The push comes as foreign investment in the area is increasingly appreciated. State data shows that international companies employed an estimated 215,650 people in Ohio in 2015. Companies like Honda in central Ohio, Fuyao Glass America in Moraine and Thyssen Krupp Bilstein-America in Butler County employ thousands of Ohioans.
“Real estate plays a major role in local economies and should thus be involved in the conversations regarding business development,” Andrew Sims, chief executive of the board, said in a statement.
The Ohio Association of Realtors has tapped the alliance as a pilot program in Ohio, meant to work with private and public sector officials to attract international and U.S. business site selectors to the Dayton area, the Dayton board said.
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Citing the 2016 Profile of International Activity in U.S. Residential Real Estate published by the National Association of Realtors, the board said international buyers purchased $102.6 billion of residential property from April 2015 to March 2016.
According to the state, foreign direct investment now accounts for 13.4 percent of total employment in Ohio. Three out of 10 manufacturing jobs in Ohio are supported by global companies, state government has said.
RELATED: Foreign investment brings jobs to the region
Global investment also supports more than 895,000 Ohio jobs, representing 13.4 percent of the state’s employment. Such investment also accounts for 15.1 percent of total labor income and 15.4 percent of gross domestic product in Ohio.
Ohio is ranked as one of the top 10 states with its number of jobs supported by global investment, according to state government.
The local board plans to launch a web site in 2017 that will offer more information on the effort.
“We want our Realtors prepared to work with international clients,” Michael Martin, board president, said in the board’s statement. “Encouraging our local, regional and state leaders to involve Realtors and the real estate industry will play a critical role in economic development.”
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