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On today’s episode of the Real Estate Diplomat, we're embarking on a truly inspirational journey with Tony and Thera Messina. A couple whose life story reads like an adventure novel, yet it's their heart and purpose that truly captivate. I had the privilege of meeting Tony and Thera in 2023, and it was an honor to assist them in selling their home—a pivotal step that has enabled them to pursue their lifelong dream of traveling the world and volunteering to make a difference wherever they go.The Messinas shared their incredible story of leaving their corporate jobs to embark on a global journey of exploration, philanthropy, and self-discovery. They discussed their motivations, the fears they overcame, the lessons they've learned, and their visions for the future, including a fascinating segue into creating a wellness and community center in Costa Rica. With experiences across 60 countries, their journey is a testament to personal growth, the kindness of strangers, and the universal spirit of giving back. F

From Chicago to Costa Rica: The Real Estate Adventure with Rebecca ClowerHost Aaron Masliansky talks to Rebecca Clower about her transition from a Tampa realtor to a real estate industry leader in Costa Rica. On her journey, she moved from property management to real estate, eventually venturing into property development. She discusses her company, Blue Water Properties, the importance of ethical standards within realtor associations, and her role as president of the Association of Real Estates Agents in Costa Rica. Co-existing with the cultural diversity in Costa Rica has influenced her business operations significantly. The conversation covers the benefits of MLS in property marketing, challenges surrounding foreign financing, and insights for potential investors in Costa Rica. Rebecca also promotes her forthcoming YouTube series, 'Purchasing in Paradise,' which showcases life in Costa Rica and the essence of the real estate business there. The dialogue concludes with a warm invitation for listeners to visi

Welcome back to the Real Estate Diplomat podcast! In this exciting episode, we come to you live from the beautiful landscapes of Costa Rica, specifically from Guanacaste! Joining us on this captivating journey are two esteemed guests who are leading figures in the real estate industry.Our first guest is Linda Hattar, the Chairwoman of the Global Real Estate Council for the Chicago Association of Realtors and the Vice President of Aco Commercial. Linda's extensive expertise and leadership have made a significant impact on the real estate landscape in Chicago and beyond.Accompanying Linda is the dynamic Alonzo Abron, the Vice Chairman of the Global Real Estate Council for the Chicago Association of Realtors and the President of A Progeny Global. With his wealth of experience, Alonzo has been driving innovation in the real estate sector, leaving a profound mark in the industry.Together, we are here on a trade mission with the Chicago Association of Realtors, getting the chance to meet visionary leaders of the Co

Introduction: In today's insightful episode, host Aaron Masliansky brings you a deep dive into the world of real estate videography with special guest Phil Piszczako. As the seasoned videographer for Dream Town, Phil has a wealth of experience and insights to share. They discuss the importance of video in the industry, how it's rapidly evolving, and how AI is disrupting traditional practices and creating new opportunities.Episode Summary: Aaron and Phil touch on various aspects of real estate videography, starting with the power of storytelling through video to demonstrate long-lasting generational value. Phil shares his unique perspective on how emotion can be harnessed in videos and the importance of differentiating content in a saturated market.He delves into the technique of highlighting key features of a property to create engaging and cinematic videos, emphasizing the role of the realtor as the brand. They also discuss the balance between creating catchy content without sounding overly promotional.Phil

Welcome to this week's episode of The Real Estate Diplomat. This episode was recorded on March 8, 2023, just a few days prior to the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Many elements of this conversation lend more credence to the idea of crypto becoming a backstop currency, whether it be due to financial instability or global conflict. On today's show, we sit down with Nelson Rosario, founder and partner at Rosario Tech Law, LLC. Nelson works with clients in the cryptocurrency industry and other emerging technology industries on legal issues related to property, privacy, and power.Nelson's expertise has been recognized in various publications such as the New York Times, TechCrunch, CoinDesk, Law360, and more. He is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois and before the United States Patent & Trademark Office. He holds a JD from Illinois Tech, Chicago-Kent College of Law, a BS in Computer Science from Florida State University, and a BA in History and Political Science from the University of Minnesota.In

