SANTO DOMINGO.- A meeting for well-being and strengthening ties in the Dominican real estate sector was the atmosphere that prevailed at “Real Estate Women’s Day” edition 2023, held yesterday by the Real Estate Women Club.
“Health, well-being and prosperity are what this event, which we have been holding for seven years, is all about, focused on three pillars: being, doing and having,” said Marbel Lugo, president of the organization, in her welcoming speech.
Marbel Lugo. Justo Feliz/El Inmobiliario.
She stated that this year the concept of the meeting was to talk about money “because we have seen for a long time that women have worked commission after commission; women must be money generators. Open your mind and your heart so that you can be the protagonist of your mental, physical, and financial well-being,” she commented.
Flavio Acuña, vice president of the Ibero-American Association of Wellness Tourism and ambassador in the Dominican Republic of the World Association of Wellness and Health Tourism, began the day's tour by guiding the participants to immerse themselves in a breathing exercise to detoxify the body and free the soul.
"Incentive to tourism investment in the Dominican Republic, Law 158-01," was the topic presented by Brenda Morales, head of the Technical Directorate of Confotur at the Ministry of Tourism, who updated the audience on the figures for real estate tourism and Dominican hotels.
Digna Paulino, a finance specialist, gave guidelines on how to improve personal finances, noting that financial education has to be a basic subject in people's lives.
Leiny Martínez, Yaneli Ortíz and Alexandra Ovalles. Justo Feliz/El Inmobiliario.
“Financial planning is important; you have to have life goals, know why you have to save, manage your finances correctly, such as buying a house, paying for university, doing a master's degree; at each stage of life you have to define those life goals,” he explained.
Dressed in black, the modern look, Luz Sarmiento, CEO of Urban Group, took to the stage, delivering a speech of unity and highlighting that the real estate agent profession is the only one where dividing leads to victory.
He guided the audience through his brand's history, offering tips to real estate brokers on strategies that have worked for him, some of which he shared with the attendees: "Focus on a specific audience, know your work area, specialize, be ethical, respect each other and join the AEI," were some of his tips.
Between people going up and down on the stage, the voice-over, Osman González, announced the agenda, amidst music and an attentive audience that exceeded 200 women, while Víctor Arrechedera, the event organizer, scheduled the continuation of the day.
Anarelys de la Cruz, Kenny Berges and Yudetsis Herrera. Justo Feliz/El Inmobiliario.
Ana Seydi López, from Costa Rica, explained in detail her arguments for why real estate agents should opt for exclusive listings.
“After the pandemic, when we work with greater well-being, we are more productive and therefore more profitable. We are not in a property business, but a people business; if you want a hundred years of prosperity, cultivate people, invest in their well-being and it will increase your real estate success.”.
Karen Troncoso highlighted the benefits of Home Staging and the importance of preparing the setting of a home before presenting it to a potential client, because the first impression lasts forever.
Panel on female leadership
After lunch, Belkis Cuello, specialist in international and high-end properties; Amarilis Durán, president of the Federation of Women; and Claudia Castillo, director of AEI Mujer; led by Jhoanny Gil, CEO of the real estate company Algonovo, analyzed the leadership of women in the real estate sector.
The afternoon also served to discuss business operations, digital marketing, the creation of comprehensive communities, legal security, and sales.
