Honolulu attorney Jeffrey Lau (far left) and Bruce McDonald of Maui Real Estate Advisors, LLC (far right) recently met with visitors from Chengdu, China, to discuss real estate procedures and development opportunities. Courtesy photo.

By Maui Now Staff

This week, Bruce McDonald of Maui Real Estate Advisors LLC will travel to Pudong, a district of Shanghai, China, and Hong Kong, where he will meet with potential partners and buyers interested in Hawai‘i’s real estate market.

Hawai‘i is destined to be a real estate hot spot for Chinese buyers, McDonald said.

The Chinese are currently the second-largest foreign investors in US real estate after Canadians, but surprisingly, many are unfamiliar with the Hawaiian Islands, as well as free hold and fee simple ownership of real estate, McDonald said.

“Chinese buyers who have experienced Hawai‘i find our lifestyle and financial security very appealing,” said McDonald. “An excelled Asian presence is imminent; our location here in the Pacific is a strategic and logical position… they have been skipping over us; it’s just a matter of time.”

McDonald will assist Asian buyers looking to purchase residential and commercial properties throughout Hawai‘i. His company, ShangHawaii Realty LLC, was formed in 2012.

McDonald has recruited a team for this venture, including Jessica Su, an international tax consultant with O‘ahu-based accounting firm Crowe Horwath International, and Jeffrey Lau, a Honolulu attorney with Ogawa, Lau, Nakamura & Jew Attorneys at Law, who specializes in cross-border legal issues.

McDonald has also assembled a team of Mandarin translators and interpreters.

“Bruce McDonald is at the forefront of bridging Hawai‘i real estate transactions with the Mainland Chinese,” said Lau. “His kind, respectful and personable demeanor will truly help Hawai‘i develop wonderful relationships with our friends in the People’s Republic of China.”

McDonald has been in the Maui real estate market since 2001 and specializes in high-​end, luxury properties. He has 34 years of experience in the hospitality industry and an MBA in finance.

For more information, contact McDonald at (808) 283-4189, via email or go online.