For the fourth consecutive year, the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors® (NVAR) has been awarded Platinum Council status in the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Global Achievement Program.

“NVAR is proud to achieve this national recognition, which reflects our continued commitment to extend our globally-focused initiatives to new heights and to new borders,” said NVAR CEO Ryan Conrad.

In 2016, NVAR created NVAR Global, a re-branded, strengthened composition of its existing strategically focused international activities. NVAR Global enhances NVAR members’ global business opportunities – both inbound and outbound – and helps attract international investment to the incredibly diverse and culturally rich Northern Virginia region.

“As Northern Virginia Realtors®, we represent a diverse metropolitan area. In Fairfax County, 38 percent of residents speak a language other than English at home, and international immigration is consistently one of the largest – if not the largest – source of population growth in the Washington metro region,” NVAR 2019 President Christine Richardson said.

Under the umbrella of the Global Leadership Advisory Group, NVAR initiatives include cultural and international business forums, Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) training, and leadership development for Realtors® to serve as NAR Regional Coordinators and Global Ambassadors. NAR Global Ambassadors are U.S.-based Realtors® appointed by the NAR President to serve as liaisons and form relationships with real estate groups around the world.

This past July, Mario Rubio of Rubio Real Estate, an NVAR past president and NAR Global Coordinator for South America, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federacion Inmobiliaria de la Republica Argentina on behalf of NVAR. 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.

Also new in 2019, NVAR held its first global convention, Global Connect, at the NVAR Convention & Trade Show in October, which featured a series of programs related to international investment, tax implications, immigration and other global topics. Global Connect was spearheaded by Lieu Nguyen of Westgate Realty Group, who serves as the NVAR Global Leadership Advisory Group Chair and NAR Global Ambassador to Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia.

“Efforts to bring investment to our region don’t just happen here locally,” Nguyen said. “Our competition exists on a global scale – and Northern Virginia Realtors® help to form relationships abroad that shine a spotlight on our region and encourage international clients to call Northern Virginia home.”