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	"News You Can Use" from the International Consortium of Real Estate Associations
ICREA Newsletter \| May 2010 - #8
In This Issue Meet ICREA Board Chair Countdown to Launch AMPI Takes Action TRC Contract in 8 Languages ...and More! Did You Know? ICREA was featured in the OPP Magazine GCC Report (March) talking about Arab member AURD? For agents interested in this market, the GCC Report is a must read. Read online or download for free (registration required). AURD Leaders at first TRC course in Arab region. 75 professionals from the Arab region attended an offering of the TRC course during an AURD meeting in Alexandria in March. Email your comments, industry & organization news and photos to ICREA.	Greetings Farook, Please enjoy this issue of ICREA's twice monthly electronic newsletter. In this issue we introduce you to the current Chairman of the Board, Peter Bolton King (UK), and bring you news and updates from throughout the global network. We welcome your comments and also news and photo submissions for upcoming issues. Email ICREA at icrea@worldproperties.com. Meet the Board: Chair Peter Bolton King Peter Bolton King (pictured right) is Group Chief Executive Officer for the National Federation of Property Professionals (NFOPP), an umbrella organisation formed in 2007 of UK property specialist divisions, including the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), ICREA's UK member. Peter has served as NAEA's CEO since 2003, but his property roots go back to 1973 when he joined the industry as a trainee. After studying to become a Chartered Surveyor and the firm's youngest partner, the company was sold to Lloyds Bank and Peter remained on board until joining NAEA. He was elected to the ICREA Board in 2004 and as Chair in 2009. Prior to ICREA, Peter says he had a passing interest in the global market, but with cross-border transactions part of many NAEA members' business, he feels it is vital to stay on the cutting edge through ICREA. "Membership in ICREA allows national associations and their members to participate on the world stage," says Peter. "The ability to pass referral work and earn money has to be a winner as is the ability for individuals to display properties on Worldproperties.com." Referral fees are still uncommon in the UK, given the small percentage of commission earned. "It's not been easy to persuade more UK members to get involved in cross-border business despite the thousands from the UK who buy abroad." says Peter. Progress is being made, however, and NAEA has embedded the TRC course into its training and set up its own property portal, Property Live, that searches globally and is powered by WorldProperties.com. Looking ahead, Peter says the new multilingual version of WorldProperties is going to be very exciting and will offer a superb tool for both brokers and associations. His advice to other associations? "ICREA is one of life's best kept secrets. Ensure it is on the agenda at meetings and tell your members how they can benefit from ICREA and make money!" And to brokers he says, "As your Association belongs to ICREA, you automatically belong as well. Those who don't know miss out on the many benefits. If you don't know about ICREA, then ask!" Well said, Mr. Chairman. Contact Peter at peter@nfopp.co.uk. Countdown to Launch In just under two weeks, the 2.0 version of WorldProperties.com and its regional European portal, WorldProperties.eu, will go live. Associations that have not provided the updated organization and market information requested...NOW is your last chance to do so to take advantage of the initial attention that the media and industry will generate! In addition to the new referral network and global property listing platform, watch for other exciting site enhancements--all designed to position the Association and your members in the best and most prominent light possible! AMPI President Takes Actions In a message to international professionals, AMPI (Mexico) president, C.P. Héctor Obregón Serrano, writes:"Nowadays, international business has no borders due to globalization. The movement of goods and people is becoming more dynamic and Mexico is fully embedded. Due to its excellent geographical and climatic conditions, and its many beautiful places surrounded by two long coastlines, Mexico is becoming a good investment destination as a place for retreating, resting, recreation and business. Mexico must respond to the challenges and opportunities posed by globalization in real estate." The AMPI president is putting his words into action with the sponsorship of a training course on international real estate in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora; June 13-18. NAR's (USA) CIPS program will be taught along with ICREA's TRC course. The course will be delivered in English by Aida Turbow (fluent Spanish speaker). All ICREA brokers are invited to register and become certified in cross-border transactions (provides enhanced benefits at WorldProperties.com), and to learn about this up and coming investment destination. For more information, contact Laura Romero, lromero@ampi.org; +52 55 5566 4224 ext. 110. TRC Contract Speaks Your Language Andrew Kapinski, TRC, (below) is a true international real estate agent. Born in Poland, he's a citizen of Canada where worked in the industry before moving to the U.S. and is now a REALTOR®-Associate at Optimar International Realty in Sunny Isles, Florida, awaiting U.S. citizenship. Andrew recently contacted ICREA asking for permission to translate the TRC contract into Polish to enhance his business alliance with a Polish firm he is partnering with for commercial and residential sales in both the U.S. and Poland. Thanks to the Polish Real Estate Federation, that task had already been done. The contract was originally translated from English into the languages in which course materials are available (Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese), but upon a request from ICREA, several Member Associations translated the document into their native language and provided it to ICREA. Additional language versions include Polish, Dutch and Swedish. ICREA welcomes additional language translations to help every ICREA broker more effectively and safely conduct cross-border business. If your association is able to help support additional translation, email ICREA and we'll send you the simple two-page form. ICREA Staff Supported by Member Association Elizabeth Richards (pictured right) wears multiple hats. A solicitor since 1997, her primary job is head of Legal and Policy at the National Federation of Property Professionals (UK) where she is responsible for the rules of professional conduct (and enforcement) which apply to NFOPP’s members. Prior to working for NFOPP, Elizabeth worked for a number of regulatory and professional bodies, including the Law Society, Gambling Commission, and Financial Services Authority. She was also an intern with the UN Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate, and she worked on guidance on the risk based approach to anti-money laundering (AML) for, among others, the real estate sector. The guidance was published by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the lead intergovernmental policy making body for AML. Through FATF, ICREA became acquainted with Elizabeth. When she joined the NFOPP, Elizabeth became invaluable in assisting ICREA in its role representing the interests of the real estate sector to FATF. In addition to her daily activities for NFOPP, she provides ongoing assistance to ICREA’s lobbying work with FATF. This includes assisting ICREA with the work of FATF’s expert groups which review AML measures that apply to estate agents; including requirements to check customers’ beneficial ownership and who estate agents can rely upon (and who can rely upon estate agents) for the purposes of customer due diligence. ICREA is grateful for Elizabeth providing her expertise and assistance to keep FATF regulations "industry friendly." Elizabeth can be reached at elizabeth.richards@worldproperties.com.
Email ICREA at icrea@worldproperties.com.

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Switzerland

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