CHICAGO, Dec. 21, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In its second full year under new ownership, luxury real estate brand Christie’s International Real Estate continued to attract some of the world’s top brokerages behind its industry-leading pl@tform™ technology, evolving marketing programs, and strategic focus on key global and niche luxury markets. Amid market challenges, the brand added more than a dozen independently owned firms to its network and expanded into several additional markets through existing affiliate relationships. Its member firms also logged several notable sales of some of the world’s most expensive estates and attracted some of the industry’s top performers, positioning the luxury network for a successful 2024.
“We’re exceptionally proud of the momentum we’ve built over the past year, especially in the face of some significant market challenges around the world,” said Thad Wong, co-CEO of Christie’s International Real Estate. “Our continued expansion into premier luxury markets proves there’s strong demand for the bespoke, personalized service, local expertise and unmatched international network that Christie’s International Real Estate is known for.”
New Affiliates and New Markets
Christie’s International Real Estate welcomed 15 new affiliates in 2023, while current affiliates also expanded into more than a dozen new markets. Highlights include:
- The addition of affiliates in several of the world’s leading luxury real estate centers, including San Francisco, Park City, Utah, and Austin, Texas, in the U.S., as well as the United Kingdom, Munich, Belgium, and the French Alps.
- Expansion of current affiliates into established and emerging luxury markets including Milan, St. Moritz, the Hamptons; Ras al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates; Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy; and Lagos, Portugal.
- Continued growth in the Caribbean, with new affiliates in St. John and St. Martin, USVI; Puerto Rico; Aruba; and the Dominican Republic.
Top 2023 Residential Sales
Christie’s International Real Estate affiliates consistently achieve top dollar for residences around the world. Top sales in 2023 included (in USD):
- 1001 Ute Ave., Aspen, Colo., USA – $76,000,000 (Stephanie Lewis/Christie’s International Real Estate Aspen Snowmass)
- Chateau de Beau-Pré, Genthod, Switzerland – $43,000,000 (Maxime Dubus and Pierre Revay SPG One)
- La Ceiba, Paradise Island, Bahamas – $37,500,000 (John Christie & Dylan Christie/H.G. Christie, Ltd.)
- 1410 Tanager Way, Los Angeles, Calif., USA – $29,995,000 (Aaron Kirman & Michael Chen/AKG Christie’s International Real Estate)
- 11870 Ellice, Malibu, Calif., USA – $28,090,000 (Aaron Kirman & Daniel Milstein/AKG Christie’s International Real Estate)
Record-breaking 2023 Transactions
Network affiliates also set several local market records in 2023:
- In May, an oceanfront estate in Palm Harbor, Fla. sold for $23 million, setting a sales record for the Florida Keys. (Kelly K. Shaw & Trent M.P. Shaw/American Caribbean Real Estate)
- In June, a lakeside home in the resort enclave of New Buffalo, Mich. sold for $8.52 million, a record price for homes there. (Liz Roch/@properties Christie’s International Real Estate)
- Christie’s International Real Estate represented the buyer in the August sale of a waterside Fort Myers, Fla. estate that sold for $8.95 million, the highest-priced residential sale in the city since 2007. (Elise & Tom Starr/John R. Wood Properties)
- In October, an estate in the Chicago suburb of Naperville, Ill. sold for just over $8 million, marking the most expensive sale ever in the town. (Katie Minott/@properties Christie’s International Real Estate)
- Also in October, a plot of land in Greyton, South Africa sold for $10.66 million (ZAR200 million), the highest amount ever paid for agricultural real estate in the western Cape. (Annali Durr/Greeff Christie’s International Real Estate)
- Christie’s International Real Estate represented the buyer in the November sale of chef Paula Deen’s former Savannah mansion, which sold for $8.4 million, the highest price ever recorded for a home in that region. (Taavo Roos/Seabolt Real Estate)
- A 36-acre site on Grace Bay Beach in the Turks and Caicos Islands sold for a record $88.75 million (Walter Gardiner/Christie’s International Real Estate Turks & Caicos)
Recruitment Wins
Christie’s International Real Estate also proved to be a draw for several top agents and teams in the U.S. who joined the network in 2023, including:
- Cindy Ambuehl, AKG Christie’s International Real Estate, Beverly Hills, Calif. – $300 million in annual sales
- Shirley Gary Team, Ansley Christie’s International Real Estate, Atlanta, Ga. – $333 million in annual sales
- Shelton Wilder Group, AKG Christie’s International Real Estate, Beverly Hills, Calif. – $150 million in annual sales
- The Bay Group, Christie’s International Real Estate San Francisco | Marin | Wine Country, Calif. – $150 million in annual sales
A Focus on Technology
In 2023, Christie’s International Real Estate introduced its proprietary brokerage-technology solution, pl@tform™, to U.S. affiliates. The tech offers a fully integrated suite of tools designed to improve agent productivity and make real estate transactions more seamless. Christie’s International Real Estate parent @properties, which developed pl@tform, also added several new features to the software including Closing Milestones, a Digital Listing Presentation and a Digital Buyer Presentation. Pl@tform also includes a CRM, Deal Management System, a digital comparative market analysis and an AI-powered buyer propensity scoring tool.
Auction House Partnership Sees Gains
Clients of Christie’s International Real Estate receive bespoke access to Christie’s auction house services, including appraisals, private sales and auctions, via a dedicated liaison. Over the past two years, this exclusive partnership with Christie’s world-renowned art and luxury business has resulted in an increase of more than 600% in referrals of furniture and art from buyers or sellers to the auction house. The partnership has also resulted in several notable listings referred from the auction house, including the former Greenwich, Conn. estate of artist Robert Motherwell, which sold in November, and the Bogk House, an original Frank Lloyd Wright home in Milwaukee, Wis., offered with several pieces of original Wright-designed furniture.
“In 2023, geopolitical and economic uncertainty drove a flight to quality, and the global recognition of the Christie’s International Real Estate brand was a beacon in this environment across our European markets. Now, as we set our sights on 2024, we are very excited about the incredible potential of the luxury real estate market in Asia, and we are looking forward to announcing several new affiliate partnerships in the region,” said Helena Moyas de Forton, managing director, head of EMEA and APAC, Christie’s International Real Estate.
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About Christie’s International Real Estate
Christie’s International Real Estate has successfully marketed high-value real estate around the world for more than 30 years. Through its invitation-only Affiliate network spanning nearly 50 countries and territories, Christie’s International Real Estate offers incomparable services to a global clientele at the luxury end of the residential property market.