🇨🇿 Tento článek si můžete přečíst i v češtině: Doporučení pro investory do zahraničních nemovitostí? GO WEST!
What led you into real estate?
Real estate is in my DNA. My father spent his entire career in the industry, working closely with developers in Kansas City to grow local neighborhoods. People respected his fair business ethics and professionalism—whenever we went out to dinner, it felt like everyone in town knew him. I definitely took notice, but I also had lots of other interests growing up. I studied film and media, played in bands, and worked as a DJ and on film sets. Music and film are still a passion of mine—I recently worked on a feature film that premiered in Japan. But at a certain point, I knew I didn’t want to keep living out of a suitcase on tour. I was ready to settle down, and real estate felt like the right path forward.
You started out in Kansas City but soon moved to New York—one of the toughest real estate markets in the world. What did the city teach you?
New York is one of a kind. Walking down Fifth Avenue on a spring day, you’re hit with a chaotic cocktail of scents: perfume from high-end boutiques, linden trees in bloom, sizzling spices from halal carts, and the not-so-glamorous smell of sunbaked dumpsters and exhaust fumes—with a touch of urine, since the city sorely lacks public toilets. In the subway, you might share a car with both a billionaire and a man without pants shouting into the void. But no one bats an eye—everyone is the star of their own film.
Real estate there is fast and cutthroat. If you’re not a shark, you won’t last. Within my first ten days, I passed the real estate exam, got my driver’s license, found an apartment, and joined Compass—one of the largest brokerages in the U.S. A few days later, I was touring a $7 million penthouse in Chelsea I wanted to list. I was so pumped I forgot to eat—and fainted outside a Brooklyn deli. A tough but important lesson. My first deal came a month later, and eventually, our team made it into the top 1.5% nationwide, according to The Wall Street Journal.
How does the U.S. property market differ from the Czech or broader European market?
In the U.S., real estate is more liquid. Americans move more frequently, and, especially in cash deals, transactions happen fast. Many states offer a favorable investment climate, and people treat property as a financial instrument—often speculative. That’s a double-edged sword, of course. Lending is generally accessible, and in many states, investors enjoy favorable mortgage terms, despite current interest rates.
When it comes to residential property, most European countries favor renting. The Czech Republic is an outlier—like the U.S., it’s a country of homeowners.
You’re now based in Prague, but recently returned from a Christie’s International Real Estate summit in New York. What topics dominated the conversation among the world’s top luxury brokers?
We covered a lot—from economic and political uncertainty to the rise of AI in real estate. A major theme was the generational wealth transfer and how that’s shaping the market. Many of my U.S. colleagues reported clients relocating abroad due to domestic politics. We’re seeing something similar in Prague, with rising interest from foreign buyers. Beyond the insights, it was a great opportunity to build personal connections across the Christie’s network that directly benefit our clients at Svoboda & Williams.
What are the hottest global markets for property investment right now—and why?
If you’re building a portfolio, look for price growth, tax advantages, and economic stability. In the U.S., New York remains a top-tier market—it’s expensive, but demand is consistent and global. Miami and Dubai have exploded in the luxury segment in recent years.
In the EU, I see great potential in Portugal. Prices are still favorable and steadily rising.
Of course, if you’re buying a home to live in, emotions play a bigger role—whether it’s a lifelong dream, a job relocation, or retirement. But whether it’s for homeownership or investing, real estate always comes down to one thing: location, location, location.
Czech buyers often look to beach destinations like Croatia, Spain, and Italy. What markets are still under the radar?
At Svoboda & Williams, we’re currently focused on Germany. It has a strong, stable economy and a robust rental market. Prices are high, but so is demand. With recent interest rate hikes, the market has corrected slightly—making this a good time to enter one of Europe’s largest, most stable markets at a relative discount.
Among classic beach markets, Portugal is still booming. Dubai is attractive due to its tax benefits. Spain, however, has just banned short-term rentals in major cities like Barcelona. It’ll be interesting to see how that affects the market both locally and for foreign investors.
What surprises you about how Czechs approach real estate?
Czechs are incredibly independent and self-reliant. Add in the legacy of communism, and there’s a deep desire to control one’s future—and one’s home. This “do-it-yourself” mentality is strong. Many people dream of building their own homes and managing their properties themselves. There’s a real sense of wanting to carve out one’s own path, and I find that deeply inspiring.
