Luxury real estate advisory company, Montague Real Estate, is going even more global. The company, based in Mayfair, London, defines its purpose as ensuring “clients have access to a trusted advisor and an established global network, which in turn allows them an opportunity to acquire some of the finest homes on the planet.” This just became even more achievable as its Head of Residential, Luke Banks, has announced that he is permanently residing in Dubai to help solidify the market there even further.

“I am delighted to be touching down in Dubai again,” he says. “I first arrived in Dubai in 2011 and fell in love with the city and the property market there, after a 2-year stint in London (still working within the Dubai market) it's very exciting for me to have my feet on the ground again. This time I am arriving with the backing of a very exciting brand and am looking forward to a big future in the Middle East for Montague Real Estate.”

Luke Banks, Head of Residential

Photo Credit: Montague Real Estate

Luke Banks has been with Montague since September of 2020 and worked from the London office establishing relationships overseas, including in Dubai. With the market rising, now was the perfect time to relocate physical operations and have the Head of Residential based in Dubai. Luke’s focus will be onboarding exclusive ready properties, being on the ground for prime and super-prime transactions, and building Montague’s brand presence and team in the region.

“It's a great time to be landing as the market is extremely active with huge volumes of transactions going through, Dubai, of course, remains popular with GCC investors, as well as Indian, British and Chinese buyers topping the charts of investors from outside of the region,” Luke says.

Photo Credit: Montague Real Estate

Montague has hand-selected developments in the Dubai market that align with its vision and is working with key development partners including Emaar, Omniyat, Sohba, and XX11 Carat. The Dubai market offers apartments, townhouses, and penthouses, with huge signs of growth in the turnkey market as well. Dubai is a strategically located city that offers great opportunities across lifestyle, investment, and business activity, and now that more and more people are working remotely due to the pandemic, inquiries for properties in the area have risen dramatically.

With the government of Dubai encouraging international investment as well, such as with their “Invest in Dubai” platform, now is the perfect time for Montague to make the move.

“This is an incredible moment for Montague Real Estate and for Luke. Dubai is a market that has grown exponentially over the last 10 years and will only continue to grow,” echos Thomas Balashev, founder of Montague Real Estate. “This market, in particular, is one that resonates with our clients and offers both lifestyle, business, and investment opportunities so this region was the natural next step for Montague Real Estate's expansion.”

Photo Credit: Montague Real Estate

To learn more about Montague Real Estate you can visit their website here.

The post Head Of Residential At Montague Real Estate Announces Move To Dubai appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Jade Signature, Miami/Sunny Isles Beach, FL, USA

Photo Credit: Jade Signature

We’ve become used every January to hearing about new beginnings and fresh starts, but I think it’s fair to say the start of this year really is a momentous turning point – in more ways than one.

If 2020 represented stagnation, hesitation and decline, 2021 is set to be the year we had all hoped 2020 would have been – the start of an ambitious, prosperous and bright new decade. We’re just running twelve months behind schedule!

I truly believe the luxury markets, and indeed all business, should be optimistic for this coming year for three key reasons. Firstly, mass vaccination means the Covid pandemic will hopefully no longer dominate our lives – from our ability to travel to how we do business – in the way it did last year.

Secondly, the new administration in the White House (love it or hate it) should mean a less isolationist US, and with a return to globalist policies, travel to and investment into the US should become easier and more stable.

Thirdly, Britain will finally be out of the European Union. Again – you may love it or hate it, but I personally strongly feel we must be ambitious and positive about our European divorce, seeing it as an opportunity to forge new relationships and generate greater economic growth.

One Palm, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Photo Credit: Omniyat

Stability in global markets, coupled with the skies reopening, means that international investing will be far more feasible and appealing to HNWs over the next 12 months it was over the last year. Current circumstances also mean there will be unique opportunities for young, hungry, up-and-coming ambitions companies with a fresh approach to do things differently and grab a market share.

