First American Title to Host Bay Area Real Estate Marketing Conference

SAN FRANCISCO, March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- First American Title Insurance Company today announced that it will host a Bay Area Real Estate Marketing Conference to help educate real estate professionals on how to better serve Latino homebuyers. Close to 300 real estate practitioners are expected to attend the event, which will feature business leaders and industry experts with extensive experience in reaching the Latino community. The conference will take place on Friday, Mar. 4, from 8:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. at the Computer History Museum, 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd. in Mountain View, Calif.

"Our goal is to empower real estate professionals by providing current demographic insights, educational tools and networking opportunities that will allow a real estate professional to better understand and serve the Latino home buyer," said Pablo J. Wong, director of diversity marketing for First American Title's Bay Area region. "Investment in this conference represents an investment in our community. Working with our real estate industry partners will allow First American to assist in creating thousands of new area homeowners."

An integral part of First American Title's Bay Area Diversity Marketing Program, the conference will also help forward The First American Corporation's broader Emerging Markets Initiative, a corporate-wide commitment launched in 2003 to help close the existing homeownership gap between minority and nonminority families.

The Bay Area Real Estate Marketing Conference will feature four intensive sessions designed to provide practical strategies for marketing to the Latino community. Among the notable speakers planned for the conference are:

* Jeffery M. Davi, commissioner, California Department of Real Estate * George Herrera, member of the board of directors for Cendant Corporation and former president of U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce * Dr. Oscar Gonzales, president of The Gonzales Group and a founding director of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) and the Asian-American Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) * Gary Acosta, NAHREP chairman and president/chief executive officer of Prado Mortgage * Clark Wallace, former president of the National Association of REALTORS(R) (NAR), former president of the California Association of REALTORS(R) (CAR), and former California Real Estate Commissioner The full conference agenda is available upon request.

Key sponsors for the event include CAR, City Mutual Financial, and The First American Corporation and its subsidiaries -- First American Title Company, First American Exchange Company, and First American Lenders Advantage. Supporting organizations include area NAHREP affiliates -- Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Monterey Bay, San Francisco County, San Mateo County, Silicon Valley, Solano County, Sonoma County and HAREP-NAHREP of Santa Clara County; the California Association of Real Estate Brokers (CAREB); AREAA; the Chinese Real Estate Association of America (CREAA); the Filipino American Real Estate Professional Association (FAREPA); the Hispanic Association of REALTORS(R) and Affiliates (HARA); the Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS(R) (SCCAOR); and the Council of Indian American Real Estate Brokers (COIAR).

"According to the U.S. Census, Latino homeownership in the Bay Area is growing at nearly twice the rate of non-Latinos," said Jesse Gutierrez, president of NAHREP of Silicon Valley. "The 1.4 million Latino residents in the Bay Area represent 21 percent of the total local population, and this home buying segment is expected to generate more than 30,000 property transactions in 2005. This under-served segment of the population represents one of the greatest opportunities for local real estate professionals, allowing for both tremendous, positive impact on how we embrace diversity in our local communities and significant bottom line results for progressive real estate practitioners."

The U.S. Latino community is expected to account for 31 percent of the nation's household growth between 2000 and 2010, making it the fastest growing minority group, according to the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute of Southern California. With an estimated total buying power of $992 billion in 2009 -- a 45 percent increase over 2004 -- Latinos are likely to impact residential real estate in the U.S. more than any other single demographic group during the next decade.

"For the Latino homebuyer, investing in a home is a means of creating wealth, security and future opportunities for their children," said Wong. "The real estate professional who invests in providing better service for the Latino homebuyer establishes a firm foundation for future business success. It is a win-win for all involved."

First American Title Insurance Company, the largest subsidiary of The First American Corporation , traces its history to 1889. One of the largest title insurers in the nation, the company offers title services through nearly 1,500 offices and an extensive network of agents throughout the United States and abroad. The company has its headquarters in Santa Ana, Calif. Information about The First American Corporation's subsidiaries and an archive of its press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.firstam.com/.

Contacts: Victoria Sanchez De Alba De Alba Communications (650) 557-5711 David Schulz The First American Corporation (714) 800-3298