Shameless Self-Promotion
I normally talk about events instead of myself. Notice the first word in this article is “I”. This time I wish to inform you of some exciting upcoming events for those of you who are interested in working on your CIPS Designation. Next week the Local Markets course and the Americas class will be taught in Knoxville, TN. At the Knoxville Area Association of Realtors www.kaarmls.com .
In March the entire CIPS curriculum will be taught in Anaheim California. I will do the Middle East and Africa portion of the class. Carmela Ma will do the rest of the classes. The California International Local Council will be sponsoring these classes and they do a great job. Sign up with info@cipscalifornia.org .
On the last weekend of March and the 1st weekend of April the entire program will be presented in Seoul S. Korea. I will do the 1st weekend which will be Local Markets and Finance. Manfred Chemek will do the other classes on the next weekend.
Beginning June 12 the entire program will be presented in a rural setting in Romania. The whole event will take place in a camp close to the Cluj Monastery. Because of the small area, only 24 students will be accepted. This will be an intimate and exciting presentation in a gorgeous natural setting. Classes will be outside (with a roof available).
More information on the classes and a more complete course schedule are available at http://www.realtor.org/cipshome.nsf/pages/education
David Segrest is a REALTOR in Charlotte NC. His website is http://www.segrestrealty.com His email is david@segrestrealty.com
Friday, February 15, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Dominos
Dominos
The domino theory is at work twice in the international real estate business. The classic domino theory (as used to justify Viet Nam) is a bunch of dominos standing up. One gets pushed down and the rest are knocked down in order. That theory is being demonstrated right now as the rest of the world reacts to the recession (there, I said it) in the USA. As the stock market here palpitates and makes waves around the world, investors must be finding good old dull real estate more and more attractive. The worldwide commercial real estate market is still strong. http://www.nnnex.com/news/
The game of dominos we played as kids is a little different. Do people still play dominos? The numbers on the dominos have to be matched up end to end. This is similar to international real estate investing. The currency trends need to be matched to the yield and risk rates of the property itself. There are actually two possible matches for each set of numbers, depending on the investors perspective.
When one economy has a strengthing trend against the other, currency profits can be made in addition to the real estate profits. The converse is also true. If the currency of the target market weakens against the home country of the investor the losses can wipe out any profits from the investment.
Currency differences also make bargain opportunities. People in the Americas bought European properties when the Euro was worth $.83. They did very well. Now Europeans are buying American properties and taking advantage of the strong Euro and the strong Pound Sterling. The jury is still out on how well they will do. Anyone for a game of dominos?
David Segrest is a REALTOR in Charlotte NC. His website is http://www.segrestrealty.com His email is david@segrestrealty.com
The domino theory is at work twice in the international real estate business. The classic domino theory (as used to justify Viet Nam) is a bunch of dominos standing up. One gets pushed down and the rest are knocked down in order. That theory is being demonstrated right now as the rest of the world reacts to the recession (there, I said it) in the USA. As the stock market here palpitates and makes waves around the world, investors must be finding good old dull real estate more and more attractive. The worldwide commercial real estate market is still strong. http://www.nnnex.com/news/
The game of dominos we played as kids is a little different. Do people still play dominos? The numbers on the dominos have to be matched up end to end. This is similar to international real estate investing. The currency trends need to be matched to the yield and risk rates of the property itself. There are actually two possible matches for each set of numbers, depending on the investors perspective.
When one economy has a strengthing trend against the other, currency profits can be made in addition to the real estate profits. The converse is also true. If the currency of the target market weakens against the home country of the investor the losses can wipe out any profits from the investment.
Currency differences also make bargain opportunities. People in the Americas bought European properties when the Euro was worth $.83. They did very well. Now Europeans are buying American properties and taking advantage of the strong Euro and the strong Pound Sterling. The jury is still out on how well they will do. Anyone for a game of dominos?
David Segrest is a REALTOR in Charlotte NC. His website is http://www.segrestrealty.com His email is david@segrestrealty.com
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Adapting to Climate Change
Adapting to Climate Change
There was a great story on NPR this morning about a woman farming in the Amazon Delta. Ketzal Levines words as they tramped through the rain forest were, “We aren’t making a path to her farm we are in it.” This Brazilian woman has planted things within the forest that she can harvest to support her family and make a living. She did not cut the forest down to do it. She adapted her plants to the forest.
There is a theory that the entire eastern part North America was one big farm in the time of the Native Americans. This theory says that they were not just hunter-gatherers but managers of the land. I don’t know how true this is. It does make a model for a more sustainable agriculture. Would that kind of agriculture sustain our way of life? Probably not. Going back to the stone age is most likely not the only solution to climate change. The Dutch are saying they may have to “let some water in”. The Venetians are looking at building better flood gates. One way accomodates nature, the other fights it. Perhaps we can just live in a world of concrete and tempered glass with hydroponic plants and cloned livestock that doesn’t eat much. Is that really so different from managing a forest to provide sustenance?
David Segrest is a REALTOR in Charlotte NC. His website is http://www.segrestrealty.com His email is david@segrestrealty.com
There was a great story on NPR this morning about a woman farming in the Amazon Delta. Ketzal Levines words as they tramped through the rain forest were, “We aren’t making a path to her farm we are in it.” This Brazilian woman has planted things within the forest that she can harvest to support her family and make a living. She did not cut the forest down to do it. She adapted her plants to the forest.
There is a theory that the entire eastern part North America was one big farm in the time of the Native Americans. This theory says that they were not just hunter-gatherers but managers of the land. I don’t know how true this is. It does make a model for a more sustainable agriculture. Would that kind of agriculture sustain our way of life? Probably not. Going back to the stone age is most likely not the only solution to climate change. The Dutch are saying they may have to “let some water in”. The Venetians are looking at building better flood gates. One way accomodates nature, the other fights it. Perhaps we can just live in a world of concrete and tempered glass with hydroponic plants and cloned livestock that doesn’t eat much. Is that really so different from managing a forest to provide sustenance?
David Segrest is a REALTOR in Charlotte NC. His website is http://www.segrestrealty.com His email is david@segrestrealty.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
