JA Housing Developers Get Positive Response In Florida Market

Five Jamaican Housing Developers received positive responses to their displays and presentations about local housing solutions from Jamaicans residing in Florida, at a mortgage forum, “Thinking of

Buying a Home in Jamaica?”

The event was organised by the Florida Representative Office of Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS), and held at the Kendall Hotel & Suites, in Miami, last Thursday (Oct. 6).

“We showcased our products and services, made presentations, and talked with prospective clients on a one-to-one basis,” Angella Smith, Senior Financial Manager, at Richmond Development Company, stated. “It was a very rewarding experience for my company, and we have several leads to follow up.”

Mrs. Smith revealed that one participant was so captivated by the Richmond Homes properties that she declared, “I will be selling my home in Miami to purchase a home in Jamaica, and will be coming to view the properties, soon.”

Mrs. Janice McIntosh, JN Chief Representative Officer in Florida, said that there was a vigorous question and answer session, in which participants enquired about relevant real estate matters, such as the process for acquiring land Titles, the financing of mortgages, interest rate on US dollar mortgages, reverse mortgages, and information on acquiring land titles.

“In addition to introductory presentations by Mr. Earl Jarrett, General Manager of Jamaica National; and Mrs. Sandra Grant-Griffiths, the Jamaican Consul General to Miami, we were also fortunate to have timely and instructive content presentations from Jamaican Government entities, the National Housing Trust (NHT) and the National Land Agency (NLA),” Mrs. McIntosh pointed out.

Ms. Lori-Ann Thompson, Manager of Business Development at the NLA, demonstrated the Agency’s interactive iMap Jamaica, which users can access via the NLA’s website; and surf, free of cost, to locate a parcel of land, using property address, volume and folio numbers or title reference.

“Once you access iMap Jamaica, via our website, you can search for any property located in the country, from anywhere in the world,” Ms. Thompson explained. “For example, persons who own untitled property in Jamaica can identify their land; and start the process to secure their Title, or view any property for sale; and identify surrounding landmarks and neighbouring properties.”

There was high level of interest in the high-tech approach by the Government Agency, as participants grasped the ability of the application to immediately identify properties they own in Jamaica.

The JN Representative, Mrs. McIntosh, revealed that displays of housing developments in several parishes across Jamaica were mounted by–Seven K’s Developers Ltd., Select Property Development, Meldam Realtors, Ocean Terrace Estate, and Richmond Development.

And, some of the specific housing solutions highlighted by these Developers included—University Rose in Mona, Kingston; Ocean Terrace Estate, Westmoreland; Parry Court, Montego Bay; and Meldam Realtors, provided information about its real estate services and property listings.
 
“We at Jamaica National welcomed the opportunity to partner with the Jamaican housing developers, under our JN Preferred Lender Programme, to bring this forum to Florida; and, as a transnational organisation, we will continue to create these forums to facilitate access to products and services in Jamaica,” Mrs. McIntosh maintained.