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down Jennifer LaMell Goldstone from Horwitch, Goldstone & Shaw, Deanne Cooper from Fidelity National Title Insurance and Beth Lewis from CrossCountry Mortgage. We speak about the work of attorneys, title companies and lenders, how these industries support real estate investments here locally in Chicago and the United States. We also discuss the current state of the real estate market in February 2023. This episode was also released on my Chicagoland podcast, Inside the Skev. According to Beth Lewis, she issued the following update regarding the mortgage market:Mortgage rates jumped to their highest levels in a month this week because of last Friday’s Jobs report. Due to most of the focus being on inflation and the possible Fed rate increase, it was easy to overlook employment which is the other marker the Fed uses to gauge the strength of the economy. The most recent jobs report showed that there were more than 500k new jobs created. Pandemic years aside, this quarter

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Dr. Daniel Aschheim. He currently serves as Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest. He was appointed to this Chicago-based post in September of 2020 where he assumed the role as Consul for Public Diplomacy serving as the spokesperson for the Consulate's nine-state Midwestern region. This episode is also being released on my sister podcast, Inside the Skev. In this episode we discuss a multitude of topics such as the role of the Consulate; Israel's programming within the Midwest; issues relating to terrorism and Iran; Israel's response to the Pandemic; Israel's stance on the war in Ukraine; American investment in Israel and Israeli investment within the Chicagoland area. More information on the Israeli Consulate to the Midwest can be found here: https://embassies.gov.il/chicago/Pages/default.aspxThis episode is dedicated to my late grandfather, Eugene Chez, who passed away on June 23rd. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out t

In this episode, Aaron is was joined by NAR’s Senior Economist, Director of Housing and Commercial Research Gay Cororaton to discuss the impacts the war in Ukraine will have on our industry. This interview was conducted under Aaron's role of the Chairman of the Global Real Estate Council for the Chicago Association of Realtors Global Insider Series. Global Real Estate Council for the Chicago Association of Realtors Global Insider Series: https://chicagorealtor.com/watch-our-global-insiders-series-about-the-how-the-real-estate-industry-has-been-impacted-by-the-war-in-ukraine/?fbclid=IwAR11hoCE3VI2sWuG2FsUMbNp4TPjsTjN6uToXPmT_liEm_6xYgJAIhHfmCg Gay Cororaton: https://www.nar.realtor/scholastica-gay-cororaton

Looking to invest in the Central American region? Ally Rodriguez will be sure to inform you about the know-hows today! In this episode, Aron Masliansky is joined by Ally Rodriguez to provide input in investing globally in Central America. Ally empowers people through education to learn how to buy international real estate, and find their fit.  Ally also shares that the cultures of Central America are different than what you may be used to, and it can be refreshing. She speaks about Panama City where there’s a boardwalk that people go to just to be a part of a tribe in a collective community. There’s a lot to learn about the Central American culture and how to get there so stay tuned!The career shift: Ally shared that when she and her family moved to Belize, they didn’t have a solid plan on how to live. They didn’t have jobs, they sold everything they had in Texas, started a new life from scratch with the money they had. What struck Ally is that she likes the idea of teaching, coming from a backgroun

Commercial real estate is a major driver for foreign direct investment into the United States. Today, Aaron Masliansky is joined by Marc Tropp to share information about commercial lending and how the service can definitely help people that are looking to invest or buy properties, whether they are from the US or abroad. Aaron and Marc have known each other since high school and now are both working in the same field. Marc will share more on the general sense of commercial lending and what he thinks will be the future for commercial property investment. Be sure to stay tuned because there’s a lot to discuss in this episode! The realm of commercial lending (2:50): Marc starts by explaining what commercial lending is. This includes industrial property, hotel, office, multi-family residential and more.  Commercial lenders, as Marc shared, work together with reall estate brokers to better understand the current landscape of the marketplace. Commercial lenders as global bridges (23:07):Just before this interv

Does owning a home in Greece sound like a good idea? Alison Kalantzis’ got you covered on today’s episode of The Real Estate Diplomat! In this episode, Aaron Masliansky is joined by Alison Kalantzis to share how she ended up owning a home in Greece while living in Chicago. Alison shares her story on how she was able to travel during a good part of her education and her career further giving her background on different cultures and languages. Who knew that these opportunities will be the road to her owning property in Greece? Timezones, legalities, renovation, communication, are just some of the factors that may be able to get your interest in investing in Greece especially regarding ownership and property handling. There’s a lot to unpack in this episode so be sure to stay tuned! Family connections help with the process:During the time of the early pandemic, Alison and her husband got the chance to buy an apartment in Athens that was owned by her husband’s aunt. They got a great deal for the propert

