Welcome back! I hope that you all enjoyed your summer travels and are ready to get back into the groove in the ‘hood. I spent the majority of my summer here working diligently on something incredible for you all that I will be unveiling in the coming months. While my summer was work filled, my wife and I did get an amazing trip to Kauai in at the end of May. We had a great time touring the Na Pali Coast and exploring different beaches around the Poipu area. We only had one minor snafu when my wife was caught in a rip current on her paddleboard and flipped…slightly breaking her nose and having to be rescued by a local. Aside from her clash with the ocean, the Mai Tais were strong and the weather was great. I would highly recommend the “Garden Island” and Captain Andy’s raft tour if you get a chance to make it there.
This month, I wanted to talk about one of the most common questions that I get asked by luxury sellers during a listing appointment… “How do you target international buyers?” The thought of “international buyers” has to be one of the biggest misconceptions by sellers. The Arcadia and Biltmore neighborhoods along with Phoenix in general is a hyperlocal marketplace. While we did have Canadian buyers a few years back, the Canadian dollar is now worth just .77 to every 1 US Dollar. That means that a Canadian buyer would pay a 20%+ premium to buy a home in today’s market…pretty silly right.
This is not New York or Los Angeles where foreigners are parking their money. There isn’t a guy in Hong Kong sitting in his office right now looking at homes in Arcadia or the Biltmore…trust me. If someone is selling you on the fact that their company is “international” then you are off to the wrong start. You need to be thinking of how you can target your neighbors and agents in the local marketplace. If you want to get outside of the box, target the residents of North Scottsdale. North Scottsdale is trying to get back to central Phoenix in a big way…they are a good mark moving forward.
If buyers are relocating from other states, they are using the usual suspects…Zillow, Trulia, or MLS. To gain the most traction with these out-of-staters, make sure that your listing presents well in an online format with professional photos and a virtual tour.
A big happy birthday to my son, Cash, who is celebrating his 2nd birthday this month. I look forward to seeing everyone around the neighborhood. As always, feel free to call or send me a text for immediate assistance at 602-561-0445.