Christie's International Real Estate Strengthens Position

Christie's International Real Estate Strengthens Position in Europe with New Affiliate in Côte d’Azur

Michael Zingraf Real Estate Joins Leading International Network of Real Estate Brokers Specializing in the Marketing and Sales of High-value Propertie

France, Cannes—Christie’s International Real Estate, the world’s leading luxury real estate network, has awarded Affiliate status to Michael Zingraf Real Estate in Côte d’Azur. With headquarters in Cannes, the company will exclusively represent the Christie’s brand in the top spectrum of the residential property market of the greater French Riviera, with representation in the following key areas: Saint Tropez, Cannes, Cap d’ Antibes, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, Saint Remy de Provence, Mougins, Saint Paul de Vence, Lourmarin, Gordes, and Opio.

Wholly owned by Christie’s, the world’s leading art business, Christie’s International Real Estate is represented in more than 40 countries. Michael Zingraf joins this carefully selected organization of brokerages with proven records of success in both high-end property sales and exemplary client service. 

“Michael Zingraf Real Estate is a long established family business focused on the quintessence of exceptional properties with great heritage and authenticity of terroir. Côte d’Azur is synonymous with an increasingly vibrant market for luxury real estate, and we are seeking to cover more areas of this important residential market, expanding further into Monaco soon,” says Joachim Wrang-Widén, Director of Affiliate Services for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Christie’s International Real Estate.

“The company’s local expertise with a presence of over three decades in the market and their integrated services and great processes will certainly further supplement our exclusive international marketing services,” adds Wrang-Widén. 

Michael Zingraf founder, owner and CEO at Michael Zingraf says, “We are delighted to join Christie’s International Real Estate Affiliate network. We are confident that our team of top-tier real estate specialists is dedicated to providing our clients with the very best local knowledge and the finest international exposure for their homes.“

“With an 85 percent international clientele, and over 2,000 refined property gems in our portfolio varying in styles from châteaux, luxury villas, hôtels particuliers, duplex or loft apartments, and vineyard estates, we cater for a discerning clientele, meeting high-level real estate demands.”

With the second-largest airport in France, Nice is the gateway to the region. Côte d’Azur has long been synonymous with the glitz and glamour of stars and the wealthy. Local annual high-caliber events, like the Cannes Film Festival and MIPIM, further reinforce the international elite’s presence in the region. The coast is studded with homes of the famous, including Elton John and Sean Connery in Nice, Bono and Julian Lennon near Eze, Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis in the countryside near Saint-Tropez.

The French Riviera embraces the best of what the Mediterranean has to offer with a great variety of scenery. From the yachting Mecca of Antibes and the rural sweep of verdant vineyards and olive trees in Saint Remy de Provence to the vibrant Saint-Tropez and the more urbanized developed areas of Nice and Cannes.

About Michaël Zingraf

Michaël Zingraf started his real estate career in 1977 in Cannes and over the years the company has developed into a family business. This year the company is celebrating its 35th anniversary and has been providing precious expertise on the luxury real estate market on the French Riviera and in Provence. Today, Zingraf's two children, Heathcliff and Mayerling, have joined the company to support the quest to offer the company's chiefly international and selective clientele unique and spectacular properties. Over time, Michaël Zingraf’s great expertise and professionalism have become a reference in the luxury real estate market.

Pristine and Expansive Costa Rican Family Compound

Pristine and Expansive Costa Rican Family Compound, Playa Barrigona, Offered for US$29,750,000

500 acres of privately owned jungle and beaches in a remote area on the Nicoya Peninsula

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Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica — Sun-drenched and pristine, the Nicoya Peninsula lies along Costa Rica’s northern Pacific coast. The region is known for its dazzling white-sand beaches and untouched tropical splendor. 

Rarely marked on maps, Playa Barrigona is such a haven of solitude and serenity that olive ridley sea turtles travel thousands of miles across the Pacific each year to lay their eggs on this beach.

Here celebrated actor, Mel Gibson, transformed a cattle ranch into an exquisite family retreat. Supremely situated amid 500 acres of privately owned jungle, the villas of Playa Barrigona are tropical retreats unlike any other. Each of the three homes is nestled on a hilltop overlooking the Pacific Ocean. A secluded white-sand beach is a short walk away, and the vibrant sights and sounds of the jungle envelop the grounds.

“The property is expansive, meticulously maintained and ultimately private,” says Rick Moeser, Senior Vice President for the Southeast, Caribbean, and South and Central America. “With its multiple homes and outbuildings, this is the ideal family retreat and can easily accommodate extremely large extended families.”

Custom-fitted with native Costa Rican woods and Spanish and Italian tiles, each villa claims a generous layout, including a living room with vaulted ceilings, a full kitchen, and multiple verandahs looking out over stunning jungle and ocean vistas. A private pool, full air conditioning, and barbecue areas complete the amenities at each residence.

The largest of the villas, Casa Guanacaste, encompasses seven bedrooms and eight baths. Each of the two smaller villas feature two bedrooms and are enhanced with additional living spaces (a poolside cottage in Casa Barrigona and a loft in Casa Dorada).

The nearby villages of Samara and Nosara offer quaint restaurants and shops, but peace and quiet are the hallmarks of this stunning estate.

Playa Barrigona is easily reached by plane or car. International visitors can arrive into either San José or Liberia airports. From the airport, a drive or a short commuter flight will provide direct access to Carrillo or Nosara. 

Christie's Network: Hilton & Hyland Posts the Year’s Highest Home Sale in Beverly Hills To Date

Hilton & Hyland Posts the Year’s Highest Home Sale in Beverly Hills To Date

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One of the most architecturally significant estates in California’s North Beverly Park’s has sold. Listed at US$25 million by Christie’s International Real Estate exclusive Affiliate Hilton & Hyland Real Estate, the sale marks the highest residential transaction to date this year in the exclusive enclave of Beverly Hills.

Secluded on more than two acres of flat, park-like grounds, the contemporary residence features a terraced master suite with stunning mountain views, a cozy sitting area and a fireplace. Exotic wood framed windows and skylights frame the home’s dramatic entertaining areas, including a grand first floor living room, adjacent indoor and outdoor dining rooms, and a family room with kitchen. A theater, 1,000 square foot gym, sauna, massage room, and three upstairs bedrooms are additional highlights.

The estate also features a detached two-story guesthouse with two master suites, a secluded pool house with a guest apartment, as well as a spa and basketball court.

Hilton & Hyland Real Estate represented both sides of the transaction.

A Ritz hotel on Lehman sale list as it winds down

By PALLAVI GOGOI, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua hotel in Hawaii, a luxury ski resort in the Rockies and a Manhattan boutique hotel are among the last holdings of Lehman Brothers, the investment house whose spectacular bust triggered the worst of the 2008 financial crisis.

The bank said Tuesday that it will begin unloading its stakes in those properties in April as it prepares to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and finally meet its end.

Lehman's $639 billion bankruptcy remains the largest in U.S. history. It went under on Sept. 15, 2008, the same week that the government rescued AIG and the $700 billion bailout for majorbanks was conceived.

The bankruptcy marked the demise of a company that had survived the Civil War and the Depression.

Lehman has spent three and a half years in bankruptcy court, negotiating with the creditors who loaned it billions of dollars to make large bets on investments from apartment buildings, hotels and luxury resorts to complex financial instruments. Read more...