Filip Šejvl, Managing Partner of Philip & Frank real estate agency, comments on the LeadingRE Global Symposium in Dubai

10. 10. 2023

Could you briefly describe the LeadingRE Symposium of independent real estate companies, which you participated in at the end of September?

The Leading Real Estate Companies of the World (LeadingRE) Symposium in Dubai was a gathering of the world’s leading real estate companies’ owners and managers. LeadingRE includes over 550 companies and 138,000 real estate brokers from more than 70 countries. In Dubai we had an opportunity to meet colleagues from more than 120 companies from 31 countries and five continents. At the symposium, we talked about what is new in the global real estate market, such as new trends and strategies, and about how – thanks to our membership in LeadingRE – we can be able to compete better in this very competitive business.

The symposium takes place annually. Your partnership with LeadingRE began this January, so this was your first time. What was your role at the conference and what’s your view on the event? What were its benefits for you?

My role was that of a newcomer. That means I had to listen and watch attentively, absorb as much information, impressions and energy as possible and meet personally as many people as possible who I had been in regular contact with remotely. I also had the opportunity to take part in a panel discussion on how to establish international contacts leading to success. We talked about our experience in connecting our clients with our colleagues from abroad and about our experience in working with them. LeadingRE is one big family where we all share the same values, such as a sense of cooperation, quality of services and the “Client First” motto wherever in the world we are.

Which topic was emphasised the most at the conference?

The world is increasingly more interconnected and the only way to success is global cooperation with suitable partners.
 
What are the principal trends in the real estate business from the global point of view?

What I found interesting was the fact that even the younger generations of premium property owners still esteem the trust in real estate brokers and appreciate personal, first-rate customer care. Our experience from Prague confirms this but I didn’t know it was true globally. To me, it proves that as a real estate company we have chosen the right way to go – to strive for high-quality services. We also spent a lot of time talking about using artificial intelligence in the real estate business. However, at the moment we regard AI rather as an aid, not as a real mover of the business. There is general agreement that the personal, human approach, especially in the case of luxury properties, can’t be replaced by AI. There is an interesting boom in the use of large 3D printers for building houses. All you need to build a house is a laptop and a printer. Several important developers in the USA are already building houses in this way. It is only a question of time for this trend to reach the Czech Republic.

Does the Czech Republic have something to offer in terms of real estate, such as properties or digital solutions?

The Czech Republic and especially Prague offers to the world a very stable environment for long-term
investments. It is not a market that grows or declines significantly. Rather, it can be viewed as a
stable, safe and attractive place to live. That might not seem to be much if we look at the rapidly
growing markets in some parts of Asia. But isn’t that actually an advantage? Just consider western
Europe, where some places are becoming dangerous or unfit for habitation. That is an indisputable
advantage of our country. For these reasons, I find Prague an attractive investment location. 

What impression did Dubai make on you as a congress attendee and as the owner of a real estate company specialising in premium properties?

Dubai is the centre of the world’s services. That is why the “congress tourism” is on a very high level, too. And the same is true for the properties. The country attracts the best architects from all over the world so that they can make use of their potential and continue developing this unique work on the Arabian Peninsula. It is hard to predict where the limits of Dubai’s development are, which is very interesting.

How do you assess the benefits of Philip & Frank’s membership in LeadingRE up to now? Is there anything that this cooperation has surprised you with?

I must particularly underline the unique mindset of all LeadingRE members. It is a mindset focused on common goals, such as connecting the real estate world, and on the values I have already mentioned. And it doesn’t matter whether you are one of the real estate leaders in the USA with 7,000 or more brokers or a family-run business of twenty people. That’s what is great, beautiful and unique about it.