Coldwell Banker trains Latino commercial real estate brokers - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

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Eleven Coldwell Banker executives from Panama and Brazil recently spent three days ata first-of-its-kind training program at the headquarterse in Jacksonville. Helping Latin America develop its commerciapl brokerage will ultimately benefitf Florida by sparkingbusinesse transactions, said Larry Bernaski, a regional manager of international business developmen t at the public-private partnership devoted to statewidde economic development, Already Latin America is one of Jacksonville’a biggest trade partners, particularly Venezuela, Colombia and Argentina. “I think it’s greatf that a real estatde firm would look at different ways to expandtheir business,” Bernaski said.
Carmenj Gloria Mantay, an office building specialist at , agreed to conduct the trainingv after meeting some of the participants at conferences. Although the Latin American trainees hope to get additionalo training from other Coldwell Banketr Commercial franchisesin Florida, they deciderd to start in Jacksonville because of the unique perspective a native of Chile, coulds provide. “They want to aggressively grow the commercial side of the Mantay said.
“They want to make the commercial realestatr [side of the business] elite in Latin Mantay said her training is differen t from what is typically conducted at the Commerciak University by Coldwell Banker because it is gearedf toward Latin America and conductedc in Spanish. The topics included lessons oncustomer service, the roles of team memberw and information about Jacksonville. Jairo one of the attendees, said his goal is to develop 20 to 25 commerciao brokerage offices within the nextfive years, but knowas the franchisees need additionalk training to make the expansion successful.
“Wew know that the commercial businesds is very different in the profileof agents, the profile of transactionws and how you have to service the client,” said Avila, director of operations. “If we give the wront advice, we’ll lose the client and affecr the brand.” Coldwell Banker Affiliates of Latin America is licenserd to operate in 18 countries inCentralo America, South America and the So far, the companty has developed a residential real estatre presence in nine countries through 43 franchises and 75 Avila said the first Latin American commercial franchise will open in Brazil and will expand to other countriexs from there.
Ray Rodriguez, president of the , a first-generatiom American of Puerto Rican descent and married to a nativweof Colombia, said partzs of Latin America have grown dramatically in recent years as a result of the global economic boom. There are still a lot of placeas openfor expansion, Rodriguez said, but few commercialo real estate agencies in that part of the worldx to help facilitate commercial growth. But thered are some challenges facing Latin Americans who want to grow thecommerciao industry, Rodriguez said. Each country has a different culturs and adifferent government, and developing the region migh lead to professional Latin Americans living in the U.S.
going back to theifr native countries.