Silicon Valley REALTORS® on doing business with Chinese overseas buyers

GBC Chair Mark Wong and YPN Chair Ryan Nunnally with panelists (left to right) Carol MacCorkle, Omar Kinaan, Michael Repka and Kim Connor.

The room at the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® was filled to capacity with members attending the Lunar New Year Celebration hosted by the Silicon Valley Young Professionals Network (YPN) and the Global Business Council. The event featured nationally acclaimed feng shui master Y.C. Sun, a catered Chinese lunch, followed by a panel with REALTORS® who have been successful dealing with overseas Chinese buyers.

“Yesterday’s event was a great success!” exclaimed YPN Chair Ryan Nunnally. “No seat went empty. The room was filled with talent, both in the audience and with the established speakers.”

Nunnally and GBC Chair Mark Wong served as moderators for the event. Panelists included Michael Repka, DeLeon Realty, Palo Alto; Omar Kinaan, RE/MAX Distinctive Properties, Menlo Park; Carol MacCorkle, Pacific Union International Real Estate, Menlo Park; and Kim Connor of Intero Real Estate Services, Saratoga. These REALTORS® have had a lot of success capturing the Chinese overseas market, but they said it’s not easy, it takes patience and hard work.

Building relationships and trust is key to working with Chinese buyers. Repka said their company’s interest in China began a few years ago when he and Ken DeLeon traveled to China with their Chinese agent Kim Heng. It was there where they first developed relationships, which blossomed and expanded, leading to numerous transactions. Repka said having Heng, who speaks fluent Chinese and knows the culture, proved very valuable to them.

“You need to speak the language or have someone that does. People are always comfortable in their own language,” said Repka.

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