Christie’s International Real Estate Enters Luxembourg Through Partnership with Unicorn Real Estate
11 July 2024 - 9:00AM
UK Regulatory
Christie’s International Real Estate Enters Luxembourg Through
Partnership with Unicorn Real Estate
Exclusive partnership with top Luxembourg firm
strengthens Christie’s International Real Estate’s luxury network
in central Europe
CHICAGO and LUXEMBOURG, July 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Christie’s International Real Estate is planting a flag in
Luxembourg through an exclusive partnership with leading Luxembourg
realty firm Unicorn Real Estate.
Founded and led by 33-year real estate veteran Fernand Hornung,
Unicorn offers a full range of services including sales, leasing
and property management. The company’s 17 multilingual real estate
professionals are divided between two offices: one opposite the
Grand Ducal Palace in the capital of Luxembourg City and another in
Luxembourg’s second-largest city, Esch-sur-Alzette.
Through the affiliation, Unicorn’s agents and clients will gain
access to increased exposure for luxury properties, a global
referral network for international transactions, an
industry-leading marketing platform and exclusive partnerships,
including with Christie’s venerable auction house. Christie’s
International Real Estate’s close relationship with Christie’s,
which is separately owned, adds another level of white-glove
service for clients who want to sell or acquire fine art,
collections and luxury goods.
“Our firm has been approached by many international brands over
the years; however, Christie’s International Real Estate is the
only one we’ve ever seriously considered because of their
commitment to supporting independent brokerages like Unicorn,”
Hornung explains. “Our mission is to focus on our clients, and this
affiliation offers incredible benefits for them, including
outstanding visibility for listings and a worldwide network, which
is important in a multinational market like ours.”
Considered one of the founding nations of modern-day Europe,
Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in the world, yet one
of the wealthiest. Only 998 square miles in size, the country’s
abundant green space, economic and political stability, and tax
shelters, including a low corporate tax, have attracted the world’s
top names in banking and business, as well as astute home buyers
and investors from neighboring countries. Bordered by France,
Germany and Belgium, Luxembourg has historically been a melting pot
of cultures, and today, foreign-born citizens make up almost half
of its population, according to Hornung. The country has three
official languages, Luxembourgish, German, and French, which
reflect its rich cultural diversity.
While the country is small, its population has grown steadily,
increasing an average of 2.5% yearly over the past 20 years. This
growth has driven up housing demand and, subsequently, prices. The
average home price in Luxembourg has doubled over the last two
decades and at €1 million is among the highest in Europe, according
to Hornung. The luxury market typically ranges from €2 million to
€5 million, and Unicorn recently sold a magnificent modern villa
for €6 million.
"Demand for luxury homes remains strong, and home prices on the
upper end of Luxembourg’s market are expected to remain high and
stable,” Hornung says.
Hornung is a native of Luxembourg, hailing from the small
northern village of Troisvierges. He grew up in his family’s hotel
and restaurant businesses, then spent three years abroad, working
in the hospitality industry in Austria and Paris – experiences
which instilled in him a passion for client service. He returned to
Luxembourg in 1991 and shifted his focus to interior architecture
and then to real estate.
“When I launched Unicorn in 2004, my goal was to reinvent the
codes of a classic real estate agency. Unicorn has lived up to that
promise, serving customers with the highest level of personalized
attention and an unequaled knowledge of the Luxembourg real estate
market, but also a commitment to innovation,” Hornung says.
“Unicorn and Christie’s International Real Estate are built on
the same values, including integrity, discretion, expertise and
unrivaled client service, making this an ideal partnership” says
Helena Moyas de Forton, managing director, head of Europe, Middle
East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC) for Christie’s
International Real Estate. “We’re proud to make our debut in the
beautiful country of Luxembourg with Unicorn as our partner, and we
look forward to sharing in their future success.”
The move strengthens Christie’s International Real Estate’s
network throughout Europe, as Unicorn joins affiliates in more than
20 countries including: Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, England,
Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, The Netherlands, and the Czech
Republic.
# # #
About Christie’s International Real Estate
Christie’s International Real Estate has successfully marketed
high-value real estate around the world for more than 30 years.
Through its invitation-only Affiliate network spanning nearly 50
countries and territories, Christie’s International Real Estate
offers incomparable services to a global clientele at the luxury
end of the residential property market.