Taniel Chemsian: A Close-Up of His Trajectory

Real estate agent Taniel Chemsian is one of the key players within Timothy Real Estate Group and one of the professionals in the sector who has been involved in international media. Surely, his name and face are familiar to all fans of the real estate-focused television program House Hunters International, broadcast by US channel HGTV in more than 60 countries. In the reality show, Chemsian advises individuals, couples or foreign families looking to acquire a house in Puerto Vallarta and accompanies them to enjoy the city’s attractions. Recently, he filmed his 19th episode as host of this program, so Vallarta Real Estate Guide took the opportunity to talk with him about his history and professional career.

Chemsian was born in Lebanon but grew up in Los Angeles. At a young age, he and his family left his country of origin, due to an armed conflict that started at the beginning of the ‘80s. After studying Telecommunications, he worked in film and television production and post-production for some time, in addition to a family marble and tile business. At that point, his only link to real estate was his sister, who worked in the sector in California.

In November 2001, Chemsian visited Puerto Vallarta for the first time and liked the city so much that he eventually made plans to move here permanently. Although he was fully established at the end of 2003, it wasn’t until October 2006 that he began his foray into the region’s real estate area, accompanied by Carl Timothy.

“At the time, I was the owner of a clothing store on Rodolfo Gómez street. The office of the company Timothy was a partner in before founding Timothy Real Estate Group was also located on that street. Even though I did not know him very well, I decided to approach him and ask for an opportunity. It took me six months to make my first sale, but once it was done, I knew I was on the right track,” he recalls.

Chemsian’s dedication and commitment began to bear fruit, and in a short time he was the principal sales and listings agent working for Carl Timothy. In 2010, the company Timothy Real Estate Group was created, where Chemsian has been a partner since 2015. Currently, the company is recognized for its rapid expansion and sales volume.

Thanks to his outstanding performance in the real estate sector and his naturalness in front of the camera, Chemsian was chosen to host the television program House Hunters International in Puerto Vallarta. The reality show production team contacted Timothy Real Estate Group in 2011, seeking an alliance to film the first episode of the series in the bay. The recording took place in January 2012, and the collaboration has continued since then.

“The success of House Hunters International is because it is both a travel and a game show at the same time, as viewers guess which property buyers will choose. Each time we shoot a new episode, one of our goals is to showcase the best of Vallarta, local establishments and the best attractions. In addition, this collaboration with HGTV resulted in the House Hunters International Charity Event, which raises funds for local nonprofits.”

On the other hand, Chemsian has collaborated with other media in the United States, such as the newspaper The Huffington Post, for which he writes occasional articles focused on investment opportunities in Banderas Bay.

Reflecting on how the industry has changed over the past decade, Chemsian says: “Previously, most of the buyers were Baby Boomers, something that has changed radically in the last five years. Now, we have many more buyers who are around age 30 and who are investing mainly in the Romantic Zone, the bay’s main rental market. Many of them do not necessarily have $800,000 or a million dollars in their account to buy a property, but they rely on credit lines from banks in the United States. In general, they invest in apartments ranging between $150,000 and $250,000 dollars. For this reason, we see smaller units being built in this area to satisfy this demand.”

In addition, the real estate professional shared his point of view regarding 2019. He notes that there are still some new developments to come to the Romantic Zone, but that investors could soon turn to other communities, such as Bucerías, Amapas or Conchas Chinas, while smaller buildings could emerge in neighborhoods such as 5 de Diciembre, Fluvial Vallarta and Emiliano Zapata.

To end our talk, he suggested that all those interested in obtaining more information about the real estate industry attend the seventh edition of the Vallarta Real Estate Fair, an event organized by his company that will take place on Saturday, February 16th, from 9:00am to 2:00pm, in Rivera Molino Plaza. During the fair, real estate agencies and other related organizations will provide useful information to buyers and sellers.