Tips for the International Real Estate Agent 

International real estate agents have a world of opportunities! Not limited by your local area, you can be successful in creative and exciting ways, experiences are unique, and profit is elevated. However, international real estate agents face many more challenges than local realtors. It’s a complex yet rewarding route of working in the real estate market. 

To successfully sell and buy overseas properties, there are many skills real estate agents must learn and refine. From the legal and logistical differences of processes in foreign countries and language barriers to gaining trust and knowing your market– International real estate agents have their hands full! 

Read on to discover the tips and tricks for success in this unique, challenging, and profitable profession.  

Ensure Your Clients are Comfortable and Confident. 

Today, it’s easy to deceive, and real estate scams are more common than you may know. So, the number one tip for success when selling international real estate is to focus on gaining the trust of potential buyers by ensuring they are comfortable and confident.  

It’s unethical, but local real estate agents can get away with putting pressure on their clients. However, international real estate agents must be cautious not to make potential buyers uneasy or skeptical of their practice. Buying property in a foreign country is much more complex and unfamiliar than buying it locally. International realtors must be empathetic, understanding, flexible, and trustworthy. 

Choose Unique Properties. 

You may have heard the common real estate saying, “The money is in the buy, not the sell.” In the international market, this is more true than ever. Overseas buyers are already taking a risk, so it’s more common for them to be interested in more luxurious and uncommon properties. 

Location, location, location– Another popular real estate saying! Pay close attention to the neighborhood, surrounding city, and property placement when selling internationally. The other factors are more easily controlled or adjusted if necessary. 

Pro Tip: Before diving into the international real estate market, get familiar with selling luxurious and unique properties locally. After this success, it’s common to move to selling properties overseas or to be noticed by foreign buyers. 

Know Your Stuff. 

One of the best ways to convince an international buyer to trust your services is to know everything there is to know about the property in question, including: 

• The surrounding area 
• History 
• Visa applications 
• Local taxes 
• Crime rates 
• Nearest airports and hospitals 
• International money transfers 
• Current news 

Pro Tip: It’s not enough to only know about the properties you sell. An international real estate agent must also be an expert in overseas buyers– What are their needs, wants, and preferences? 

Be Patient. 

International agents need to be patient to be successful in the overseas market. The right buyer isn’t every buyer, so it’s vital to be a little picky and wait for the best deal to make top dollar! 

Make Good Connections and Offer References. 

A list of reliable references that will sing your praises is a valuable tool in the international real estate game. Being empathetic, releasing pressure, and building trust with a potential client are excellent ways to prove the quality of your services. However, nothing beats an authentic testimonial straight from the mouth of a past client. 

Putting your potential buyers in touch with clients who would recommend your services is the best way to prove your legitimacy and quality. Even better is when you build referrals in the countries of your target clients. 

Pro Tip: Your references don’t need to be limited to past clients– Build strong connections with vendors, business owners, and the organizations or individuals that potential buyers will trust. 

Focus Your Marketing Online.  

Marketing yourself online is crucial for all professionals in today’s world. However, local real estate agents can split their efforts between online marketing and in-person interactions. For international real estate agents, this is not the case. 

Your online impression is everything. Here are some ways to ensure your online presence reflects the quality of your services and sets you up for success: 

• Prioritize your website design and functionality 
• Use professional photography to showcase your properties 
• Provide virtual tours 
• Get active on social media 
• Post testimonials in a prevalent spot on your website and socials  
• Humanize your online presence– Be authentic and personal 

Overcome the Language Barrier 

Making your services accessible to foreigners must include overcoming the language barrier. Now, before you start trying to learn every language you possibly can understand that there are more practical things you can do first: 

• Visual Communication- Let the photos and visuals on your website and social platforms speak louder than the words. Quality pictures and helpful graphics make your content easier to understand for those who speak another language. 
• Translation Programs- It’s worth the extra money to hire translators or purchase programs that automatically translate your website's content to other languages. 
• Other Language Tools- Do your research and find a reliable translation application for your phone to communicate on the fly with potential clients easily. Widely used and free websites are not always the best choice and can often translate inaccurately. So, take the time and invest in a trusted tool. 

Pro Tip: If you work with international buyers in a particular region, it pays to get familiar with the primary language.  

CITED: Streetdirectory.com, Lliveandinvestoverseas.com, Agent.properstar.com