Our guest today is a long-time REALTOR®, trainer, and world traveler. Do you have a dream to travel somewhere? Is there a place that you already love in the world? For example, have you been to Cabo San Lucas eight times? Wouldn’t it be great if you could be a connector with buyers and sellers with agents in Mexico? In the Caribbean? In Europe? In Asia? You can do that with your favorite areas in the U.S. and the world! In this podcast, Ginni Field talks about selling real estate and expanding your business in new ways. We also talk about international buyers and sellers in the United States with a focus on the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation. Join us on this podcast and expand your vision beyond your local area.   [6:10] Monica asks the audience to stick with this episode to hear the interesting stories Ginni and Monica will share with consideration for the huge and growing influx of international immigrants, residents, and investors. [7:53] Ginni discusses what she learned from experiences in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, and Germany. [11:56] When traveling the world, you have the opportunity to visit small towns and explore their history. Find people in your community from these areas and connect with them. You may be able to help them buy a home. [14:14] In most of the world, business is based so much on relationships. In America, relationships are huge and you need that network, but overseas, relationships are crucial. [15:18] In the Americas, the process of buying a home is a family affair. If they don’t know you, they’re not doing anything with you. When they know you and begin to trust you, business happens. [17:36] Where Ginni was teaching, there were good universities and schools everywhere, providing a place to build your business. [18:08] Find your niche and get connected to it. Be a part of those market areas and people. What businesses bring people into your market area, that hire people from other countries? [18:34] Foreign resident buyers may become citizens and still may be very connected to their foreign community. [21:42] When Ginni talks to people with work visas, they tell her they want to stay when their visa is over. Parents of foreign students in universities also will buy a home for their student in the U.S. with the hope of the student staying and the parents moving there because they own a home. [22:44] The Open Doors fact sheet says foreign students spend over $5 billion. Ginni gives estimates for several California universities. Do outreach at universities. [24:05] Look at the industries in your local community and where folks are coming from. Then begin to do outreach. Go where they are and network with them. [24:31] Refugee groups that settle in an area don’t have the money to buy a house at the time, but as they become established, they work and build businesses, and become qualified to buy houses. [26:00] Ginni tells of a man who immigrated to the U.S. with next to nothing, wanting to build his life. Now, he is a millionaire, owning multiple buildings and worked hard to get there. [27:21] CIPS talks a lot about non-resident foreign buyers. These are investors buying houses more as investments than as homes. California attracts more than $1 billion in foreign direct investments from Japan, the UK, France, Canada, and Germany. [30:07] The fluctuation of exchange rates plays an important role in these investments. Fluctuations can cause a buyer to cancel. [32:14] The CIPS designation course teaches about the global market. If you’re not paying attention to global opportunities, you’re leaving profitable business on the table. [35:55] The world is more connected now than it ever was. Inflation is happening around the world. Pay attention to the world economy or you will miss out on tremendous opportunities. [36:33] There are investors for commercial properties, condo communities marketed internationally, college students, and refugee communities. There