Chinese buyers sought
PROPERTIES LISTED for sale with RE/MAX real estate agents will now automatically be promoted to potential buyers in China.
RE/MAX has signed a deal to automatically list all of the properties it handles on Chinese property website Juwai.com.
Juwai.com is believed to be the biggest web portal in the world for Chinese buyers looking for overseas properties.
The RE/MAX deal will apply to all properties listed with any of the chain’s branches throughout New Zealand and Australia.
Michael Davoren, the managing director of RE/MAX Australia and New Zealand, said the Chinese market was too big to ignore.
‘‘Our agents have asked for this. Our vendors have asked for this. Everyone wants to make sure their properties are marketed in China.
‘‘We were doing very few sales with Chinese buyers a few years ago. Now they account for the largest number of sales of any international buyer group,’’ he said.
Juwai.com co-chief executive Andrew Taylor expected the deal to benefit RE/MAX’s clients.
‘‘Every home owner in Australia and New Zealand who lists their property with a RE/MAX agent will see it automatically marketed to the fast growing Chinese market. This can mean more inquiries and possibly faster sales times and higher prices, ’’ he said.
That could give RE/MAX an advantage over real estate agencies that were not promoting their properties in China, Davoren said.
RE/MAX is the second major Australasian real estate agency to sign a comprehensive marketing deal with Juwai.com, after LJ Hooker signed a deal last year.
Juwai.com’s customer research showed that Chinese buyers looking for an overseas property to live in, often chose those that were close to educational institutions, had water views, were in new or renovated condition and were close to areas where friends or family members were also buying.
Those looking for investment properties wanted ones that were already leased, provided predictable returns with potential for capital gains, and which were suitable for a property manager to take day-to-day responsibility for.
Buyers from China tended to be motivated by the possibility of making a profit in underpriced markets, obtaining educational opportunities for their children, diversifying their investments internationally and enjoying an attractive lifestyle while living overseas, according to Juwai.com.
Auckland was the most popular New Zealand destination for Chinese buyers looking for properties on Juwai.com, followed by Kerikeri, Dunedin, Taupo and Northland.
Australia and New Zealand were both what Juwai.com described as ‘‘top destinations’’ for Chinese buyers because of their relative proximity to China, stable real estate markets, good schools, use of English, protected natural environments and growing economies.
According to Statistics NZ, 8852 people from China and Hong Kong moved to New Zealand on a permanent or long-term basis in the 12 months to November 2013, up 4.3 per cent on the previous year.