the year with the highest sales volume performance in the history
of the brands franchise system.
The growth of the Sothebys International Realty brand in 2014
can be seen in all aspects of the business. Momentous achievements
suchas an increase in sales volume, global growth, and innovative
marketing resulted in one of the most outstanding years the brand
has seen.
Sothebys International Realty ended the year with the highest
sales volume performance in the history of the brands franchise
system. Sothebys International Realty Affiliates LLC reported that
in 2014 its affiliated brokers and sales professionals achieved $70
billion in U.S. home sale transaction volume marking a 17% increase
from the prior year (transaction sides multiplied by average sale
price).
President and CEO of Sothebys International Realty Affiliates
LLC, Philip White, commented The Sothebys International Realty
network grew substantially in 2014. The luxury sector continues to
outperform the overall market, which reflects the value consumers
see in high-end real estate to grow their wealth, as well as the
increasing level of international buyers in key luxury markets.
Other significant gains seen in 2014 include:
- Globally, the Sothebys International Realty brand is
represented in 60 countries and territories ending the year with
approximately 760 offices, a gain of 8.5%, and more than 16,570
sales associates, a gain of 14%. - In 2014, the brand added 13 new residential real estate firms
and 45 net new offices to its network across the United States.
Some of the markets entered include: Houston, Texas;
Steamboat Springs,
Colorado; Santa Rosa Beach,
Florida; Sunset, South
Carolina; Richmond, Virginia;
Marblehead, Massachusetts; Wilmington and Topsail
Island, North Carolina; Kailua, Hawaii;
Woodinville,
Washington; Malibu, California; Lancaster, Pennsylvania;
Brookline and Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts; and Pleasanton,
California. - Outside the United States the brand expanded in Belgium, Beijing,
Belize, the Canary Islands,
Luxembourg, India, Hainan,
St. Martin, Poland and St. Moritz. - Last year marked the launch of the Sothebys International
Realty Global Referral system, which was designed to streamline the
transfer of referrals electronically within the brands worldwide
network. This Global Referral system allows network members to
assign referrals, manage them through closing, and run detailed
reports with features such as language translation and currency
conversion. - Marketing wise, the brands 2014 campaign delivered more than
800 million impressions. The 2014 campaign strategy was to maintain
its relationships with pre-eminent media powerhouses in both the
print and online arenas including: The New York Times, The Wall
Street Journal, The Telegraph Media Group, Google, Architectural
Digest, Bloomberg.com, the Hong Kong Tatler and the Financial
Times, developed to showcase unique properties from the brands
worldwide network. - A lifestyle video serious showcasing unique properties and
lifestyles from around the world, Extraordinary AnglesSM was
also launched by the brand in 2014. Each webisode takes viewers on
inspiring tours through some of the finest properties represented
by the Sothebys International Realty brand in the worlds most
distinct locations. - For the eighth year in a row, the Sothebys International Realty
brand won Franchise Business
Reviews Best in Category for Real Estate Franchisee Satisfaction
award. In addition, the brand moved to first in the overall top
50 from fourth in 2014, and first among the Top 50 Systems with 250
or more units, up from third in 2014.
These advances truly set the Sothebys International Realty brand
a part from competition. Here at Gibson Sothebys International
Realty we take pride in being part of such an extraordinary
network. We are eager to see the brands continual growth in
2015.
Source: Sotheby’s International
Realty