European buyers like windows, closet space
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Sellers hoping to attract European buyers could take a tip or two from the Engel & Völkers Group.
According to the luxury real estate firm, which has offices in 24 countries, such buyers are most interested in amenities they can’t find at home. Bless their adventurous souls.
That said, the features they are seeking aren’t so uncommon here in Southern California. Among them are large windows, high ceilings and open floor plans. Walk-in closets and large eat-in kitchens, atypical in European homes, also appeal, as do mega-refrigerators, built-in speaker systems and iPod docking stations.
Whether sellers are concerned with snagging international buyers or not, area real estate agents are taking this group of potential clients seriously. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Co.-Greater L.A. surveyed 2,500 of their agents this summer to determine how active international buyers and sellers are locally.
Less than half of the agents surveyed -- 42% -- had worked with a buyer or seller from outside the country in the last year, and of those who had, 54% indicated they had completed up to three transactions. The luxury market was the biggest beneficiary with 50% of the sales in the $1-million to $5-million range.
Another reason to take notice: The National Assn. of Realtors reports that after Florida, California is the next most popular state with the international crowd.
-- Lauren Beale
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