This is why, at both Montague Real Estate and Monta Capital, we are undertaking an ambitious expansion into new markets throughout 2021 and beyond.

Ever since I founded Montague Real Estate in 2015, we have always had one eye on international expansion, but the time has never been quite right – either because we had not yet sufficiently scaled, or because market conditions weren’t conducive to overseas investment.

Now, however, we sense a real opportunity to be serving a new breed of international HNW – one looking to invest in the finest international luxury properties in a post-Covid world. This renewed demand after a slow year in 2020, coupled with our ambitions for international expansion, has made it an opportune moment for us to be investing overseas.

We will be opening our first international office in Hong Kong in Q2 2021. Why Hong Kong as our first port of call, over say Singapore or New York?

Firstly, being a British company means a special connection to Hong Kong given the two regions’ history, making it a natural choice.

Jade Signature, Miami/Sunny Isles Beach, FL, USA

Photo Credit: Jade Signature

Secondly, the demand from affluent Asians for property in the UK has skyrocketed in recent years; despite the Covid pandemic, inquiries from Asia have increased for us by more than 300% in the last 12 months. For affluent Hong Kongese, London in particular offers exceptionally stable property investments, some of the West’s leading educational establishments and incomparable lifestyle opportunities.

Thirdly, we see Asia as one of the most exciting locations in which to invest in luxury property in the coming years. I believe we’ll see a strong economic bounce back in the Far East, driven by an ambitious Millennial generation seeking affluence and success. We want to be positioned at the center of this wealth generation.

As well as our breakthrough into Asia this year, we also took our first steps into the US and Middle East at the back end of last year and will be building in both these markets over the next twelve months too.

In the Middle East, we will be establishing offices in Dubai, which will serve as a hub for the wider Middle East region; in the US, we undertook our first listing in Miami – a city of great potential and interest to us – and will be expanding further across America over the next twelve months too.

I strongly believe 2021 will also prove to be fertile ground for investment in property as an asset class, including through bespoke property funds. As a result of the Covid pandemic, a number of different segments of the property market – both residential and commercial - have stagnated in growth and are, I believe, devalued. Now, therefore, is the time to be capitalizing upon these destressed assets - before the markets fully recover.

Thomas Balashev

Photo Credit: Montague Real Estate

I co-founded Monta Capital, a real estate fund, in May last year, to serve as the investment arm of Montague Real Estate. Part of the fund’s purpose is to invest in developed high-end real estate sites, and although circumstances in 2020 means our initial growth plans were put on hold, we optimistically forecast 2021 as a far more positive year for funds such as ours.

Both tumultuous market conditions and alternative investment fads will come and go. What has been proven, time and time again, however, is that high-end property serves as one of the safest and most enjoyable investments you can make – be you looking for a luxury property to enjoy and live in yourself, or to invest in, see appreciate and make a profit on. In 2021 we therefore look forward with positivity to seeing the Montague portfolio, and the wider property industry, experiencing a strong resurgence and growth out of the ashes of last year.

Thomas Balashev, Founder, Montague Real Estate and Co-Founder, Monta Capital 

The post Thomas Balashev On Why 2021 Is A Year For Optimism And Growth appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Montague Real Estate Founder Thomas Balashev is making waves on a global scale, and most recently made his entrance to the U.S. real estate market in a grand way—with an impressive $9.1M listing at the prestigious Jade Signature development in Sunny Isles Beach.

While Balashev and his team have established themselves as a premier, boutique real estate firm based out of Mayfair in London, his entrance to the competitive U.S. market has opened his eyes up to the difference in industry professionals in the U.S. versus the UK. As an industry leader and an expert on luxury real estate, he's come to applaud the 'U.S. way of doing things,' particularly pertaining to the way individual agents market and educate themselves.

There are major differences in the qualifications, training and education required to obtain a license in the profession in the two markets. While the U.S. requires thorough education of 90 hours and an exam that must be passed, with additional requirements for continuing education and renewing licenses over the years, Balashev notes that the UK has some ways to go in that department.

