THERE’S NO DENYING that Northern Virginia is an increasingly global marketplace. With demographics reflecting those in Fairfax County – where 31% of residents are foreign-born and 38% speak a language other than English at home (according to the 2013- 2017 American Community Survey) – the region demands professionals who can cater to the needs of its residents.
It is against this backdrop that NVAR, for the fourth consecutive year, earned the NAR Global Business Council Achievement Program’s Platinum award.
A select group of 12 NAR staff from a variety of teams determined that NVAR set the bar for 2019 by providing members the highest level of service – providing the needed tools, education and networking to handle international real estate, while connecting to the global community in Northern Virginia and beyond.
Under the umbrella of the Global Leadership Advisory Group, NVAR initiatives include cultural and international business forums, Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) training, leadership development to serve as NAR Regional Coordinators and Global Ambassadors, and new this year – Global Connect at the Convention & Trade Show, spearheaded by Lieu Nguyen, NVAR Global Leadership Advisory Group Chair and NAR Global Ambassador to Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia (learn more at NVAR.com/globalconnect).
YPN GOES GLOBAL
NVAR member and past president, Mario Rubio, of Rubio Real Estate, has fully embraced his role as NAR’s Regional Coordinator to South America, working closely with real estate professionals in Argentina to bolster their young professional program. On behalf of NVAR, Rubio, in the first undertaking of its kind, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federacion Inmobiliaria de la Republica Argentina this past July. While NVAR has previously signed reciprocal agreements with groups in China, Cambodia and Vietnam, this was the first specifically linked to a young professional organization.
In September, Rubio spoke at Argentina’s first convention for young real estate professionals, sharing information about the global market, NAR tools, and the importance of involvement at the local association level.
“The dream of having a YPN in Latin America is doable,” says Rubio. “We need to find our replacements. In [these professionals] I see myself 27 years ago,” Rubio says.
The influence of NVAR members extends beyond the community to countries and cultures around the world. Serving locally and nationally, members forge formal relationships and help establish business partnerships and opportunities for investment. This year’s Global Connect “convention-within-a-convention” is just one of the many resources NVAR offers where members can expand their knowledge of global business opportunities and discover the ins and outs of attracting international investment to this incredibly diverse and culturally rich region.