsley, Sari Kingsley Real Estate Ltd.; Raj Rajpal, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage; Barbara Schmerzler, U.S. Homefinders Inc.; Tony D’Anzica, DynaMax Realty NYC Inc.; Christopher Gill, A-Nah Residences; Joel Hewish, United Global Capital Pty Ltd; Aldo Iemma, Empire State Realty Services; Michael L. Schneider, Schneider Realty Services; Rick Wohlfarth, Wohlfarth & Associates Inc.; Jennifer Snyder, Marketing Ideas for Agents; Richard E. Dun, Robert DeFalco Realty; Queeny Duong, Citizens Bank; Kristina Gershteyn, Robert DeFalco Realty; Joseph M. Lebron, RE/MAX Metro; Kai Wong, Douglas Elliman; Steve Maggi, Esq., SMA Law Firm; Susan Merdinger Greenfield, Brown Harris Stevens; Zhen (Jackie) Huang, Esq, Menicucci Villa Cilmi PLLC; Vanessa Saunders, Global Property Systems Real Estate; Peter A Alongi, HSBC Bank USA; Ryan Dudley, Friedman LLP; Bruce Feffer, Esq., Eaton & Van Winkle LLP; Margaret Ling, Esq., First Nationwide Title Agency LLC; Robert L. Oppenheimer, RE/MAX Fortune Properties; Frank Rizzo, Cornerstone Realty Partners, Inc; Dawn Carpenter, Dawning Real Estate Inc.; Len Garcia-Duran, New York City Department of City Planning; Robert E. Kelly, Building Industry Association of New York City Inc.; John Pitera, Cassandra Properties; James Prendamano, Cassandra Properties, and Varun Sanyal, Staten Island Economic Development Corp.
The presenting sponsor of SIBOR’s ninth annual Global Real Estate Symposium is Vanguard Funding LLC.
TICKET INFORMATION
For ticket information and purchases contact Annmarie Izzo at SIBOR by calling 718-928-3223, or via email at Annmarie@sibor.com.
About The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR)
Marking its 100th anniversary in October 2015, the Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR) is the largest not-for-profit professional and trade association in Staten Island, N.Y.
SIBOR exists to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically, and promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.
Comprised of approximately 1,800 members, SIBOR serves real estate agents, brokers and affiliated professionals throughout the borough and surrounding areas.
SIBOR is the provider of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service Inc. (SIMLS), which works as a clearinghouse through which more than 250 local real estate firms exchange information on properties they have listed for sale. Together, its members participate in over 3,000 real estate transactions every year.
All SIBOR Realtors belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).
SIBOR may be reached at 718-928-3220 and viewed online at www.SIBOR.com. SIBOR may also be visited on Facebook at “Staten Island Board of Realtors” and “SIBOR 100” (showcasing some of the organization’s latest highlights and accomplishments), and on Twitter via @SIBOR.
Media Contact: Barton Horowitz
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