Concierge Auctions' Luxury Real Estate Forum, The Key 2013, a Success

NEW YORK, Dec. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- New York-based Concierge Auctions hosted 135 high-end real estate brokers and other industry professionals from the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe at its second annual luxury real estate conference, The Key 2013, on December 5th to 7th. Hand-selected to network, learn and have fun, the attendees met at the Four Seasons Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. The event began with a state of the market address by Concierge's managing directors, Laura Brady, Chad Roffers and Mike Russo. The agenda also included presentations by Barbara Corcoran, Larry Adam of Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management and Marc Davison of 1000watt Consulting, and a closing celebration at the Penske Racing Museum.  

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131226/NY38421)

Of the many ideas and strategies discussed throughout The Key, the following six trends were notable highlights:

1. Auctions Are Becoming (More) Popular.
Concierge Auctions is quickly becoming the first choice for property owners and brokers when selling unique, high-end properties. Agents at The Key discussed how they present the auction option when interviewing for new listings. Concierge also noted the movement of sellers becoming more knowledgeable and accepting of the auction process than their agents may think.

2. Global Agents are on the Rise.
It is becoming increasingly common for successful agents to operate in multiple states and/or countries. They understand that high-net-worth clients are global in nature and own multiple properties at any given time. These agents are expanding their networks in order to serve all of their client's real estate needs, regardless of geography.

3. Videos are the New Photos.
Matt Rollins and Scott Haws of NARR8 Media presented on the importance of videos when selling luxury real estate. As Scott said, "Every house has a story, and it is your job to sell that story to buyers." Considering the rise of videos online — with YouTube experiencing over 1 billion unique users each month and internet video traffic estimated to be 69% of all global consumer traffic by 2017 — videography should be part of every luxury real estate salesperson's repertoire.

4. Market to the Senses.
Even the most compelling photography is not enough to capture and maintain buyers' interest in today's luxury real estate world. High-end clients want to be "wowed". Marc Davison of 1000Watt Consulting presented innovative ways that agents and brokers can entice clients to pay attention by catering to all five senses — custom-scented candles, signature cocktails and swag relevant to the local market, to name a few.

5. "Anything not Changing, Ain't Working."
Directly quoted from keynote speaker Barbara Corcoran of Shark Tank fame, many successful entrepreneurs share this sentiment — Constant change and improvements are imperative for growing a business.

6. Fun is good business.
During her presentation, Barbara Corcoran asserted the importance of fun in business. For example, The Corcoran Group would often host costume parties and once went on a double-decker bus tour around New York City. Fun builds camaraderie and leads to transactions.

"The Key is about gathering the most talented luxury real estate professionals to collaborate on ideas and advance the way we service our clients in relation to their luxury real estate assets," stated Laura Brady, Managing Director of Concierge Auctions. "It's a way for us to thank our agent partners and to instigate the betterment of everyone's business together." 

Concierge Auctions is the preeminent luxury real estate auction firm serving high-net-worth sellers and brokers globally. The leadership team of Concierge Auctions has been involved in the transfer of more than $2 billion in luxury properties over the past 10 years, and the firm has sold over $500 million in properties since its founding in 2008. In 2013, Concierge expanded its geographic presence by opening an office in London and successfully executing international auction assignments in Fiji and Canada. For more information about the company, visit ConciergeAuctions.com or call 888.966.4759. To watch videos from The Key 2013, visit Vimeo.com/ConciergeAuctions.

SOURCE Concierge Auctions