Jade Signature pool area

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

"In the UK, weak regulation and low barriers to entry to becoming a property broker are tarnishing the reputation of the quality agencies. Anyone really can declare themselves a broker, and in my view, this undermines the industry. When I think about the other parties involved in a property transaction in the UK, you would expect any competent financial advisor or solicitor to be trained and qualified – so why not the property broker?" he notes. 

He feels that this situation can be rectified, modeling after the U.S. real estate, which he has come to admire.

"This is why I am calling for a minimum required amount of training required and the establishment of central licensing and regulatory body in the UK, which would ensure an examined standard was met before individuals or agencies could call themselves property brokers," he shares. 

Balashev also touches on the importance of each realtor building his/her own brand within the U.S. market. In the UK, he feels that more emphasis is placed on the brand behind the broker, not the broker as an individual brand. This leaves fewer options and also less motivation behind the due diligence behind the realtor to go above and beyond for the client.

Sky Villa at Jade Signature Views

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

‘Take football clubs for example," he explains. "They build their own brand, but also support and nurture the individual brands of the players, who the clubs know are the real individual assets and stars of the show. I believe agencies should be the same. Of course, the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts. But investment in the individual agents and their brand offers a more human, accessible, and relatable service – people prefer to do business with people, not with less personable companies and corporations."

Because of this, Balashev plans to continue Montague's presence within the U.S. real estate market, with expansion plans on the horizon for new listings. Outside the U.S., Montague has also recently entered the Middle East market in a significant way, even creating a new division of the company for this market alone, headed up by Luke Banks. Additionally, Montague has its sights set on Asia to enter the Hong Kong market in the coming year.

For more news and to keep up with all of Montague's latest listings and developments, please visit the website: https://www.montaguerealestate.com/.

The post Montague Real Estate Founder Thomas Balashev On Why The UK Can Learn From U.S. Real Estate Industry appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Watch the webinar below.

The 66-story sail-shaped tower is just days away from receiving the first Aston Martin customer DBX to cross the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas.

The real estate talk followed the latest edition of "Decanted," the fine spirits webinar series curated by Haute Wine, which featured Cyril Bollinger, a sixth-generation member of the Bollinger family who has worked in the wine industry for the last 14 years. He was hosted by Haute Living's Laura Schreffler. Among the topics discussed was the relationship between Bollinger and 007 Agent James Bond movies, which Bollinger confirmed started with a gentlemanly handshake.

Photo Credit: Aston Martin Residences

Highlight quotes:

Maria Eugenia Alvarez: "In January and February we were making record sales. We were slow when the pandemic hit, but in May we were able to again make record sales. We have 60% of the units sold with two years left until opening... Real estate in Miami is really strong. People from New York are flying down, wanting to invest and move to Miami, not only because of the tax reasons but what the city can provide... When the lot went on sale, everybody wanted to buy that land. G&G bought it and it was in all the newspapers. When Aston Martin saw the location, they saw it was a perfect match between our brands. Aston Martin is well known for its design and they were ready for the next step, and what better way than put it on a building. Miami gave that sexy appeal of a cosmopolitan city... [On the amenities at Aston Martin Residences], I can imagine James Bond enjoying Bollinger in our art gallery, enjoying the Miami skyline and sunset, then parachute down to a yacht."

Thomas Balashev: "This year has been strange for sure, but it's about being adaptive. Hopefully, we have a good trajectory over the next few years to be onwards and upwards as we go into 2021... There is a huge appetite in Hong Kong for people buying in Europe and the United States... You're going to get a one-upmanship in Miami of developers outdoing each other. There's going to be a lot of competition for prime real estate. A little mini-New York. If there is a breakthrough in aviation with faster aircraft, it will have a massive effect on South Florida... We have a business that can be like water and move into new markets and dynamics... As a real estate professional, you want to get to the U.S., that's the target. I want to cement a presence in the States, and I think Miami and South Florida will be our starting point. It offers something unique in terms of the properties available."

