Hi, my name is Paul Salo. I’m the Mandarin speaking American insider in the real estate business in China.
I’ve been featured on TV across China, the US, Canada and Japan. But it definitely wasn’t always like that. I grew up in humble circumstances My dad was the first person on either side of the family to go to university,. We lived for my formative years in a trailer park (New Horizons, Tucson, Arizona baby!) Normal kid but for some reason I was always fascinated with Asia. Chinese characters, food, language. The first food I ever told my mom I wanted to make was fried rice. (I was about 10 years old)
In 1989, after I graduated from university, I bought a ticket around the world, ending up on China via the Trans-Siberian railway. I loved it. Desperate to stay but lacking funds, I started selling pictures on the street in China. I’m pretty sure I was the only Westerner fighting for a space on the street to sell. It was exciting and there, on the street, in the 80’s, I learned how to sell to Chinese. It was a brutal education. China was still poor but I enjoyed making friends and joking with Chinese people even if I couldn’t speak the language yet…. I learned how to get people’s attention, talk to, bargain with and sell, right there. Since then I’ve learned fluent Mandarin and sold products, services, land, residential property, commercial property and everything in between.
…”a rising tide lifts all boats” is true for me and my career grew as Asia grew. We started selling real estate inside China first. Selling China to the Chinese. This was another unique road I stumbled onto that gave me a deeper understanding of the thinking about real estate, houses, family, culture, investments and returns behind the Chinese outward behavior.
My Chinese clients started asking about overseas real estate. Could I help them? Sure! So we sold properties in Australia, the UK, the US, Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, France, Japan, Cyprus, all over. Then I was lucky enough to be featured on HGTV’s Living Abroad prime time nationwide in the US and Canada and everything changed. Inquiries from brokers all over the world asking for partner and for referrals. I had a front row seat to the beginning of a megatrend.
So I started coaching real estate agents around the world on how to sell to Chinese. How to choose and write listings, how to rank in China’s #1 search engine, Baidu, Feng Shui, how to get leads, how to negotiate, how to understand and prepare for the needs of Chinese buyers, how to build a team, how to sell at overseas property events in China, basically anything that they were missing in their business. Some listened and learned with an open mind and implemented the system and succeeded. Others, stuck in the magic referral mindset, did not.
Many mainland Chinese are migrating and/or sending their children to study abroad and have a completely different outlook on real estate. They need professional help to help them decide where best suits their needs. Agents abroad without training simply don’t have a clue. So they are unable to capitalize on the massive opportunity staring them in the face. What’s the purpose of getting Chinese buyer leads if you can’t close the deal?
I started to see patterns of needs and misunderstandings and create a system of steps to correct them. And the realtors I coached had tremendous success selling to Chinese buyers. I put together a system that would allow anyone, anywhere (regardless of their area, age) to see their area from a Chinese real estate buyers perspective. And it’s easier and more fun than you could ever guess! You will make new Chinese friends who will open your eyes to the world. It’s not just about money. I beg of you to watch each video several times alone and with your team and actually try each idea at least once. This will be your ticket to success. Not simply “understanding”.