AMPI FORUM in Guadalajara, September 15: Maria Luisa Castro, President of AMPI Guadalajara, John Glaab CIPS of AMPI La Paz, Mercy Duenas of AMPI Guadalajara and her husband Sergio, Ex-President of AMPI National.
The 19th Real Estate FORUM
The 19th Real Estate FORUM was presented this year by the Guadalajara section of the Mexican Association of Real Estate Professionals (AMPI) with more than 400 realtors in attendance for talks, Perspectives on the Real Estate Industry. Following the national anthem and parading of the flag by the drum and bugle corps and honor guard from the local fire department, the event was inaugurated by Juan Sanchez Aldana. He is the Mayor of nearby Zapopan, a major sponsor for the event, and one of Mexico’s wealthiest and fastest growing cities. In addition to a panel, Crisis in the Past and Formulas for the Future, there were several keynote speakers, during the day. These included Dr. Abraham Vela Dib, Manager, Communication Bank of Mexico, Cesar Ulises Trevino, President, Mexico Green Building Council, Eugene Towle, Director General of Softec and Jorge Cantero, a Miami realtor and educator.
Dr. Vela Dib spoke on the evolution and perspectives for the Mexico economy; where the country has been and its opportunities for future development. César Trevino explained LEED Rating Systems. This is a third party certification program and nationally accepted benchmark for the design and construction of high performance green buildings. He cited numerous examples around the world, including the thirty-two story HSBC bank building on the Reforma in Mexico City.
In real estate circles, Eugene Towle is known as Mr. Statistics. He is an expert in data that relates to Mexico’s current economic condition and on occasions makes future projections. On this occasion, he made predictions about requirements for new businesses and what will be needed to cope in the future.
Jorge Cantero has a long string of initials and certifications, behind his name. One that intrigues me is, masters of science in international real estate. He is the only person I know who holds that distinction. He has also been a course instructor for the National Association of Realtors® and has been named the Instructor of the Year, for his teaching of the NAR certified international property specialist (CIPS) course. Jorge’s topic was, Opening Horizons. He outlined the need for real estate practitioners to think globally when looking for buyers and developers. He mentioned the pool of wealth available in overseas market. At the end of the day, Pedro Trueba de Torres, National President of AMPI, made the closing statement.
Opening a Business More Easily & Quickly in Mexico
On August 3, 2009, President Felipe Calderon officially launched a governmental website: www.tuempresa.gob.mx. This simplifies the process of establishing a business in Mexico. The website gives investors the opportunity to create any company from any place with this internet access, whether it is a Public Company or LLC. There are five simple steps to be followed on the web site. The new portal reduces red-tape requirements and facilitates the opening new businesses while decreasing bureaucratic obstacles. The initiative places Mexico among those economies that have the best international practices and will boost the competitiveness of the country’s economy.
Realtors® to Congregate in San Diego
November 13-16, the National Association of Realtors® (NAR®) Annual Conference and Expo, will be held in San Diego for the first time in 101 years of the conference. Aptly named the voice for real estate, this association is America’s largest in the trade, representing 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. To kickoff the conference, the evening of November 12, Realtors® from around the world will be attending an International Welcome Reception, a real networking event. Among the daily events during the conference, Condoleeza Rice, former Secretary of State, will address the General Session. She will give her perspectives on current world events. Also highlighted, is a session on how the global economy affects local markets (international forum). Another popular series for attendees will be on entrepreneurial excellence. On Saturday, Brazil, France, Greece, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain will each have a table in the International Networking Center. The 2010 Annual Conference is scheduled to be held in New Orleans.
