March 19th 2008
Ragatz Associates Presents It’s 2008 Worldwide Fractional Interest Conference!
The Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco was the host of this years conference ending March 20th.
Ragatz Associates is an international consulting and marketing research firm that serves the worldwide resort industry. It was founded in
the 1974 by Dr. Richard Ragatz which has now conducted over 2,000 studies for resort developments in over 70 countries and across the United States. The company provides two core services to the resort industry - feasibility analyses for resort projects and market research for the potential resort project. Ragatz Associates focuses on consumer shared-ownership of the resort industry, which includes fractional interests, private residence clubs, destination clubs, and resort timeshares.
For the past eight years, Dr. Ragatz and his team host the annual conference which further explores the world of fractional ownership of resort properties. This year’s conference was in San Francisco from March 18th - 20th. The “whos who” of the resort property world were attending. It was my pleasure to spend time at the conference and even have the opportunity to interview two of the conference presenters - Sherman Potvin, president of Luxury Fractional Guide, and Bob Waun, the CEO of Vacation Finance. The conference agenda covered all aspects of the evolving world of fractional ownership for those seeking part time second homes around the world. A sample of the conference agenda follows;
- Today’s Affluent Consumer
- The developers’ view of the upcoming trends - from the Brand developers, Private Residence Club, and Independent fractional ownership developers.
- Fractionalizing “One-Off” homes - creating a fractional ownership for one residence.
- The external exchange companies
- Structuring the most proper offering of the fractional ownership product.
- The owners benefits and the required ancillary services.
- Critical legal issues in the fractional ownership industry.
- Financing fractionals in today’s wild financial market place.
For a copy of Dr. Ragatz 2008 report click here. I believe the cost for those who did not attend the conference is $175. Please contact me if you like more information about what Fractional Ownership is about, or, if you are a developer, how you can maximize your return by creating a fractional ownership structure for your resort projects. Until next time…
2 Comments »
Kevin Seney on 20 Mar 2008 at 12:54 am #
Jim, you never cease to amaze us all, with your ongoing passion for real estate! Your adventures into such areas as resort properties, and fractional ownership, demonstrates that you only see opportunity, when looking at real estate as a professional. Your clients are well served. The evolution of resort properties, and vacation homes, from the dark days of unregulated time shares, to the more modern forms of fractional ownership, reflect the mobility and diversity of the next wave of vacation home investors. In the old days, people bought a home at the lake, or on the beach with the dream of retiring there. Now they buy 1/4 ownership in FOUR of them. Why not have a home in the mountains and one on the beach? It is clear that you and your team, are leading the way in providing your clients with the entire spectrum of real estate services. We also enjoy your http://www.caribbeanislandsrealty.com web site. Thank you Jim!
Kevin Seney, Founder & CEO
Bug! Realty USA, Inc.
http://www.bugrealty.com
Jim Walberg on 20 Mar 2008 at 1:25 am #
Hello Kevin,
I always appreciate and respect your insights as to the evolution of real estate and what the latest trends are. We believe that the Boomers are driving the fractional deeded ownership of luxury properties - from those who are following the snow in Colorado, to those who are following the sun in the Caribbean. The fractional product allows an owner to purchase a portion of their dream second or third home without having to live there full time. Plus, the get the benefits of a full service management company. I believe the next evolution of this product will be the “one-off” fractionalizing of a single residence - whether in San Diego or in Tuscany. Keep your eye on this one as you continue to expand the Bug! brand throughout Amercia. Again, thanks for your comments.
Jim Walberg