If you’re interested in investing in real estate or you’re looking to start your entrepreneurial journey in Illinois, then this episode will definitely be helpful for you! On today’s episode of The Real Estate Diplomat, Aaron Masliansky is joined by Laurie Murphy who works as the Acting Director for the Division of Real Estate at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. She shares on this episode her goal of building a relationship between the government and the public that is cooperative in nature and is more geared towards the protection of investors and entrepreneurs in the state. Laurie’s got you covered with a lot of facts and debunking prejudices about her services on this episode so stay tuned! Illinois towards modernization and progress:Laurie shares about how her office constantly changes to be able to cope up with the rise of virtual platforms in the industry. For one, this is necessary so that her office can properly regulate and protect both clients and Realtors t

Interested in investing in the United States? Lauren Cohen’s got you covered on today’s episode of The Real Estate Diplomat! In this episode, Aaron Masliansky is joined by Lauren Cohen to learn about her program of Investing Across Borders. Lauren shares about how she got into the field. Lauren had no experience with immigration law before she had to save her ex-husband after he was deported upon their return trip from their honeymoon. She learned about the immigration process and developed her business around it. There’s a lot to unpack in this episode so be sure to stay tuned!Immigration to investment:In this episode, Lauren shares her strategies on how to setup a business and invest in the United States. She talks about programs like EB-5, which allows people to invest in real estate developments in exchange for a Green Card. She also discusses her experience with Covid, shares that the pandemic affects different people in different ways. She has found that many Canadians have been moving to the Unit

If you’re in Japan and are interested in investing in the US, or vice-versa, this is the episode you need! You’re in luck because for today’s episode we have Stephen J Anderson, the Commercial Attache' for the US Embassy in Japan, and he’s here to discuss how his line of work turn opportunities into realities, and make sure that the people beginning on their ventures are properly guided and aware of the details of the environment they’re entering for their start-ups, be it from Japan to the US or the other way around. This episode will give you a background on the Japanese setup, relationship with the US, and a glimpse of what ventures may be best to consider when targeting Japan as your businesses’ next location. Stephen also discusses how he entered the foreign service and what it's like representing the United States abroad.  Business Culture in JapanJapanese culture and technological advancements have always been hand-in-hand regardless of how fast the future comes for their country. In this

In this episode of The Real Estate Diplomat, Chicago Refugee Coalition Executive Director Alisa Roadcup talks about their work and how their operations adapted during the pandemic. Alisa also speaks what brought her to this field of work, and on what composes being a refugee, the effects of the pandemic on the lives of refugees in Chicago, how supporting refugees impact communities, and more. Aaron also pledges to donate a portion of his real estate closing in 2022 to the Chicago Refugee Coalition. As always, there's a lot to unpack in today's episode, so tune in and enjoy! An episode from The Oprah Winfrey ShowWhen she was in college, Alisa wasn't so sure about her career track until she she happened to watch an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show. The episode focused on a Nigerian woman named Amina Lawal. What happened in this episode became a pivotal moment for Alisa. In the episode, Oprah had activists, human rights organizations, and women from Amnesty International talking about Amina Lawal's case. Amin

If you like the warm and beautiful scenery of the tropics, you might want to consider adding Central America to your list. It’s your lucky day because, in today’s episode of The Real Estate Diplomat, we have Michael Cobb to discuss how they build communities in Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Michael is the founder and CEO of ECI Development, a residential resort development company. He shares how he started the company and what it was like moving from the United States to becoming a developer in Central America. And there’s a lot to take away from this episode, so stay tuned and enjoy the show! Condos in BelizeIt only took one call from Michael’s friend, to bring himself to Belize for a weekend. Michael at the time worked in the computer business, and his friend asked him to go with him for a vacation. The place took Michael’s breath away, and that made him want to come back. So he did return a few months later, and that is when they purchased two condominiums. That became Michael’s f

