FIABCI-USA, the International Real Estate Federation – U.S. Chapter held a luncheon in the private delegates’ dining room at the United Nations facility in New York City on Friday, March 27, 2015, to address the continuing need for cross-border cooperation in international property markets. FIABCI enjoys special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and regularly address real estate issues at UN offices around the world.

Local international real estate experts Hugh Gilliam and Joe Hartley, both with Atlanta Communities, and Dan Easton, broker/owner of Three Springs Realty in North Georgia made the trip to attend. They took part in the luncheon to gain valuable insights into the increasing interest of global investors in U.S. real estate. This interest has recently been expanding to second and third tier cities around the country. The event included featured speakers from the International Monetary Fund, the Center for International Private Enterprise and the Global Indicators Group of the World Bank.

“Joe, Dan and I are three of only seven metro Atlanta-based real estate professionals who belong to this international real estate organization,” explained Hugh Gilliam. “Selling to an international clientele can be a much more complicated real estate transaction and it is essential to stay up-to-date on the latest regulation.”

Gilliam is also a Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), a training and Realtor designation program created by the National Association of Realtors. He is one of only 22 Realtors in Georgia to hold the specialized designation out of approximately 56,000 real estate agents in the state. Gilliam is also no stranger to international connections. He assisted in creating the Cobb International Business Council and led a trade mission to Belgium. In addition, he is a member of the German American Chamber of Commerce, the Asian Real Estate Association of America, the Korean American Chamber and the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals.

Joe Hartley is a University of Georgia graduate as well as a Leadership Cobb graduate from the Cobb Chamber of Commerce program. Dan Easton, based in Blairsville, Ga., holds numerous real estate designations, including the CIPS and the Resort & Second-home Property Specialist (RSPS).

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) introduced the Global Housing Watch, a new initiative that tracks global housing prices, credit availability and housing price-to-income ratios. Frank Stroker, Assistant Program Officer at the Center for International Private Enterprise looked at the importance of democracy and entrepreneurs to economic development. Finally the operations analyst from the Doing Business Unit of the World Bank updated attendees on FIABCI’s cooperation with the World Bank on collecting data on property rights using its extensive networks around the globe.

While in New York, the Atlanta real estate agents also got the opportunity to tour the United Nations and several luxury homes on the market in the area.

For more information about FIABCI or the international real estate market, contact Hugh Gilliam at 770-240-2001.