All about MIPIM The Real Estate Festival on The French Riviera

by Katya Bruen / Tuesday, 22 January 2019 / Published in Real Estate News

In March I was fortunate again to visit Cannes in France. Everybody knows Cannes, the resort town on the French Riviera famed for its international film festival. Home of The Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, a modern building complete with red carpet and Allée des Stars – known to be Cannes’ walk of fame. As I do it regularly for the last 10 years, I attended MIPIM 2017 (Le marché international des professionnels de l’immobilier), the world’s leading property exhibition and gathering of real estate brokers and developers.

And unlike Cannes Film Festival’s red carpet, at MIPIM they roll down the royal blue carpet, reserved for property people! And I did walk it proudly again, the same as in the nine years before!

Since my first conference, I have learned a lot and mastered a variety of things in the world of real estate. What has changed in the last decade at MIPIM? One of the main things I observed is one could spot more women in the crowd these days compared to ten years ago, however the men are still the majority walking La Croisette and roaming The Palais des Festivals. The biggest difference is that these days, men are more likely to look down at their phone rather than at the women around them! Take a look at the side by side photo above, do you have any doubts which one is from 2007 and which one is from 2017?

The main change I see within the industry is the intensive application of new technology. We are all more electronically connected than ever, yet our face time with people has dropped. If there is one thing I know about this industry it is that communication is the key. It’s the “make it or break it” of every deal. Let’s not forget that MIPIM is an international event and that reaching outside your usual sphere of influence is the exposure you need.

Real Estate world and MIPIM are about connections, and making connections is only the beginning. There are three elements to being a good real estate broker. First, an agent must know how to make good connections. Second, an agent must excel at cultivating relationships and building a strong rapport. Lastly, an agent must be able to close the deal by bringing two parties to a meeting-of-the-minds.

Being your broker, while connecting with you on a personal level, is what makes every day in this business so exciting and rewarding for me!

Katya Bruen is an award winning Associated Broker.

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