Published by the CIPS Network of the National Association of REALTORS®
First Quarter 2008
Catching the Wave: You justnever know!
By Jason Buck
 could hear the surf, like a freight train, the minute I woke up. I’m a REALTOR® and a surfing devotee, who lives in California and travels frequently to Latin America in search of the perfect wave. Mixing in some business when I travel seems like the natural thing for me to do—you just never know!
Four days earlier, I had flown into San Jose, Costa Rica, and had driven down the Pacific coastline to the end of the road at the border of Panama. I was in Pavones, a surfer’s paradise, where you can find one of the longest waves in the world. That day, I surfed for about six hours, had lunch, and then took a three hour nap—not a bad way to spend my last day in Costa Rica.
Back to Work
In the morning, I would be off to Panama City for Panama Spectacular 2005*—a joint venture of the Panama Association of Developers and REALTORS® (ACOBIR) and the U.S.-Panama Business Council (USPA), in cooperation with the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI), and the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association (ORRA).
Wednesday, March 15, 2005, after a 12-hour bus ride, I arrived in the lobby of the conference hotel just as the cocktail reception was starting, and encountered a friendly group of real estate professionals. I was wearing shorts and an open shirt, carrying a backpack and a surfboard, and had sprouted tons of facial hair on the trip. I tried to hide, but it was no use.
“Hurry up and change.We’ll wait!” they said, as I rushed off to my room. I was a bit embarrassed, but, I thought, this is Central America; things are different here.
It was a great Congress. We toured several local developments, learned about Panamanian culture, and met real estate professionals from all over the world who were delightful. The classes were very interesting and I found the Panamanians to be incredibly exciting and entrepreneurial.
On the Road Again
In the end, I decided to extend my trip and stay for another week. I rented a car and drove up the road to Santa Catalina, in search of Panama’s best wave. My plan was to head up to the retirement community of Boquete before going to the beautiful town of Bocas del Toro, in the Archipielago de Bocas del Toro. Along the way, I decided to stop at an Internet café to download some fresh tunes on my iPod for the drive. The attendant asked me
why I was in Panama and I explained that I was researching real estate projects. He told me that his cousin sold real estate and asked for one of my brochures. I finished my download, thanked him, and continued on my fantastic journey of Panama’s paths less traveled.
About two months after my return to the U.S., I received an email from a Panamanian real estate agent who wanted my assistance in the sale of land he represented for a seller. I put some of his listings up on my Web site and we began to jointly market his properties—islands, beachfront, and large farms.
Panama Redux
This past October, I finally met my collaborator face-to-face at the 2007 Congress of the Americas, sponsored by FIABCI PANAMA, the Panama Association of Developers and REALTORS® (ACOBIR), and the U.S.-Panama Business Council (USPA). He is a wonderful, pleasant person, and his portfolio of properties is both interesting and financially attractive. During the conference I met other Panamanian real estate professionals who have clients for one of our beachfront listings. We are now working on non-circumvention, non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, (contracts that protect each party for knowledge shared) and getting closer to negotiating on the price.
By the way, when I finally met my listing partner, I asked him how he found me. He told me it was his cousin in Santa Catalina—the waiter at the Internet café—who had given him my brochure. You just never know!
My Networking Style
When I travel to Latin America, I always travel alone. It makes it easier to meet the locals. I try to acknowledge every person I encounter, and I relish their response. It’s my interest in the locals and the willingness to be open that makes it possible to meet people who, ultimately, bring me business. On my last trip, I met a man while playing poker in a casino. When he asked why I was in Panama, and I told him I was there for a real estate conference, he said,“I have a few farm lots to sell.” I called my Panamanian associate, who took the photos and wrote the lot descriptions that are now listed on my Web site.
I pinch myself these days. I know that I have a special talent for meeting people and building relationships, but I’m still amazed that the contacts I’ve made have resulted in a career in international real estate. I look forward to sharing the people I meet with my associates in the CIPS Network and FIABCI. It has been my involvement with these organizations that have made it possible for me to parlay my talent for meeting people into some really good business deals.
Really, you just never know!
Jason Buck, CIPS, SRES, TRC, Coldwell Banker, Palos Verdes Estates, California, has been a REALTOR® for almost 10 years. A study abroad program in Sydney, Australia, began his international adventures, but it was a Peace Corps posting in El Salvador in 1996 that focused his attention on Latin language and culture. An international practitioner for five years, he has a special interest in Costa Rica and Panama and concentrates his efforts in these areas. Reach him at jason.buck@camoves.com or at +1.310.383.2578.
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