To watch more webinars by Haute Residence, visit https://dev.hauteresidence.com/.

Thomas Balashev, Maria Eugenia Alvarez

The post Montague Real Estate Meets Aston Martin Residences appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

London-based real estate firm, Montague Real Estate, recently announced its global expansion, starting with setting their sights on the Middle East. Now, they're making their way across the pond to enter the U.S. market in one of the country's most in-demand areas—Miami. And they're certainly debuting in a noteworthy way, touting a stunning, $11.9 million listing as their first property, located at Sunny Isles Beach's prestigious Jade Signature residences.

Photo Credit: Jade Signature

The oceanfront property will be co-listed with Miami-based realtor, Benjamin Teper, who began his relationship with Montague Real Estate CEO Thomas Balashev in early 2020. While the two have never physically met due to the ongoing pandemic restrictions, they quickly developed a strong relationship that enhances the London-based firm's rapid expansion and its ability to adapt in our ever-changing world by utilizing technology and other global networks to communicate and list this property with Teper.

Photo Credit: Jade Signature

The $11.9 million property is one of the development's most sought-after units, named the 'Sky Villa.' It is a two-story beauty, boasting five bedrooms; seven bathrooms; panoramic city and ocean views; an expansive terrace perfect for lounging or entertaining; and spacious living areas that include living rooms, sitting areas, study and gym. To make it all the more impressive, walking into the space will feel even more captivating due to its 20-foot double-height ceilings.

But the accouterments do not stop there—the building itself boasts a handful of enviable amenities, including a gym, spa, reading and music lounge, library, business area, club room, wine bar, children's and teen's lounges, exercise studios, beach bar and grill, two pools, and of course, a private beach. Living in this unit will truly feel like a never-ending vacation.

Photo Credit: Jade Signature

“Jade Signature is a stunning development, and we are delighted to be entering the US market in such style," said Balashev. “The ‘American Way’ of doing business is a huge source of inspiration for me, and with Ben equally buying into the Montague ethos, we clicked very quickly...We are both young and hungry and, despite the restrictions of [the pandemic] (and having never even met each other), I like to think this deal demonstrates that with the right attitude and ambition, anything is possible."

For more information on Montague Real Estate and its latest listing, please visit their newly-launched website. 

The post Montague Real Estate Enters U.S. Market With Covetable Miami Listing appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Embodying the new brand ethos "further, together," boutique real estate firm and private office Montague Property has relaunched under a new name as Montague Real Estate—with a rebrand and expansion plans to reach untapped audiences in the Middle East.

While Montague has garnered significant success within the European market, it is furthering its reach into the Middle Eastern market, appointing Luke Banks, the former Dubai luxury property developer of Sobha Realty, as the head of the newly-formed Middle East division.

Banks will be tasked with securing prime listings in the market, off plan sites and development sites for private investors and developers, and will focus on providing regional business, investment and lifestyle opportunities and consultancy for the UAE markets and abroad.

“The positioning of the UAE makes it a key hub for clients from the US, Asia and Europe—being able to cross those time zones and cultures is a great leap forward for the Montague brand," says Banks. 

In addition to continuing its strong focus on transactional relationships with clients, the company has now committed to offering further services for wealth and property-related consultancy and professional services across more regions and languages to expand its customer base and become a more prominent, global brand.

One Palm by Omniyat Rendering

Photo Credit: Rendering by Vladimir Djurovic Landscape Architecture/Montague Real Estate

In addition to the brand expansion and new name, Montague has also undergone a new brand identity, with an updated logo and website rollout that just recently launched. The upgraded identity will reflect the company's enhanced global approach.

While the most current focus is the expansion within the Middle East, led by Luke Banks from the brand's London office with plans to open an office in the UAE by 2021, Montague plans to expand throughout a number of major international markets in 2021, such as the U.S.

