• the international activity in the United States, current foreign investment and Colorado Statistics
• the State Governments push to bring more international business into Colorado, direct flights from around the world
• how tourism, sustainable energy, agriculture and water are being impacted (foreign investment in water and agricultural exports)
• an update on the Aerotropolis (airport city)
• status of the EB5 Visa and H-2B Visa/quota

The international community is participating  and sponsoring this event (World Trade Center, Denver Global, Denver Sisters Cities, Keylingo Translations, and others).

There is no fee to attend!  Our sponsorships are providing the food and beverages throughout the day.  As a bonus, Inge was able to get the German, French, Swedish Chambers of Commerce and  World Trade Center to host their quarterly Euro Networking Reception at the DMAR location following.  This is a wonderful opportunity to network and build business relationships – and to learn how we might work with the international communities and the State to attract and retain jobs!  People with jobs buy homes!

Please consider attending – and if you are not able, we would appreciate it if you would promote this information to the agents in your office.  For your convenience we have attached the link to our Agenda for Global Day.  If you are able to attend, you can register by clicking on this link:

http://www2.realtoractioncenter.com/site/Calendar?id=106961&view=Detail

Please RSVP if you are able to attend as we need to plan for the proper amount of food and drink.

“How Chambers & Consulates Affect International Growth in Colorado”

Speakers Include:

Gil Cisneros
CEO of Chamber of the Americas

Jeffrey Richards
Honorary Consul of France in Colorado

Thursday, May 10, 2012
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
At the DMAR Central Office
4300 E. Warren Ave., Denver, CO 80222

RSVP: DMAR 303-300-8500

Anyone interested or involved with global business and real estate is welcome to attend our programs.

Mission Statement:
Encourage and support global real estate opportunities in Colorado and improve members ability to serve the global real estate market at the local, national and international levels.

When: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 1:30pm—3:00pm
Where: Marriott Mountain Resort & Spa, 715 West Lionshead Circle, Vail, CO 81657

Guest Speakers

Michael Driver
International Marketing Manager
Colorado Tourism Office

Olivier Mevellec
Co-founder of I.R.E.S
International Real Estate Specialist Designation

Thursday, February 9, 2012
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
At the DMAR Central Office
4300 E. Warren Ave., Denver, CO  80222

Speakers Include:

Tom Clark
Executive Vice President
Metro Denver Economic Development
& Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce

Paul Washington
Executive Director
Denver Office of Economic Development

No charge to attend; RSVP to 303.300.8500 (DMAR reservation hotline)

Sponsored by the Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® International Local Council

Anyone interested or involved in international real estate is welcome to attend our programs.

National Association of REALTORS® 2011 President Ron Phipps brought FIABCI World President Alex Romanenko and World President-Elect Judy Shenefield to the stage and made the announcement to the entire room. Danielle Grossenbacher, 2011-2012 FIABCI-USA President, declared: “We are delighted to have NAR return to the FIABCI family and look forward to many exciting endeavors together as cross-border business continues to grow.”

Photo by Ed Alford

Left to Right: FIABCI World President-Elect, Judy Shenefield; NAR President Ron Phipps; FIABCI World President Alex Romanenko; Janet Branton, NAR Sr. Vice-President Global Business & Alliances; Teresa King Kinney, NAR Global Business & Alliances Committee Chair, Adrian A. Arriaga NAR Global Business & Alliances Committee Immediate Past-Chair.

Stage 1: Local Markets – Tuesday 17th January 2012 from 8am to 5pm.  (must be completed first)

Global Real Estate: “Local Markets” is the first of five international courses developed by Global Business and Alliances of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR). This course is designed to introduce real estate professionals to the basic skills and knowledge necessary to facilitate international real estate transactions. This is the prerequisite course required to earn the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation.

The course is designed to benefit experienced international professionals, individuals with real estate experience who are considering international specialization, and NAR general membership.

Stage 2: Transaction Tools – Wednesday 18th January 2012 from 8am to 5pm.

This course provides the tools and concepts real estate professionals need to serve clients and customers in the global real estate market. Students learn how to research markets, convert metric measures, monitor currency trends, alert clients to tax and visa matters, and follow a process for compiling transaction information.

For more information regarding the “Local Markets” and “Transaction Tools” course outlines, please contact Julie Kennedy at ozpen@ozemail.com.au or call (+61) 411 360 072

Unified Association Central Office
4300 E. Warren Ave., Denver, CO 80222

Speakers:

Juha V. Mäkikalli
Honorary Consul
Honorary Consulate of Finland, Denver

Tomasz H. Skotnicki
Honorary Consul
Honorary Consul of Poland, Colorado

TBD
“Global Business Development Division”
formerly Office of Economic Development & International Trade

Join us for an educational panel discussion, networking and refreshments!

No charge to attend RSVP to 303.300.8500 (UA Reservation Hotline)

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, residential sales to foreigners and recent immigrants totaled $82 billion nationwide in the 12-month period ended March 31, up from $66 billion the previous year. California accounted for 12% of those sales, second only to the state of Florida.

Stipulations attached to the offer may require foreign investors to purchase a primary residence of at least $250,000 but spend at least $500,000 cash on residential real estate (rentals may qualify).  The property would need to be purchased for a price greater than the homes appraised value.  The foreign buyer also to agree to live in the home for at least 180 days each year, thus requiring them to pay U.S. income taxes on any foreign earnings too.

“Many people want to come and live in the United States,” says Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who introduced the legislation this week with Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah. “They will be here spending money and paying taxes, and the most important thing is they’ll sop up the extra supply of homes we have right now compared to demand, and that’s what’s dragging our economy down.”

“For too long, we have created barriers, and too many hoops and hurdles, which act to deter visitors from other countries coming to the United States to spend their money and create jobs,” said Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue. “This is a loss we can ill afford in today’s economy.”

Some brokers are saying that offering visa to foreign buyers such as this could possibly triple their markets sales. “California, Florida, New York, Colorado, Hawaii, and Texas — those states will see a huge increase in demand,” Sandra Miller, a broker at Engel & Volkers in Santa Monica, told the Los Angeles Times.

This is great news for those real estate professionals who specialize in International real estate sales such as members of FIABCI – The International Real Estate Federation.

We invite your thoughts… would this be good for Colorado?

Effective immediately, FIABCI-USA extends an open invitation to innovative and sustainable new multi-family communities.  United States developers to compete for this highly prestigious award that recognizes real estate developments. These developments best embody excellence in multi-family communities anywhere in the world.

Winners will be selected based on projects’ overall merit by a FIABCI-USA panel of expert real estate professionals. Projects will be evaluated on concept, architecture, engineering, environmental impact and benefits to the community.

Interested parties should contact Ruth Kruger for more information and application process.  Ruth is the Chair of the Prix d’Excellence USA and Foreign Liaison to the Colorado Council of FIABCI-USA.

Keynote Speaker will be David Thomson from the State of Colorado’s Global Business Development Division.

Guest Panelists will include representatives from:
* National Association of REALTORS®
* Colorado Association of REALTORS®
* Unified Association’s(formerly Denver Board’s) International Steering Committee
* Denver Sister Cities
* Colorado Council of FIABCI-USA

Visitors are welcome to attend this event without having to register for the CAR Convention.

Contact Brian Kinkade, incoming International Chair for CAR, at 303-522-5544, with any questions.