Saunders Named Secretary General of FIABCI
John Jordan | June 26, 2019
WHITE PLAINS—Vanessa Saunders of Global Property Systems in White Plains was elected to a two-year term as Secretary General of the Marketing and Networking Committee of the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI). Saunders is the first individual to be appointed to this position from the Hudson Valley region.
Founded in 1951 in Paris, the FIABCI is a worldwide business networking organization for all professionals associated with the real estate industry. The FIABCI has provided access and opportunities for real estate professionals interested in gaining knowledge, sharing information and conducting international business with each other.
Saunders is the founder, Principal Broker and CEO of Global Property Systems, a full-service real estate brokerage specializing in selling properties in New York’s Hudson Valley and around the world. GPS has sold 110 residential homes in the Hudson Valley during the last 12 months, 60% of them to foreign buyers.
“We have been selling homes, land and commercial property in the Hudson Valley to international buyers for the past seven years. This new position at the FIABCI will provide us with even more opportunities to reach out to other countries to further relationships in order to market properties in Rockland, Westchester, Orange and beyond,” Saunders says.
As Secretary General of the Global Committee, Saunders will be able to network with real estate professionals from around the world building relationships with those who have an interest in investing in the United States but may not be familiar with the Hudson Valley region.
“I have already proposed that the FIABCI create a platform for members to be able to post listings of properties for sale worldwide. This is the first time such a platform has been suggested, and the response from members was overwhelmingly positive,” Saunders notes.
Saunders was a featured panelist at the 11th Global Real Estate Summit & Expo” presented by the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors and the Staten Island Board of Realtors in October 2017.
Saunders holds numerous designations including Commercial & Investment Real Estate Certified, Certified International Property Specialist, Certified Distressed Property Expert, Federation of International Real Estate, Certified Pricing Strategy Advisor. In addition to FIABCI, Saunders is a member of the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) and Association for Foreign Investors of Real Estate (AFIRE) and GPS is a Better Business Bureau accredited company. Saunders has been asked to speak at real estate conferences around the world including Dubai, Hong Kong, Paris, London, Geneva, Bangkok, Kuala Lampur, Singapore and Athens. She is also a member of the FIABCI International Round Table of Knowledge which holds special consultative status within the United Nations and World Council of Brokers.
GPS is cloud-based with two brick and mortar offices in the USA: the global headquarters in White Plains where commercial and corporate relocation teams are based; and an office on Central Park West in Manhattan. GPS also has a corporate relocation team in Munich, Germany and an Asian team of Transaction Coordinators and website techs in Manila, Philippines.
Saunders, a resident of Pomona, is a former Board Member of Keep Rockland Beautiful, Meals on Wheels and the WTCA (World Trade Centers Association). She is currently working with Habitat for Humanity in New York City and the United Nations/FIABCI Global Housing Initiative “Making Cities More Affordable”. A native of Wales, UK., she enjoys competitive sailing and riding and has owned and invested in many homes around the world.
Editor, Real Estate In-Depth