by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer
North Florida is becoming an international city, says a Realtor who deals with international clients, and you should be prepared to adjust to their customs.
Claudia Page, who works out of the Sawgrass office of the Prudential Network Realty, spoke last month to the Downtown Neighborhood of Realtors about the importance of learning about other cultures before working with an international client.
Page, a Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), works with at least three clients a year who are moving to Jacksonville from another country.
There wasn’t one nationality in particular that Page has seen moving to Jacksonville but, she said, there are a lot of doctors coming from a lot of different countries because of Shands and the Mayo Clinic.
“Jacksonville is becoming an international hub,” she said, pointing out that there will be about 10,000 new jobs in North Florida in a few years because of the Japan-based Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and South Korea’s Hanjin Shipping Co. coming to Jacksonville’s port. Many will be from other lands.
“You need to know where they are coming from and what they should expect when they get here, because a lot of them will be coming directly from those countries,” she said. “It is very important to be aware of that country’s customs.”
Since Page has her CIPS license and has worked with many international clients, she has run into several differences many countries have in the way they do business.
Page said their banking systems vary as well as currency and measurements. And all of those are used when looking or buying a home. Page explained that in Germany, homeowners take their whole kitchen — including cabinets, sinks and fixtures — to their new house.
“I had a couple from Germany ask me, ‘What stays in the kitchen when the seller moves?’ I didn’t know that was a custom in Germany,” she said. “That’s why it is important to be aware of where they are coming from.”
Page gave the group of Realtors a few pointers based on her experiences.
“When a family is moving from India, they are not in a hurry (to buy a house),” she said. “They like to go at things slower and they like to negotiate their contract.”
When working with families from China and Japan, it is very important to look at their business card before you put it in a safe place.
“It is rude if you don’t look at their card before putting it either in the front shirt pocket for men, or a purse for women,” said Page.
When she has shown homes to a Chinese family, it is difficult to know who will make the final decision to buy the house.
“They are very family oriented and will listen to everyone’s opinions,” she said. “But the elders have the most clout.”
Canadians are finding out about this area.
“They know about Miami, Orlando, St. Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale, but they don’t know a lot about Northeast Florida yet,” she said. “This is a great time to sell them property because their money is on par with the U.S. now.”
One thing to watch out for when working with Canadians, is that they will be very upset if they are called Americans.
A book that Page recommends Realtors to read is “Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands.”
“It has every possible nationality and it teaches you about their customs and gestures,” she said. “It has been a lot of help to me.”