CULTURALLY CORRECT
Words Matter
In early November media outlets worldwide, including the Associated Press and BBC News, reported on the Bournemouth Council's "plain language" policy, which lists 19 Latin words and phrases to be avoided in official documents, e.g., bona fide or ad hoc, and suggested replacements to minimize confusion. Bournemouth is a town of 170,000 on England's south coast. The news was reported as a "ban," riling language aficionados outraged by what was equated by some as "the linguistic equivalent of ethnic cleansing." The Bouremouth Council countered inaccurate reporting, stating there had been no "banning" of words or phrases; only advice to staff to encourage "plain, appropriate and easily understood language." Much ado about nothing? Perhaps not. There's a lesson here for REALTORS® working with buyers and sellers for whom English is not a first language. Review your contracts to identify words and phrases that may not be easily understood. If appropriate, change them to be more clear. If legal council requires the language to remain as is, develop a "reader's guide" to the contract to spell out more clear definitions and/or to provide examples for key terms. If you deal frequently with customers speaking one or two languages other than English, have your contracts professionally translated.
Vietnam: A Market to Watch
In May Vietnam's government passed a resolution (effective January 1, 2009) that permits foreign individuals and organizations who invest directly in the country and those hired as executives by Vietnamese or foreign-invested enterprises to purchase and own apartments in Vietnam. The legislation will be implemented on a trial basis for five years. Read about specific opportunities and limitations of the law. Many Americans know little about this country beyond war images from the 1960s and 1970s. In 2005 NAR published an article on the Vietnamese real estate market that highlights the dramatic changes in the market economy since the Vietnam War. Even since the 2005 article, the country has attracted significant foreign investment. The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) reports a GDP growth rate of 8.23% in 2006 and 8.4% in 2007. While not immune to the current economic crisis and realizing a slowed growth rate for 2008 with GDP projected at 6.5 - 7%, MPI projects a stabilizing economy in 2009 and to regain growth impetus in 2010. REALTORS® working with investors with an eye on Asia will have greater opportunities come January 1. Learn more about this growing market, including tips for conducting business.
Source: NAR International Newsletter
Words Matter
In early November media outlets worldwide, including the Associated Press and BBC News, reported on the Bournemouth Council's "plain language" policy, which lists 19 Latin words and phrases to be avoided in official documents, e.g., bona fide or ad hoc, and suggested replacements to minimize confusion. Bournemouth is a town of 170,000 on England's south coast. The news was reported as a "ban," riling language aficionados outraged by what was equated by some as "the linguistic equivalent of ethnic cleansing." The Bouremouth Council countered inaccurate reporting, stating there had been no "banning" of words or phrases; only advice to staff to encourage "plain, appropriate and easily understood language." Much ado about nothing? Perhaps not. There's a lesson here for REALTORS® working with buyers and sellers for whom English is not a first language. Review your contracts to identify words and phrases that may not be easily understood. If appropriate, change them to be more clear. If legal council requires the language to remain as is, develop a "reader's guide" to the contract to spell out more clear definitions and/or to provide examples for key terms. If you deal frequently with customers speaking one or two languages other than English, have your contracts professionally translated.
Vietnam: A Market to Watch
In May Vietnam's government passed a resolution (effective January 1, 2009) that permits foreign individuals and organizations who invest directly in the country and those hired as executives by Vietnamese or foreign-invested enterprises to purchase and own apartments in Vietnam. The legislation will be implemented on a trial basis for five years. Read about specific opportunities and limitations of the law. Many Americans know little about this country beyond war images from the 1960s and 1970s. In 2005 NAR published an article on the Vietnamese real estate market that highlights the dramatic changes in the market economy since the Vietnam War. Even since the 2005 article, the country has attracted significant foreign investment. The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) reports a GDP growth rate of 8.23% in 2006 and 8.4% in 2007. While not immune to the current economic crisis and realizing a slowed growth rate for 2008 with GDP projected at 6.5 - 7%, MPI projects a stabilizing economy in 2009 and to regain growth impetus in 2010. REALTORS® working with investors with an eye on Asia will have greater opportunities come January 1. Learn more about this growing market, including tips for conducting business.
Source: NAR International Newsletter
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