Want To Cultivate An International Clientele?

Is servicing international clientele different than servicing any and/or all of your real estate clientele?

Take a look at the services the Chinese real estate brokerage Lianjie, also known as the Homelink Real estate Agency Company, offers its expatriate clientele, both individuals and corporations, who come to work and live in China from abroad.

Liangie has MANY brick and mortar branches in Beijing, Shanghai and other Chinese cities plus it has a website and mobile app that enables homebuyers and renters to search listings of new and existing villas, homes, condominiums and apartments.

And, by the way, Liangie is the very recent beneficiary of $1B from the fifth largest internet company in the world, based in China, Tencent Holdings, and $500M from Warburg Pincus, based in New York, in a private venture funding round.

1. Services for expatriates
   1. Airport pick-up and all hotel arrangements
   2. Instruction on how to use public transportation systems, taxis, busses, subways
   3. Bank information about which banks to choose, money deposit regulations, exchange rates and where to exchange money
   4. Safety information such as where to shop and directions to get there, places to avoid, do’s and don’ts
2. School search programs
   1. Introductions of expatriates and their families to “suitable” international and public schools
   2. Introductions to desired schools, names of principals, addresses, phone numbers
   3. Accompanying clients to scheduled school tours
   4. Assistance with registration, forms, paperwork, any needed negotiations
3. House hunting
   1. Interface with client and landlord
   2. Large property database
   3. Home tours and appointments
   4. Comparative and competitive pricing
   5. Contract negotiation
4. Assistance in “settling in”
   1. Shopping for food, appliances, furniture
   2. Opening bank accounts
   3. Handyman services including repair work, renovation, interior design
5. After sale services
   1. Pre-check of housing unit prior to move-in
   2. Accompanying and conducting move-in procedures
   3. Arrangement of housekeeping, maid, chef, nanny services
   4. On-going assistance for technical and maintenance problems

All of these services sound pretty good to me, regardless if I were moving to Columbus, Atlanta or Beijing. How about you?