Haute Residence continued its "Chat with Haute Residence Leaders" series with an exclusive one on one conversation featuring Vasco Borges: CEO of luxury private villa resort Beach Enclave.

He was hosted by Haute Media Group Cofounder Seth Semilof. Watch their conversation below.

The topics included Borges’ illustrious career from CFO of Grace Bay Resorts, Project Director for Water Cay Development, and his eventual ascendancy in luxury real estate as the CEO of Beach Enclave.

Vasco N F Borges has over 20 years of experience in luxury branding, real estate development, and hospitality. As the CEO of Beach Enclave, Borges raised funding, designed, developed, and is presently managing three private villa resorts. Founded in 2013, Beach Enclave is redefining Caribbean beachfront living by offering the privacy and seclusion of your own home with all resort amenities. Borges’ accolades include Best Caribbean development in 2017 by the International Property Awards, #1 Resort in Turks and Caicos by TripAdvisor, and highest average daily rate in Turks and Caicos.

Here are some of the questions and answers from the exclusive interview with Borges.

Seth Semilof: Tell us a little about how you went from college, growing up in Portugal, to the Caribbean.

Vasco Borges: It was absolutely by happenstance. I had done a more traditional career of economics, then I joined this consulting company called McKinsey. When you are a consultant, you get exposed to a lot of industries. There were a few options on the table. One of them was to join a restaurant group in Singapore and the other one was an opportunity to come to the Caribbean to work. I had never been to the Caribbean before, but they promised me a beachfront bedroom in a five star resort, so I came here. It was a vibrant place and I absolutely loved both the real estate and the hospitality component. That is why the idea of building something where people are going to leave with lifestyle experiences, but also hospitality was really, really exciting.

SS: I would love to learn how you came up with the game plan or strategy because you came out and built three different luxury villas. What transpired into that?

VB: At the time, if you wanted to own real estate in Turks and Caicos or the majority of the Caribbean islands, you could either on a condominium or a standalone home. I could not figure out why we could not combine both. You have the great things of a resort, which is all the amenities or services taking care for you, and combine that with the privacy of your home. You really just go in and it is ready for you. I could not convince my employer to do it at the time, so I decided to go in on my own.

SS: What makes Turks and Caicos so amazing? You have not chosen to go to any other Caribbean islands, just mainly stuck to Turks and Caicos.

VB: An amazing combination of things. It has an amazing infrastructure. It has US dollar, UK law, and above all, beautiful beaches. You can have breakfast in New York and lunch on the beach. It is very unusual to get, but we have very low-density development, a fantastic legal setup, and quality people. We are 22 miles outside of Manhattan, so Wall Street is a big part of our market. We are also seeing people coming in droves from New York to New Jersey to the suburbs. We are seeing tremendous movement in Westfield because interest rates are historically low, so it is a win-win.

SS: Where do you see the next 12 months specifically for Turks and Caicos?

VB: We have seen an amazing amount of money coming in and a lot of interest in our homes. We presold all the homes, even before acquiring the land. There is a lot of demand there, particularly for the high-end products. I think that will continue, but also, what you see in some of these locations is this new way with investment that is helping us build more amenities. An expansion of the ecosystem around us helps as that you really need people to come into the islands. Our purpose is continuing to grow because people want everything to be as easy as possible. We are putting together all these protocols and trying to make the experience top, top, top notch for our client.

SS: Where do you see your company in the next five to 10 years as you are expanding the brand?

VB: We are very happy with this location. Being on the best beach, we have some amazing homes coming our way. Maybe we will do something else here, but I think our next wave of growth once we have solidified and built our roster, the team is to go and expand abroad. I think what we have done here can be done in pretty much any location where you have wealth coming in, interest in real estate, and interest in a good lifestyle experience.

For more information, please contact Vasco Borges at 1-866-580-1675 or visit www.beachenclave.com.

To watch more real estate webinars curated by Haute Residence, visit dev.hauteresidence.com.

The post Chat With Haute Residence Leaders, Episode 7: Vasco Borges appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Sign up for the upcoming Haute Residence webinar:

Wednesday, May 27th at 2 PM EST / 11 AM PST

Craig Hogan, Vice President of Coldwell Banker Global Luxury, moderates a talk with top Coldwell Banker agents from around the world of luxury real estate market: Vanda Demeure (Paris, France), Jade Mills (Beverly Hills, CA), Ricardo Rodriguez (Boston, MA), and Wendy Walker (Scottsdale, AZ). REGISTER.

