Ep. 22 Alon Kasha - Paris, France

Little did Alon Kasha know at the time, but the move that he and his wife Betsy made to France nearly 20 years ago led to what is today a thriving real estate development and interior design firm called Kasha Paris. In this episode, Alon sits down with Kyle in the kitchen of one of his recently renovated apartments to describe the creation of this business, as well as how it has evolved over the years. As you will hear, this couple's background in finance and public relations has served them well throughout 100 real estate projects in the tony Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood of Paris. After such prolonged exposure to the local residential market, Alon and his wife have an uncanny ability to gauge the complexity, profitability, and marketability of any prospective apartment purchase. Further, they routinely employ innovative architectural and engineering techniques to produce gems that command millions of Euros from French, American, and other international buyers.

Alon is a dual US/French citizen who graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in Economics and French. Betsy graduated from Wellesley College with a dual degree in History and Art History.

0:42 – Episode Overview

3:24 – CAREER FOUNDATIONS: The Ascent of a Dealmaker

4:24 – Finance and Luxury PR Lead to Paris

9:39 – Opportunities with Classic Design

10:53 – French vs. American Home Entertaining

11:30 – Business Model Gains Momentum

13:10 – Investor Relationship

13:45 - Move from London to Paris

15:38 – Early Days in Paris Real Estate

17:57 – Appeal of Apartment Features

19:10 – Creation of a Good Reputation

19:38 – Growth in Operations

22:08 – Concierge Services

26:39 – Buyer Pool

27:53 – Typical Sales Timeline

29:39 – MAKING THE MARKET: A Research Perspective

30:00 – COVID Real Estate Experiences

34:54 – Desirable Apartment Layouts

36:35 – Distressed Deals

37:01 – French Real Estate Financing

39:53 – POLITICIANS AND ATTORNEYS: Bureaucracy and Red Tape

40:09 – Permits and Approvals

45:29 – Homeowners Associations (“Conseil Syndical”)

50:08 – French Property Taxes

55:30 – Unique Ways to Offset Taxes

56:40 – FINANCE AND FORMULAS - The Economics Behind the Deal

56:55 – Challenging Part of Renovation

58:20 – A “Home Run” Deal

59:24 – Investor Communication

1:00:11 – INVESTMENT COMMITTEE Q&A - Vente en Viager

1:03:56 – TOURIST IN YOUR OWN TOWN – How to Spend Three Perfect Days

1:04:08 – Cafes and Restaurants

1:05:21 – Visitor Tip

Additional Links

Kasha Paris - https://kasha.paris/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/abkasha/?hl=en
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/abkasha/videos/

Chapters

• 0:42 Episode Overview
• 3:24 CAREER FOUNDATIONS: The Ascent of a Dealmaker
• 4:24 Finance and Luxury PR Lead to Paris
• 9:39 Opportunities with Classic Design
• 10:53 French vs. American Home Entertaining
• 11:30 Business Model Gains Momentum
• 13:10 Investor Relationship
• 13:45 Move from London to Paris
• 15:38 Early Days in Paris Real Estate
• 17:57 Appeal of Apartment Features
• 19:10 Creation of a Good Reputation
• 19:38 Growth in Operations
• 22:08 Concierge Services
• 26:39 Buyer Pool
• 27:53 Typical Sales Timeline
• 29:39 MAKING THE MARKET: A Research Perspective
• 30:00 COVID Real Estate Experiences
• 34:54 Desirable Apartment Layouts
• 36:35 Distressed Deals
• 37:01 French Real Estate Financing
• 39:53 POLITICIANS AND ATTORNEYS: Bureaucracy and Red Tape
• 40:09 Permits and Approvals
• 45:29 Homeowners Associations (“Conseil Syndical”)
• 50:08 French Property Taxes
• 55:30 Unique Ways to Offset Taxes
• 56:40 FINANCE AND FORMULAS - The Economics Behind the Deal
• 56:55 Challenging Part of Renovation
• 58:20 A “Home Run” Deal
• 59:24 Investor Communication
• 1:00:11 INVESTMENT COMMITTEE Q&A - Vente en Viager
• 1:03:56 TOURIST IN YOUR OWN TOWN – How to Spend Three Perfect Days
• 1:04:08 Cafes and Restaurants
• 1:05:21 Visitor Tip