This week on The Real Estate Diplomat, we are joined by Catherine Tinker of Chicago based Columbian Model and Exhibit Works. The company builds scale models of buildings, mainly for the real estate development market. They have created many of the scale models of buildings that have been built within the last 30 years in Chicago and many throughout the United States. In this episode, Cathy shares her journey, from starting as a lawyer for the space industry dealing with the Space Shuttle Challenger accident, to creating scaled models of buildings. We discuss why physical representations are an important part of selling the invisible, in addition to digital representations. We also discuss her scale model of the Obama Presidential Library being discussed by former President Barack Obama on 60 Minutes.  The Humanity Behind Scale ModelsYou may wonder why developers invest in a physical model when virtual reality gear is available. Also, why do they even go through the trouble of showing what the project might

In this episode, we’re going to talk about Kodasema. They are an Estonian company that aims to provide affordable housing by creating modular, movable units called KODA. Prefabricated, sustainable, and available worldwide, these homes have various applications, and joining us today to explain some of them is Kodasema’s CEO, Birgit Linnamäe. She also shares with us her experiences, from how she rose to success in the construction industry by connecting with people, why it is essential to understand how people communicate, and how you too can grow your business even in the middle of a pandemic. As always, there’s a lot to take away from this conversation, so stay tuned and enjoy the show! Addressing Humanity’s Need for HomesHousing can mean different things for different people around the world. For some, a house could be a 4000 square foot house with a garage and front yard. Meanwhile, it could be as bare as a roof over their heads for others. When Kodasema started, Birgit and her team aimed to creat

When people think about Cambodia, they usually only have pictures of a third-world country that used to be under civil war and a rogue government. Typically, people would have the common concepts of poverty and underdevelopment attached to the country whenever it is brought up. But is that narrative still valid up to this very day? From the eyes and experiences of Agnes Yang, it most certainly is an outdated view. And that’s because, in this episode of The Real Estate Diplomat, Agnes Yang shares her experience as an endorser of the Cambodian real estate industry in Japan. She speaks about how Cambodia reinvented itself throughout the years, how it manages to attract interest and support from multiple countries, how its friendly and positive culture influence the love of foreign tourists, residents, and businesses, and how Agnes’ company, GCC Japan, sees the budding opportunities of real estate in the country.  We also speak with her boyfriend Michael Donzella, who is an American living in Japan. We get t

Imagine sitting on a beach, looking out into the ocean with a cool beverage in hand, palm trees swaying in the wind. Now, you may be wondering, what’s with the sudden visual experiment? Well, that’s because, in this episode of The Real Estate Diplomat, we have Barbara Warren from Noval Properties, building luxury developments throughout the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean. Sounds like a great getaway from the cool fall time in Chicago, right? Not only that, but Barbara will also be taking us on a journey, sharing her life growing up, her experience learning about different cultures and her rise to success as the Director of International Business Development. As always, there’s a lot to unpack in today’s episode, so tune in and enjoy! How Starting from Zero can be Worth ItWhen asked about her move from Saint Martin to the Dominican Republic, Barbara shared her struggles starting from zero. She had a beautiful life in St. Martin, having worked there for seventeen years in the hospitality industry

Have you ever heard of “global real estate”? No worries! Most people weren’t even aware of it until working with international clients became more accessible. And you’re in luck because, in today’s episode of The Real Estate Diplomat, we have Jakeeva Lee, the External Affairs Manager for the Chicago Association of Realtors and Manager of Industry and Global Relations for Illinois Realtors to share her experience connecting realtors and consumers worldwide. She has also helped countless professionals work with clients in acquiring and managing properties globally. So, whether you are looking to buy for investment, retirement, or remote work, global real estate has plenty of opportunities that you may want to look into. And there’s a lot to take away from this episode, so stay tuned and enjoy the show!Why People Should Invest in ChicagoAccording to Jakeeva Lee, now is the best time to invest in Chicago, especially downtown. It is one of the most culturally diverse among the larger cities in the Unit

Welcome to the Real Estate Diplomat, an American's guide to global real estate looking through a geo-political lens. I’m your host Aaron Masliansky, Realtor at Dream Town Realty and Chairman of the Global Real Estate Council at the Chicago Association of Realtors. In each episode we will explore the American experience of buying real estate abroad, and learn how and why people from around the world move to and invest in the United States. We will speak with real estate professionals, political experts and those who have made the leap to move abroad.Listeners will come away with the knowledge they need to move around the world, and be inspired to make their dreams a reality.Book your ticket on this global journey by subscribing to this podcast on your favorite podcast app, or by going to http://www.therealestatediplomat.com.