About Us

THE COMPANY

Overview

Overseas Connection Incorporated was founded in 1985. The company was incorporated in the State of Delaware as Student Housing Service, Inc. d/b/a Overseas Connection. OCI is wholly owned by Mr. Alfredo Merat.

While its primary focus was finding student housing for foreigners in Paris and other university towns in France, the Company quickly became active in vacation rentals. In 1986, while still located in France, the Company expanded its operations into Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece and Scotland. It also began to concentrate on luxury properties and the demanding needs of affluent renters. In 1987, Merat and Wachtel set up an office in New York City and began to develop a range of contacts in the Caribbean and vacation destinations in the United States, including Aspen, Vail, Palm Springs and the Hamptons on Long Island. In 1989, OCI moved its offices to the Hamptons.

After 20 years of success with Overseas Connection, Wendy Wachtel and Alfredo Merat, split the business into two separate firms. Villas of the World and Overseas Connection are under the direction of Mr. Merat and Ms.Wachtel will be working with her new Villa company, Villa Magazine and will collaborate with VOW and OCI with some on-going projects.

The Company Staff is currently comprised of 3 Vacation Rental Sales Agents, 1 Web Development Manager, 1 Graphic Artist and 1 Data Management Supervisor.

Officers and Directors
The Officers and Directors of the company are as follows:
Mr. Alfredo Merat, President, Treasurer, Chairman

Mr. Alfredo Merat, President, Treasurer, and Chairman of the Board.

Age 52. Mr. Merat was born in Spain and raised in France. In 1985, he and Ms. Wendy Wachtel formed Student Housing Services, the registered name of Overseas Connection. In addition to handling the vacation rentals for Europe and the Mediterranean, Mr. Merat progressively modernized the computer and communication systems of OCI. Beginning in 1994, Mr. Merat began building a database of the Company's clients, complete with a search engine for selecting appropriate properties from customer requests. In 1995, Mr. Merat designed and installed OCI's first home page on the World Wide Web. He is now involved in a larger and more complicated Intranet business operations for the company. Mr. Merat has been a licensed real estate broker since 1992 and is currently in the development stages of a Internet based real estate vacation rental management solution and a real time central reservation program. Mr. Merat is also a passionate songwriter, musician, and father of 2. Mr. Merat has worked with many top end French restaurants and opened a 3 star New York Times rated eatery, Cerulean Restaurant in 2000.

The Company's primary place of business is 107 Gardiner Avenue East Hampton, NY 11937. Out Contact Information is as follows: Phone 631-324 8455, Fax 631-324-8454, Toll Free 1-888 -72-VILLA, Internet www.villasoftheworld.com and www.overseasvillas.com.

Overseas Connection Today
Overseas Connection offers an exclusive selection of the finest quality properties for rental. All services are provided for and organized by our company from Household Staff to Masseuses, Chefs to Childcare, Business Amenities to Event Planning. We specialize in the best properties in each resort location and service an upscale, discerning clientele. We keep detailed files on our accounts and apply the information regarding client requirements to multiply vacation opportunities. We have ongoing, long term accounts which rely upon our judgment and services to bring them, their guests, and families to properties of excellence that will not disappoint. Our personalized attention to detail has distinguished us in the villa rental field for over 20 years.

International Brokerage Service/Network of Resort Properties

We offer our International clientele the unusual service of brokering a portfolio of top quality villas in all of the major resort areas. We have a distinguished network of on-site brokers with whom we have had business relationships for many years. We can offer clients the convenience and timesaving methods of reviewing properties and locations via e-mail, Internet, or hard copy portfolio of properties in order that clients may preview options prior to traveling on site to personally view their options and selected choice.

Overseas Connection can refer you to specific locations and local Agents who can work with you on site. We also offer the unique service of "Villa Shopping" in which one of our Agents makes full arrangements for charter flights, accommodations, dining and transport, and accompanies and guides clients to multiple Caribbean and European villa locations with an agenda of on-site villa viewing and organized Agent assistance. This is particularly interesting if clients are not committed to one destination and have multiple locations in mind for possible purchase.

Villa Consulting Services

Few realize that personal vacation homes can be carefully structured to not only pay for themselves but also to produce substantial revenue for their owners. We offer owners a review of their villa properties whether existing, new ownership's, or planned construction, and make careful suggestions to improve rental revenues. Utilizing our signature property formula, we consult upon methods for successfully creating marketable villa properties that will offer owners financial security from their real estate investments.

Marketing and Public Relation Services for Real Estate Investors

Our in-house team of Photographers, Art Directors and Graphic Designers are available to owners of villa properties to develop quality brochures and marketing and advertising materials, as well as careful planning of marketing programs. Overseas Connection has been featured in all of the finest travel and luxury magazines, as well as prominent newspapers (see Masthead). We target specific quality properties to top Travel Writers, Editors and publications and organize all visual and data materials for the frequent editorial coverage our properties receive.