SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, MEXICO AND IRVINE, CA (August 4, 2020) — Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices announces their first network member in Mexico located in the American expatriate and retiree destination of San Miguel de Allende in central Mexico. The brokerage will operate as Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Colonial Homes San Miguel.
Already renowned as the “#1 City in the World” as designated twice each by Condé Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure magazines, San Miguel de Allende is an ideal expansion for the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brand which has widespread name-recognition among Americans.
“We’ve been eyeing Mexico for some time as part of our global expansion,” said Gino Blefari, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. “With its strong American and Canadian population, San Miguel de Allende seemed a natural fit for our brand and the name recognition we command.”
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Colonial Homes San Miguel began operations locally in 1995 under the guidance of local resident Alma Cecilia Ramirez, a stalwart in the real estate industry widely admired for her reputation. Joining her as co-owner and broker is American expatriate Gregory Gunter, a certified Global Luxury specialist who reached Top Producer status with his prior agency and earned the #2 ranked sales agent by volume nationwide in Mexico among the nation’s largest franchise.
It was Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ business strategy, unique in all of Mexico, that drew them to join the brand.
“We really feel Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices will revolutionize the real estate industry in Mexico, especially in San Miguel de Allende,” says Chris Stuart, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. “We provide a formal training program unknown in Mexico, a U.S.-based marketing resource center equally unique to Mexico, and our team has direct and specific access to their fellow real estate agents in feeder markets. That advantage is huge for our international teams.”
The new Colonial Homes San Miguel office is positioned as a luxury-focused office, thanks in part to broker Gregory Gunter’s direction and background. As a certified Guild member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, earned by multiple recent sales above $1MM in value, and a previous certified Global Luxury specialist, Gunter will receive the distinction as a Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Luxury Collection specialist, the brand’s division dedicated to the high-value homes owned by highly discerning homeowners. In the U.S., only seven percent of the real estate market fits that distinction, while Gunter notes it is 16% of the local market in San Miguel de Allende.
“Alma and I are thrilled to offer all our clients this vast array of new marketing and technology tools,” said Gunter. “Among other advantages more common in the U.S., but new to Mexico, is our ability to offer clients live, one-on-one virtual tours, as though walking the clients through the home side-by-side. Post-pandemic, this is a critical tool, but our buyers initially are all long-distance anyway, so this is a huge marketing advantage for our selling clients.”
“We’re excited to have a bi-national and bi-cultural ownership of our first franchise in Mexico,” added Blefari. “We expect their crossover outreach to both Mexican and American/Canadian clients to be unparalleled in the market.”
Critical to an international market, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices provides global listing syndication, as well as personalized professional training and the exclusive Luxury Collection marketing program for premier listings. Colonial Homes San Miguel also gains access to the brand’s ‘FOREVER Cloud’ technology suite powered by SalesForce, including lead generation, marketing support, social media content, video production/distribution support and more.
About Colonial Homes San Miguel
Founded in 1995 by widely-respected local broker Alma Cecilia Ramirez, Colonial Homes San Miguel now includes American expatriate Gregory Gunter, known locally as The Dream Pro: “San Miguel’s Dream Home Expert!” and an expert in the luxury market. Each has earned a reputation for leveraging cutting-edge technology with high-touch customer service and now teamed with one of the world’s most respected companies, expects to provide clients with an unparalleled level of resources and personalized services. Visit BHHSColonialHomesSanMiguel.com.
About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is one of the world’s fastest-growing residential real estate brokerage franchise networks, with more than 50,000 real estate professionals, nearly 1,500 offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe and the Middle East, and more than $119 billion in real estate sales volume. The network, among the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name, brings to the real estate market a definitive mark of trust, integrity, stability and longevity. Visit www.berkshirehathawayhs.com.