Avra Jain, Ryan Shear

Highlight quotes:

Avra Jain: "For my friends that have stripped malls, we will see big changes in retail. It is accelerating even more than it already was... Hospitality got crushed. (That industry) is under a lot of stress, expecting an 18-20 month recovery. Conferences have been canceled, so those hotels are in a vulnerable situation... Investors and family funds are moving to Miami, putting more equity here and less on the capital markets... On the office side, we already have high net worth individuals already relocating to Miami, bringing satellite offices and even moving their offices... As long as there are unique opportunities, we will do it. We don't just buy and do deals just to do deals... Our local lenders are great. When the PPP was made available, they reached out to us and we were approved and received the money to pass onto our employees. We are lucky we have a lot of good lenders here. A lot of what people need is a little help now to get past this. Tenants will remember the landlords that did the right thing... The reset is an opportunity to introduce more technology."

Ryan Shear: "Other than New York, we are vertical in Phoenix and Florida, and fortunately the jobs have not stopped. We work with the cities to make concerted efforts to keep workers safe... There is more work to be done today. We are putting an emphasis on planning... The silver lining of a down market is construction costs. You're going to be able to buy a better job. I think office and multi-family will be in a good spot in 6-9 months. It will be less expensive to build... In our New York office, there have been many requests to move to the Florida office. In real estate, New York is in the worst place it has been in my career... In New York, buildings are already built and not having sales. It is exposed for not having sales requirements. Urban cores are getting hit the hardest... We are not seeing sellers willing to take a 20% decrease in price... There should be a finality to this. There are lessons to be learned. How to navigate through this situation; keep people motivated, and not let the business suffer. I try to figure it out as I go along."

To watch more webinars by Haute Residence on the latest in the real estate industry with top leaders, developers, brokers and agents around the US and the world, visit dev.hauteresidence.com.

The post Watch: Real Estate Development Webinar, With Industry Leaders Avra Jain And Ryan Shear appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Haute Living's Seth Semilof introduced Cheryl Casone, who joined FOX Business Network (FBN) as an anchor in September 2007 and currently serves as the co-anchor of FBN:AM, which airs weekdays at 5 AM/EST. Casone is also a financial contributor on FOX News Channel (FNC) where she provides economic reports. Casone served as the host of the dynamic dialogue that included questions submitted by viewers. 

Semilof continued by welcoming the panelists for today's webinar:

• Louis Birdman, co-developer of One Thousand Museum by Zaha Hadid Architects. As Principal at BRD/Birdman Real Estate Development, has overseen the development of more than 18,000 residential units and 1,000 hotel keys valued at more than $5 billion.
• Edgardo Defortuna, Founder and CEO of Fortune International Group, who brings over 30 of experience in the real estate industry; a visionary and driving force in South Florida’s landscape.
• Jules Trump, developer of The Estates at Acqualina, the $1.8 billion ultra-luxury development in Sunny Isles Beach, FL.
• Michael Stern, Founder & CEO of JDS Development, an innovative real estate development, construction, and acquisition firm responsible for the creation of numerous residential, hospitality, and mixed-use projects in New York City and Miami.

Watch the full video below

Casone took over and engaged the panelists in an hour-long conversation that encompassed multiple real estate markets. They gave their thoughts on the best ways for real estate agents, brokers, developers, and the industry overall to deal with the effect that COVID-19 has had on business and the rest of the year.

"There have been many changes in the way we are all doing business," said Birdman. "Real estate is a face-to-face business, but that has changed with this outbreak. People still need to move, have leases coming up and other circumstances, so properties continue to get shown in different ways to ensure the safety of sellers, buyers and people working at properties."

Stern spoke on New York's state of real estate affairs since the Big Apple became the center of the Coronavirus pandemic in the US. "For New York, we closed our office three and a half weeks ago, completely working remotely except for construction," he said. Then, he continued to compare his company's activity in South Florida with New York. "In Miami, we have not seen much of a drop in manpower in construction. For the most part, we are doing construction in Florida and largely stopped in New York."

The construction of The Estates at Acqualina has continued while adapting to today's standards of social distancing and higher use of technology for marketing. "We are able to continue with the construction, but taking care of our workers," said Trump. He continued, "We are making great use of technology to share communications to tell the story of The Estates at Acqualina. We are in constant communication with our customers today, even more so than prior."

Casone asked Defortuna about the quick learning curve for the entire industry on how to conduct business from a distance. "Especially on the luxury side of the market, nobody needs to buy a second or third home," he said. "They buy it because they love it. From the marketing point of view, we have specialized in marketing to the entire world, providing tools to brokers to promote our projects in Latin America, Europe, and worldwide. Presentations of this type are happening all over the world. My brokers are saying they are busier now than before when they were doing presentations one-on-one."

Today's webinar followed on yesterday's session that featured Daniel de la Vega, President of ONE Sotheby's International Realty.

Top left: Edgardo Defortuna; top right: Jules Trump; bottom left Louis Birdman; bottom right, Michael Stern; center: Cheryl Casone

The post Watch: Louis Birdman, Edgardo Defortuna, Jules Trump And Michael Stern Join Haute Residence For Live Webinar appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Through the pathway of real estate, Cindy Shearin, Founder of The Shearin Group in Manhattan Beach, California, has fashioned an amazing career. During her 30 years in the South Bay market, Shearin’s position as an acclaimed Realtor, Developer, and Interior Designer has been achieved through a combination of skill and sheer determination and steadfastness in how she does business. These qualities have found Cindy great success, respect, and an unmatched store of knowledge.

