How to hire strong brokers for an international real estate agency: what to look out for

Hiring in real estate is a separate art that requires understanding industry specifics, country cultures, legal nuances, and skills for selling high-liquidity or premium properties.

Of course, you want to find ideal employees immediately — those who know everything, can sell, and create perfect matches with both you and clients. But in reality, it's not that simple without knowing key features.

Key features of HR in international real estate

1. High soft skills requirements

Sales happen through trust, networking, and emotional intelligence — brokers must be flexible and build long-term relationships with clients from different cultures.
Communicativeness, ethics, persistence, and diplomacy matter more than just "sales skills."

2. Intercultural competence

Need to understand behavioral nuances and buying psychology of Chinese, Arabs, Europeans, Russians, and other nationalities.
Language and cultural code knowledge is a competitive advantage.
Brokers must adapt presentations and behavior to the client.

3. Legal and visa literacy

Working with buyers and properties in other countries requires understanding migration, tax, and civil legislation.
Ideally, brokers know basics of due diligence, investment residency, "golden visa" programs, etc.

4. Long sales cycle

Brokers must be patient and able to "nurture" clients for months.
Important to track statuses, maintain contact, and keep client interest even after 3–6 months.