What is Luxury Real Estate?

Luxury Real Estate (LRE) is the international marketing network creating innovative connections between industry professionals, the finest properties they represent, and the world. Under the umbrella of Luxury Real Estate are the members of the Board of Regents and Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate. These members have access to the award-winning LuxuryRealEstate.com website, as well as LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine, Events, Technology, Media, Luxury Referral Services, and many other exclusive tools and services.

In addition to these services, members of the Board of Regents enjoy exclusive use of Regents.com and other benefits.

What is the Board of Regents?

The Board of Regents (also referred to as “Regents”) is the evolution of the Board of Governors, the leadership that has determined the direction of Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate since 1989. The Board of Regents is the governing body of Luxury Real Estate. Each member of the Board of Regents exclusively represents a defined territory. Board of Regents members enjoy all the benefits of membership of Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate, but in addition enjoy exclusive use of Regents.com as well as other services.

What is Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate?

Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate, including our lion-head trademark, has been our established brand since 1985. Today, Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate is a network of top brokers of luxury real estate from around the world and is also the name of the annually published membership directory.

What is LuxuryRealEstate.com?

LuxuryRealEstate.com is the most-viewed luxury real estate website in the world based on reach, rank and page views. On the Web since 1995, the website provides a searchable database of the world’s finest for-sale properties. LuxuryRealEstate.com and the respective websites of its global divisions attract viewers from across the globe. The site has received numerous honors and awards by consumers and from the real estate community.

What are Luxury Referral Services?

Luxury Referral Services is placement of incoming leads from general inquiries (for example, not firm or property specific inquiries) that are placed by our team with the membership. Our team is also available for recommendations and general assistance in placing leads as a complimentary service of membership.

Broker Reciprocity, our referral-generating IDX program, enables connection to the LuxuryRealEstate.com database of properties onto a member’s website. This program allows the entire database of LuxuryRealEstate.com properties to be searched within the context of the member’s own website through a button on the site or a link in the navigation bar. Standard Broker Reciprocity is included in the annual price of dues. For a fee, the Luxury Real Estate Web team will design a custom Broker Reciprocity link that fits the design scheme of your website.

What is Luxury Real Estate Magazine?

Luxury Real Estate Magazine is a coffee-table-quality magazine that serves as a showcase for some of the members’ most luxurious properties. The magazine includes editorial features and columns for the luxury homebuyer. It is published three times a year, with a current circulation of over 60,000.

What are Luxury Real Estate Events?

Luxury Real Estate holds four annual membership events with the purpose of discussing current real estate issues and networking with the finest brokers in the real estate industry. Every January we host an International Conference to connect brokers internationally. Immediately after this conference we have a 10-day ski trip, which provides additional recreation and networking opportunities in the best ski resorts in the Alps. Every April we have a Spring Retreat, and in October we hold the Fall Conference.

What is Luxury Real Estate Media?

Luxury Real Estate Media encompasses public relations as well as all publications and print advertising produced by the company, including group print advertising, brochures, marketing materials, the coffee table books and all other special publications.

What is Luxury Real Estate Technology?

Luxury Real Estate Technology produces and supports the online presence of Regents.com and LuxuryRealEstate.com. Technology is also engaged in designing and developing websites and Internet tools for the members of the Board of Regents and Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate networks.

Membership

How do I join Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate?

Luxury Real Estate invites brokers and their companies to join Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate based on their integrity, commitment to excellence and demonstrated knowledge of the luxury real estate market. Prospective members are selected based on proof that they list and sell property in the top 10% of their market. If approved, the prospective member is sent a detailed application and contract to submit. Successful applicants are offered membership with Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate.

Are franchise companies allowed to participate?

Yes. Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate is comprised of the top luxury real estate brokers in the world; therefore, both independent companies as well as franchises are welcomed.

Can my company be asked to leave?

Yes. Any individual or company can be withdrawn from Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate for any reason determined by Luxury Real Estate. The only remedy for the individual or company is to receive back their prorated dues for the portion of the year left on their contract.

Benefits and Responsibilities

What benefits do Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate members receive?

The benefits of membership with Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate are outlined in the membership contract. This includes such benefits as:

• Use of Luxury Real Estate logos.
• One page within the Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate Directory.
• A corporate or personal profile on LuxuryRealEstate.com.
• Unlimited listings of your luxury properties on LuxuryRealEstate.com.
• Invitations to our Luxury Real Estate Events.
• Global Broker Reciprocity, which allows clients to search all LuxuryRealEstate.com listings from your own website.
• Access to Luxury Real Estate Magazine.
• Access to brochure design and production as well as other marketing materials.
• Access to cooperative advertising; discounts in such publications as the Wall Street Journal, Unique Homes, as well as other publications.
• Access to Luxury Referral Services.
• Access to Luxury Real Estate Technology.
• Access to a team of dedicated staff who will answer questions and offer support.