In an exclusive interview with Haute Residence, Shearin takes us inside the world of being a ‘generational realtor’ and how she develops trust and life-long relationships.

Photo Credit: www.shutterstock.com

Trust is key in growing your client base in real estate.  How are some ways you have achieved this with your clients? 

To achieve success in the real estate business you must always have your client’s best interest at heart. I will recommend that my clients walk away from a contract or negotiation that does not adequately serve his or her needs. 

My reputation for putting my client first has earned me the moniker as the ‘generational realtor’; I have earned the trust of many men and women whom I have represented throughout their lives, from property to property, even into retirement. This natural process extends into my clients family members and close friends.  I am the ‘family’ realtor to many of my clients. As a result, after three decades, my network is immense.

You are well known for masterfully selling many of your properties ‘off-market’. How did you achieve this gifted ability, and what are some reasons why clients want to sell off-market?

This really circles back to my previous answer about winning a client's trust. Building such a massive network of clients, and selling to multiple generations in individual families adds to my success in being able to buy and sell properties off-market for clients. On numerous occasions over the years, I have sold the same home or income property multiple times. I am so grateful that clients for decades have put their trust in me, which is always earned.  I care about my clients and their well being is important to me.

Regarding the motivation for clients wanting to sell off-market, we have a lot of high-profile clients that simply don’t want droves of people walking through their homes on weekends during an Open House. They trust in my proven network and my diligence to work tirelessly to find them the right buyer without going to market.

Photo Credit: www.shutterstock.com

How are some ways you save your clients money?

My unique combination of skills provides numerous opportunities for me to save my clients money and also maximize their returns. I have four areas of expertise that I have developed through many years of experience and market study … Interior and Exterior Design, Real Estate Marketing, Ground-up Construction, and Real Estate Development and Financing. Each area has its own set of complexities that can be employed to maximize a client’s return, depending upon the unique characteristics of the situation.

One situation in which these skills can significantly affect cost is in preparing a home for sale. When I work with a new property/client, I practice a sort of ‘A to Z’ exercise where I assess and create a timeline of what is needed to come to market. My construction knowledge allows me to evaluate the cost versus return of any upgrades; my marketing background lets me assess the best marketing vehicles to employ, and my interior design knowledge assists me in effective staging decisions. Often, clients are advised to hire expensive staging companies to help prepare a home for market, but I can save my clients time and money by staging with the minimum amount of expenditure. We bring in some fresh new accessories/pieces and repurpose where needed to be most effective. Starting with eye-appealing existing home pieces and adding “the new” transforms a home from good to fabulous! 

Much like the staging process, I have an eye for evaluating the pros and cons that are key when a client is buying a home. Helping a buyer visualize a home's potential comes very natural to me, where others can easily overlook relatively simple design solutions. I have subs and contractors that are available to assist with small to large rehabs that can help a client see the potential in a contemplated purchase.

I have also sold homes that are under construction and negotiated with the builders to agree to allow my clients to make the final selections. It’s a win-win for all; and with my expertise, I can assist both parties in the completion process.

Photo Credit: www.shutterstock.com

You are known as a South Bay real estate expert.  How did you get this reputation?  

Being a South Bay real estate expert is comprehensive. Living here, and practicing real estate for 30 years, I know the ins-and-outs of the South Bay. I raised my family in the South Bay and know the school system, youth organizations and opportunities, and sports platforms.  I also appreciate the unique characteristics of each of the South Bay communities. In addition, I have spent years acquiring the micro-information about each individual neighborhood, from block to block. No algorithm could ever pick up this type of tangible and value-influencing knowledge.  

The Shearin Group continues to be ranked in the Top 1% of Realtors in the nation, while I locally was ranked #2 in transactions for the past several years through the parent firm Strand Hill Christie’s International. Through Christie’s, our global reach is vast, with representation in 47 countries and across 1350 offices around the world.  

My firm, The Shearin Group, not only has a powerful affiliate network, but also generates staggering numbers on social media. We are proud to be the exclusive South Bay real estate firm for mega social platforms Haute Residence, Haute Living, The Fourhundred, and Luxury Realtor. Through these affiliate platforms, we boost monthly viewership and exposure to upwards of Three Million Viewers/Subscribers, providing an outstanding reach on social media.

We design the most effective marketing programs for all the homes we represent, including, but not limited to, very effective marketing methods uniquely available to The Shearin Group. We are known for creating a big push in advertising via print and online in the appropriate platforms for the type of property we are marketing. 

The post Cindy Shearin On How To Capture And Retain Real Estate Clients And Their Trust appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.