One Palm by Omniyat Rendering

Photo Credit: Montague Real Estate

“Both the relaunch of Montague Real Estate and our expansion into the Middle East are huge milestones for us," said Thomas Balashev, Founder and CEO of Montague Real Estate. “Our clients are at the heart of what we do, and we believe they want more than just another estate agent selling them property. Our new strategy will enable us to add value in so many other areas of their lives—from investments to lifestyle—with real estate serving as the anchor." 

For more information, please visit Montague's new website.

Address: 10 Brick Street, Mayfair, W1J 7DF
Tel: 020 7118 1162

Instagram: @montaguelondon

The post Montague Real Estate Announces Rebrand And Middle East Expansion appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Balashev spoke at length about the UK market and how it has managed through the COVID-19 pandemic. He was hosted by Haute Living's April Donelson, who also asked him about the beginnings and growth of Montague Real Estate.

Watch the webinar below.

Highlight quotes from Balashev:

"Montague Real Estate was an accident. I sold out my diamond business in 2014. On a trip to Portugal, I came across a luxury real estate developer from Paris. I was inspired to what the real estate industry was like from an agent's point of view and said to myself that I would be moving out of the diamond market. I understood the luxury market and buyer. It was the time for me to get into real estate."

"We like to see ourselves as where wealth management, meets real estate, meets private banking. It's a melting pot where you give above average service to a client as they would be accustomed to in private banking and wealth management, but we do it for real estate."

"If we can learn anything, it's that you have to be adaptable."

"In the UK, from September through the end of the year, I think reality will set in when people release their profit and loss  statements for the quarter. The real severity of COVID on the economy will have an impact, and then we'll see how real estate looks, but right now there are deals to be done. If you are cash rich and in the market, you can buy properties for pennies on the pound."

"In the U.S., it's ok to take ownership of making something good out of a bad situation. In the UK, we don't do that enough. From a business standpoint, we have had a good past three months, and we are grateful for it."

"I'm looking forward to Art Basel in Miami, and going to New York. The only thing stopping me is being able to jump on a plane. Once those borders open, there will be craziness for the next two years."

"We will be in three continents by Spring 2021. I'm so proud of the team we have here, we do an incredible job from London, but we need to be in those regions if we're going to keep growing. I'm in love with the U.S. and have wanted to have an office there."

"We have seen inquiries from Hong Kong and Asia quadruple over the last months."

"If you have a willing buyer and seller, it's easy to do a deal. For us, to grow our brand and compete on a global level, we have to be better than the competition. You can't be nearly as good; you have to be better. The key is treating the people that work with you as well as you would treat clients."

"Anyone that thinks they want to do something in real estate, I saw go for it. The worst case scenario is you're wrong and you have to step back and reevaluate."

Watch more webinars curated by Haute Residence at dev.hauteresidence.com.

Thomas Balashev

The post Webinar: Thomas Balashev Of Montague Real Estate Talks UK Luxury Real Estate appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

The panelists were hosted by Haute Living's Erik Haase for the dialogue. They were:

• Kris Zacuto: Top producing agent for over five years with Hilton and Hyland in Playa Vista, CA and the surrounding areas
• Justin Alexander: Founder of the Alexander Group, with over $1.5 billion in sales over the past 3 years from Laguna Beach to Beverly Hills, CA
• Wendy Gragg: Founder of Distinctive Real estate, the only luxury boutique real estate firm of its kind in Santa Barbara, CA
• Dana Bambace: Founding Agent of the Bambace Peterson Team in Carmel and Pebble Beach, CA
• Anne-Britt Østlund: Founder of Mountain Rose Realty, a top boutique brokerage in Telluride, CO

Watch the webinar below.

Highlight quotes from today's webinar:

Kris Zacuto: "As what everyone is saying of moving to bigger yards, people are leaving Playa Vista, even if just one zip code over. But what's interesting is we that are having a new group of people that are coming in. So it's not vacancies that we are seeing but rather a reshuffling, people leaving and coming... In this moment, it's more evident than ever that being an expert or specialist is a key takeaway... The broker to broker relationships are really important. That has been vital over the last couple of months."

