Grant is provided under the Housing Sector Assistance Project to the Eastern Europe Real Property Foundation for a program to develop private, market-oriented real estate institutions in Eastern Europe. The program will proceed in two phases. In phase 1, the Foundation will conduct reconnaissance activities to identify promising real estate markets, potential counterpart associations, and academic, educational, and networking resources. Activities to identify U.S. real estate practitioners to participate in the project will also be conducted. During phase 2, the Foundation will directly help to organize and promote local and national associations that will serve as the institutional bases for the development of the private real estate sector in the participating countries. These associations will be linked with U.S. counterparts. Activities will include: TA in developing open real estate marketing systems; establishment of a U.S.-Eastern Europe research forum; participant training of Eastern European real estate professionals; internships for U.S. real estate degree graduates; assignment of U.S. volunteer real estate counselors to Eastern European real estate organizations; and the building of partnerships between Eastern European organizations and the U.S. National Association of Realtors and other U.S. and international real estate associations. By project end, the aim is to have indigenous associations in existence which are capable of providing basic communication, networking, educational, and research support to real estate practitioners in at least three Eastern European countries, as well as up to four regional organizations.
