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embodies a corporate cultureColliers International in Pattaya is one of the city’s leading real estate brokerage firms and is, uniquely, the internationally regarded brand-name on the eastern seaboard. Specializing in residential property, senior sales manager Mark Bowling and his team offer free expert advice on recently introduced off-plan condominiums or new-build housing developments, in addition to insight into carefully chosen re-sale properties of all types in popular areas around Pattaya, Jomtien, Wong Amat and Naklua.

by Barry Kenyon

Mark, who spent his early years in Wales and was sales director at Bowling’s Reproduction Furniture Ltd, Pembroke, for 14 years, came to live in Thailand in 2005 as a retiree thinking only of wonderful beaches in Ko Samui. “I had first visited Pattaya as a tourist in 1990 and had later decided not to live in the city. What changed my mind was that Pattaya is a much more business-friendly resort and I soon discovered that I wanted a more constructive life than lying on a beach all day.” His career at Colliers dates back four years

now and has been remarkably successful for both the company and on a personal level. In February this year Mark was honored with a Colliers International Award of Excellence as an Outstanding Achiever during a company retreat held in Hokkaido, Japan. “There were just three winners of this prestigious award representing Colliers Thailand and I was delighted to be one of them, the skiing was pretty good too”. He also mentioned “We have twice won the Best Agent (Eastern Seaboard) accolade in the 2012 and 2010 Thailand Property Awards.” Indeed the 2012

Mark Bowling

The Smile at Colliers Thailand is a Specialty

Thailand Property Awards saw Colliers as a whole with no fewer than six accolades including best property consultancy, best residential agent in Hua Hin and the Eastern Seaboard, and highly commended in several other categories. Of course, Colliers forms part of one of the world’s largest commercial real estate networks with 522 offices in more than 60 countries, employing 12,300 professionals across the globe. There are three main offices in Thailand, located in Bangkok, Hua Hin and Pattaya, employing 200 people across the country. Colliers Thailand regularly publishes reports on the property market which are invariably summarized and reported in the national press. Two of the most recent are The Buyer’s Guide to Condominium Projects and Pattaya City Condominium Market Report H1 2012. Mark sums up the Colliers business philosophy as a team approach to service, expertise, community and fun. “The key to success in this competitive

property business,” he says, “is shared values to accelerate the success of everyone we touch. That creates lasting personal connections amongst our colleagues, clients and the communities we serve.” He adds that the client’s smile is the company’s specialty, meaning that the essential character and quality of the relationship between the two has been maintained. Back at the Pattaya office, situated strategically opposite Central Festival Pattaya Beach on Second Road, Mark notes what every customer surely feels: Pattaya is going through a gigantic building boom! Everywhere the casual visitor or the determined expat is struck by the huge billboards, the advertizing and the sales booths promoting trendy-looking condominium projects and other estates of all shapes, sizes and prices. “It’s true that the demographic profile of buyers is changing,” Mark points out. “The days are gone when

western Europeans were the principal property purchasers, although they are still here. There has been a shift towards domestic buyers in recent years, Thais who are looking for a second home away from the bustle of Bangkok or are working here on the eastern seaboard. We also see more Russians and Indians in the market-place and the Chinese are

beginning to dip their toes into the residential waters too.” The sheer range of properties on offer can bedazzle the prospective purchaser. As with any emerging property market, there are many great opportunities presented to savvy

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investors. “If you take condominiums, it’s all down to the personal requirements of the buyer and whether he or she is purchasing a retirement home or seeking good rental yields in the short term or capital appreciation in the longer term,” explains Mark. It’s certainly true that different markets need their own plan. For example it’s often said that buyers should only purchase condominiums with a sea view, or at any rate near the sea, yet that is not a consideration for the increasing number of business people using the new motorways on a regular basis. They may well prefer a base which is closer to the road network and may not want

the daily grind of facing the Pattaya traffic congestion downtown and close to the beaches. Colliers take their clients through all the considerations of a purchase. That’s the secret of that trade-mark smile. Mark is certain that Pattaya is now well-down the road of shaking off its former image as solely a night-time recreation resort and is developing into a more family-orientated resort with many activities suitable for all ages. The city is home to several international schools, high-quality medical facilities, world class shopping and dining and a whole host of leisure activities and sports which were an unlikely dream even 10 years ago. In spite of the strength of

the baht, the cost of living is much lower than in many neighbouring states including Hong Kong and Singapore. City Hall under its former and present mayors, respectively Nirun Wattanasartsathorn and Itthiphol Kunplume, have played a major role in redeveloping the city and playing host to an increasing number of international business organizations. Major infrastructure programs, including a high-speed rail link from Bangkok, road improvements and environmental measures including beach reclamation are all in the pipeline or awaiting government approval. These are vital steps for the Pattaya property market.

Pattaya is now Asia’s premier resort destination for those simply looking for a place in the sun or aiming to purchase for investment purposes. The international reputation of Colliers and the local expertise found in the Pattaya office mean that there is an ideal combination for those seeking assistance in a complex residential market which is evolving almost on a month-by-month basis. As Mark concludes, “We believe that we will be successful if our clients are successful. Embedded in our corporate culture is the strong belief that we have the service excellence which has led to the ongoing acclaim for Colliers International.”

Senior ManagerResidential Sales & Leasing

Mark Bowling

Colliers International Thailand