Real Estate Brokerage Hosts First Global Summit

List Sotheby’s International Realty (LSIR) recently held its first Global Summit in Honolulu, bringing together leaders of its operations in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines and Hawaii. With the exception of Japan, the company opened its offices in Asia over the last 12 to 18 months; additional offices are slated to open in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia in the next 24 months. The LSIR Hawaii-Asia Network now includes 15 offices.

The purpose of the Global Summit, the first of many, was to create a company-wide understanding of the various market forces in play across the Asia-Pacific region. The pipeline from Japan to Hawaii is already very well established — LSIR Japan has been responsible for more than $250 million in Hawaii real estate sales since 2014.

Attending the Summit were representatives from LSIR Japan Inbound and Outbound Sales, as well as the Chief Operating Officers from each Southeast Asia country, including Yasushi Yamada, Head of the Asia Region; Boon Hoe Leong,

COO of List SIR Singapore; Binoche Chen, COO LSIR Hong Kong; Darius Tenerife, COO of LIST SIR Philippines; and, for LSIR Hawaii, Myra Brandt, Principal Broker.

“LSIR is active in all major Southeast Asia markets, providing an ever-increasing outreach to potential Hawaii buyers and sellers,” said Brandt. “In return, our Hawaii sales agents are enabled to provide elevated services to clients who live and invest in our broader Southeast Asia service area.

“In 2013, we laid the groundwork for a successful Japan to Hawaii pipeline, which includes a dedicated Hawaii sales team based in Japan and monthly real estate seminars in Japan’s various prefectures. The seminars have been very effective in showcasing Honolulu real estate projects, condominium and single family resales, and other opportunities that attract investors and wealth managers,” she continued.

The work ahead will be to uncover new untapped markets for Hawaii and for all the member countries. Focusing on potential cross-border collaboration, the group drilled down into vital questions such as how to increase sales activity from Hong Kong to Japan, Singapore and Hawaii and how to increase Hawaii sales of new luxury developments.

Leong of List SIR Singapore, who helped lead the Summit, noted, “Ultimately our investor clients and resort/second home buyers in each country will be able to analyze the pros and cons of investing anywhere in the Asia Pacific region or utilizing the Sotheby’s International Realty network anywhere in the world.” According to Leong, Singaporeans purchase luxury apartments and penthouses with starting prices of $5.5 million and above, which puts Hawaii property well within reach.

“Our goal is to offer a full set of real estate and related services to our clients, wherever they might live or invest,” said LSIR President Hisashi Kitami. “Melting pot that it is, Hawaii is actually the best positioned location in the network with residents and visitors from all over the Asia Pacific region. As we become a more global company, we increase our ability to provide a unique set of services for every client’s needs.”