What responsibilities do Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate members have?

Members’ responsibilities are outlined in their contract. The principal responsibilities are to actively and positively promote the Who’s Who brand. This includes:

• The payment of the annual membership fee.
• Display a Luxury Real Estate Logo on appropriate marketing materials, advertising, and on the Web.
• Upload your luxury listings to LuxuryRealEstate.com, and update the listings when changes occur.
• Provide Luxury Real Estate with a list of agents in your company who qualify as a luxury specialist. A luxury specialist is an agent who has been involved in at least two luxury transactions in the past year.
• Support and create business for fellow members by sharing ideas and referring business if it does not conflict with other obligations.

Branding

Which logo should I use when promoting my company?

The Luxury Real Estate logos promote your company as a Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate member, so you should use the logos updated on LuxuryRealEstate.com. As a member it is appropriate to promote the umbrella company, Luxury Real Estate, and the Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate network. Both Luxury Real Estate logos and Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate logos may be used.

Logos

Following are the available logos (previous logos are being phased out). Please see the Logos section of the Luxury Lounge to download the logos.

Can I advertise my Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate affiliation on all my properties?

The Luxury Real Estate logo should be used on all promotional materials for “Qualifying Properties” (described below). Promotional materials include, but are not limited to, home signage, print advertising and flyers.

“Qualifying Properties” are luxury properties (generally in the top ten percent of your local market). These Qualifying Properties will be displayed on LuxuryRealEstate.com.

How can my agents use the Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate program?

Agents have access to many of the benefits enjoyed by Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate companies. For example, qualifying listings may be listed on LuxuryRealEstate.com, advertised in Luxury Real Estate Magazine and so on. Any of the member’s agents may use Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate member brochures and listing materials for Qualifying Properties.

In addition, agents with a Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate member who are considered “luxury specialists” may use the Luxury Real Estate logos when marketing themselves, whether it is on a business card or in an advertisement. An agent qualifies as a luxury specialist if his or her name has been submitted by their company and the agent has been involved in at least two luxury transactions within the past year. All members must provide a list of the luxury specialists within their company regardless of whether the agent plans to use the Luxury Real Estate program.

Moreover, a luxury specialist may choose to apply for an annual Elite Agent membership, which allows the agent to receive a personal profile on LuxuryRealEstate.com, a complimentary invitation to either the Spring Retreat or Fall Conference and additional membership privileges.

Can I modify the logos?

Consistency of the brand is very important both for brand recognition and for legal protection. Logos should not be modified. The size of a logo may be changed, however the scale must remain consistent. Please refer to the Logo Guidelines found on LuxuryRealEstate.com: http://www.luxuryrealestate.com/logoguidelines.html.

What are the colors for Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate?

The official colors for Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate are blue and gold. Materials that are produced by Luxury Real Estate will follow these colors. Members are encouraged to use the logos in black or white. However, members may adjust the logos’ colors to suitably integrate the logos into their company branding.

Interaction

What is accomplished at Luxury Real Estate Events?

The meetings are a dynamic forum for Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate members to exchange ideas among fellow industry professionals from different territories to assist one another in being more successful. Our networking events are a fusion of break-out sessions, featured speakers, networking receptions, elegant dinners and property tours. Broker to broker referrals often result from connections made at our events.

How do Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate members stay connected?

Members maintain contact through a variety of methods, including monthly newsletters and conference meetings. Open communication and feedback is encouraged at all meetings. In addition, you can always use the Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate Directory or the roster on LuxuryRealEstate.com to contact a fellow member. The Luxury Lounge, our online networking community is another medium for connecting with other members.

Referrals

How can I encourage fellow Who’s Who members to send me referrals?

Referrals tend to take place between those you know and trust. Since only the top-quality brokers are invited to join the Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate, referrals are a built-in benefit of being a member. Members are encouraged to use the Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate Directory when making referrals. In addition, Luxury Real Estate Events are a great place to network and make contacts. To further assist in the referral process, Luxury Real Estate has developed Luxury Referral Services described above in Section 2.5 (What are Luxury Referral Services?). Additionally, the Luxury Lounge is a place to assist you in generating referrals.

Annual Membership Program Packet

Where can I find the Annual Membership information?

Members may find the Annual Membership Program 2009 packet in the Luxury Lounge by going to Resources > Forms and Documents.