The Butterfly Residential Global Luxury Property Review is a monthly review of news and views affecting the luxury residential property markets.

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Global Luxury Property Review
March 2013
Barbados a top choice for super-rich
The number of individuals worth
US$100m or more is expected to increase
from 63,000 to 86,000 between 2011 and
2016, according the World of wealth:
Chasing sun and snow report by Oliver
Knight of Knight Frank.
With property high on their list of
preferred investment classes, demand for
the world‟s best homes is expected to
strengthen, he writes.
At this time of year the world‟s wealthy are either heading to the Alps or the Caribbean
for sunshine.
In the section Sun Factor – Sizzling Caribbean Oliver Knight writes: “Guaranteed winter
sun in high quality villas and an established environment is what clients are looking
for. We are seeing confidence returning and notably there have been a number of top
end deals in Barbados, Mustique and St Bart‟s in particular.
“Barbados continues to attract the British contingent but also notably buyers from
North America and Canada and it‟s easy to see why. For the Super Prime Buyer there‟s
fine dining at Sandy Lane, Cin Cin and The Cliff, horse racing at the Garrison, polo or
golf at The Sandy Lane and Green Monkey Golf courses or a day at the Kensington
Oval watching the island‟s favourite sport.”
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2. Leading Barbados luxury property realtor Butterfly Residential adds: “Combining a
tropical climate, an idyllic setting, friendly people, and political stability, many famous
and wealthy people are choosing Barbados to purchase that dream retirement property
or for their second home steeped in timeless elegance.”
No other place can rival Barbados for the sheer number of luxury villas on the water‟s Page | 2
edge, nor for the wide range of world-class restaurants and services, according to
Butterfly Residential.
One example of the luxury properties currently listed by Butterfly Residential for sale
in Barbados, is a 6 bedroom home and cottage called „Jubilance‟ located on the Sandy
Lane Estate priced at $3.45 million.
„Historic‟ highs for luxury property
Limited inventory, strong international
buyer demand, and high-net-worth
individual‟s (HNWI) increased
appreciation for world-class lifestyle
offerings have pushed prices for luxury
homes toward historic highs, reports
Christie‟s International Real Estate in a
new study on the global prestige
residential market.
Entitled Luxury Defined: An Insight into the
Luxury Residential Property Market, the
report compares 10 of the world‟s top property markets—London, New York, Hong
Kong, Paris, San Francisco, Cote d‟Azur, Toronto, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Miami—
and debuts the „Christie‟s International Real Estate Index,‟ the first ever true global
indicator for luxury residential real estate.
The Index ranks markets across key metrics including record sales price, prices per
square foot, percentage of non-local and international purchasers, and the number of
luxury listings relative to population.
Highlights of the research include:
• Globally, top-tier property sales achieved record prices in several cities,
remaining immune to many of the economic concerns that drive the general housing
market.
• HNWIs are often more inclined to invest in an important global market than in
another city within their home country for second or additional homes.
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3. • Prestige residential real estate values will more likely follow growth trends of
non-consumable luxury goods such as fine art more so than the growth trends of the
general housing market.
• Cash transactions have dominated luxury property acquisitions across many
studied cities. Page | 3
• Recent tax law changes in many of these markets are expected to negatively
impact 2013 market activity.
“With financial markets providing a limited return on investment, high-net-worth
individuals are recognizing the intrinsic value of investing in non-consumable assets
such as prestige real estate and fine art,” says Bonnie Stone Sellers, Chief Executive
Officer of Christie‟s International Real Estate.
“Strong momentum in the luxury property market is also being driven by scarcity of
quality inventory and demand from international buyers in many of the world‟s top
destinations.”
London‟s $121 million (£75 million) sale and New York‟s $88 million sale pushed both
cities to the top of this year‟s Index with the
highest record home sale prices.
A prized second home destination, Côte
d‟Azur recorded the highest percentage of both
secondary home buyers (95 per cent), and
international and non-local buyers (90 percent).
Toronto‟s real estate market, which has
remained buoyant in recent years of global
turmoil, recorded the lowest amount of days on
the market for luxury listings (46 days).
While the report focuses on 10 indexed
markets, it also provides insight into other luxury residential areas around the globe
with a population of less than 150,000, such as St. Bart's, French West Indies; Salzburg,
Austria; Aspen, Colorado; and Jupiter Island, Florida.
The study can be accessed as a whole here.
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4. Spanish luxury property comeback
The substantial housing market downturn
during the original 2008 credit crunch means
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that Spanish luxury markets are now appealing
to global investors looking for value
opportunities.
Spain‟s luxury property markets could be
leading a comeback, according to a report by
British daily The Independent.
The reports cites bosses of several Spain-based
property companies who claim rising sales and
enquiries of luxury properties in high end resorts such as Sotogrande, a Costa del Sol
resort renowned for its world-class golf facilities.
Richard Way editor of the Overseas Property Guide told The Independent that at the
top end of the Spanish property markets “I am being told things are now more buoyant
with international buyers including the Russians and Chinese coming to market and
stabilising prices."
Meanwhile, the director of another leading Spain-based realtor seems to support the
„recovery‟ thesis:
“International buyers are flocking to the Costa del Sol to soak up the cut-price stock,
but the kind of home they‟re after is in exceptionally short supply.
“Wealthy taste-makers are generally not into Andalucian-style fincas with pretty
balustrades and Arabic roof tiles but instead seek contemporary villas or beachfront
apartments with clean lines and floor-to-ceiling glass.”
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5. Other luxury property news:
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 Top 20 places to invest in luxury property - The Telegraph
One of the most expensive places to buy in the entire US, this popular ski resort
is continuing to see strong interest in high-end property such as luxury chalets.
 Dubai luxury property prices rocket by 20% - Al-Arabiya
Luxury villas in Dubai shot up in value by 20% last year, in the latest indication
that the local property market is recovering.
 Global luxury real estate market showing 'strong momentum' - Inman
News
The international luxury real estate market remains relatively immune to the
economic and political trends that drive the general housing market and is off
to strong start in 2013.
 George Clooney buys luxury home in Marbella – El Periodico
Hollywood actor George Clooney has purchased a €4m mansion in Marbella,
according to news reports.
Brought to you by Butterfly Residential
The Global Luxury Property Review is a monthly article compiled by Butterfly Residential offering a
snapshot of the sector. Butterfly Residential is a boutique, professional, high-end property company
specialising in the sale of luxury property in Marbella, London and Barbados, as well as New York, Brazil
and Sardinia. Butterfly Residential is headed by Edward Fairless and Nicola Fairless, a brother and sister
team who are the new sensation in the global luxury property sector.
Address: Avd. Ricardo Soriano 72, Edf. Golden, Portal C, 2º H, 29601 Marbella, Málaga, España
Email: info@butterflyresidential.com
Web: http://butterflyresidential.com
Tel: (+34) 662 258 896
Tel: (UK) 0208 1444 383
Skype: butterflyresidential
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