Justin Alexander: "The overall sense is that people want to be anywhere they can be outdoors. If they can drive to the beach within 20 minutes, that's what they're looking for... The luxury real estate market in LA is not going to disappear, even with a pandemic... If someone comes to me and says they want to buy a house now, there is no waiting. Real estate is a top demand in LA... If you can be that little bit of light that gives someone perspective that things are going to stay strong in real estate, people will get through it. Inspire when you can."

Wendy Gragg: "The demand from LA is stronger than the supply we have available, and people are lining up and waiting... We had the highest number of pending sales in escrow in July ever, and that all is going to translate into closed sales, so I continue to anticipate seeing these kind of record-setting numbers... Santa Barbara is a small oceanfront community, so anything that a buyer is looking for, we have. You're within minutes to the beach and mountain hiking. We have wonderful weather and outdoor dining."

Dana Bambace: "We have been inundated with buyer demand since the end of April. We are a market where we would never see multiple offers or over asking, and now we are. The demand on the inventory is crazy.  I feel that we will continue to have demand through the Fall... When people found out that their kids were going to be remote learning, we got buyers coming in looking for compounds in Carmel. It has been a very interesting time, and I'm grateful. It's an community and I'm happy people want to choose it."

Anne-Britt Østlund: "I was telling my clients to just wait, that it would come back. I thought we had until the end of June, but it started right out the bat towards the end of May and we are breaking records. Total sales volume for this summer is up 92%... Because rates are so low, sellers are not accepting offers contingent on loans because they take too long. Even though the rates are so great, it's in the buyers' interest to offer cash... Buyers right now are the real deal. They are not wasting time."

To watch previous webinars by Haute Residence featuring top real estate agents, developers, brokers, and interior designers, visit dev.hauteresidence.com.

Top: Kris Zacuto, Justin Alexander, Wendy Gragg. Bottom: Anne-Britt Østlund, Dana Bambace

The post Top Real Estate Agents In California And Colorado Talk Latest In The Market appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Photo Credit: Montague Real Estate

Landing on the helipad at Horse Island, the new owner and his visitors will enjoy the 64-hectare (157-acre) island in Roaringwater Bay, in the western part of Cork, which has seven houses (the main residence has six bedrooms), a gym, and a tennis court, along with a "shipwreck playhouse". Electricity, water, and sewage-independent, the island is the epitome of private in current days of social distancing.

Photo Credit: Montague Real Estate

“The owner fell in love with the scenery,” said Thomas Balashev, Founder and CEO of Montague Real Estate. “He specifically wanted an island in the British Isles with the kind of scenery Horse Island has to offer. He hadn’t visited the island prior to the purchase but had seen all the scenery and amenities via video.” The island has roads that travel throughout the land and three private beaches.

Photo Credit: Montague Real Estate

Throughout the 19th century, the island was characterized by its copper mine and small population. Years after it had been deserted, the German tycoon Gert Kölbel bought and renovated Horse Island in the 1980s.

Photo Credit: Montague Real Estate

In Victorian times, Horse Island had a copper mine and a peak population of 137 people before becoming uninhabited, the mine and village left in ruins. Gert Kölbel, a German fitness expert-turned tycoon, bought and renovated the site in the 1980s. It went through renovation once again starting in 2007 and reintroduced to the market in 2018.

Photo Credit: Montague Real Estate

The island's sale is the latest of high-profile purchases in recent months as the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine measure took place.

Photo Credit: Montague Real Estate

"Horse Island is a unique trophy asset; sourcing the land and getting the sale over the line during COVID-19 has been a challenge, so naturally we are delighted with this result," added Balashev.

The post Montague Real Estate Brokers Sale Of Private Island Off Ireland appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.