Aaron and Adam are at the Global Property Market Conference as part of their real estate forum series. They are joined by Brad Olsen, the President of Atlantic Partners. After starting his career as a real estate lawyer, he made the move to the business side with Richard Ellis in 1980 (now CBRE).

Atlantic Partners does extensive business in North America and in Europe with Canadian investors, so Brad provides his insight on what contrasts the real estate markets of these two continents. He discusses why Canadians like investing in the US and what makes Europe so attractive right now.

Topics covered include:

• Reasons why Canadians like investing in the United States.
• Brad’s beginnings as a real estate lawyer in Chicago.
• Moving to North Carolina in 1995 and setting up Atlantic Partners.
• Finding attractive deals outside of Canada for pension funds.
• Similarities Brad sees between Canada and the Netherlands.
• What Brad does specifically in Canadian real estate.
• Getting to know Canadian investors.
• International real estate markets becoming more homogeneous.
• The importance of finding a local partner.
• Strictly working on projects that are fun.
• Going outside of your own market to diversify your portfolio.
• Significant capital going into Europe from North America.
• How investors around the world view Canada.
• The availability of debt at incredibly low rates in Europe.

This episode of Commercial Real Estate Podcast powered by First National was recorded live in part of our Forum Series.

More about our guest:

Brad Olsen serves as President of Atlantic Partners, Ltd., a company which he founded in 1995. The firm assists its clients in developing and implementing cross-border real estate strategies. Brad has been active in international real estate investment for more than 35 years. He is a frequent speaker at real estate conferences in Europe and North America.