Significant Sales

The most expensive apartment in New York has sold for a staggering $88 million to a Russian billionaire, setting an unprecedented record in the Manhattan real estate market. The 627 square-metre apartment in Central Park West was sold by Brown Harris Stevens, the exclusive affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate. Rimontgó is also an associate of Christie’s, who is based in Valencia. The property was bought by Ekaterina Rybolovleva, the 22-year-old daughter of Russian billionaire, Dmitriy Rybolovlev, who made his fortune in the fertilizer business. Rybolovleva is currently studying at a US university and plans to stay in the apartment when visiting New York.

In terms of significant sales, i.e. the sale of so-called important properties, Inmobiliaria Rimontgó recorded four such transactions in its home market area in 2010. These included two luxurious villas in Jávea, along Spain’s scenic east coast, a large villa just off the city of Alicante, a little further south, and a grand property in the region of Elche. But in addition to such ‘local’ transactions of note have come the fruits of the international cooperation that Rimontgó has worked so hard to develop, and which finds itself embodied in EREN (European Real Estate Network) and the other international organisations that the company belongs and contributes to.

The value of organisations such as EREN - the European Real Estate Network - and the international cooperation they foster - was proved again recently when Inmobiliaria Rimontgó of Valencia collaborated with Marschall Immobilien of Vienna to find a New York client a lovely city property in the Austrian capital. The fact that the couple in question work for the UN makes it all the more poignant. When a New York City based couple working for the United Nations found out they were being transferred to the UN operation in Vienna, they started researching suitable properties and parts of town on the Internet. The search led them to the website of Rimontgó, whose collaboration with EREN and other luxury property networks enables them to showcase prime property from around the world.

Though the current period can generally be described as a recession that has touched most of us in some way or another, we are happy to report that it's not all doom and gloom. For EREN and its members 2009 contained some notable highlights that marked a distinct improvement over 2008 and the early beginnings of a recovery. This is a perfect example of the value that an International Network has for our clients as well as for our EREN members.

José Ribes Bas was recently interviewed by the prestigious international property magazine OPP after it learned of Rimontgó's enviable end-of-year sales. This English language publication enjoys worldwide distribution and has developed a reputation as providing an incisive and intelligent picture of the international real estate market.

The luxury properties sold in the final quarter of 2009 varied greatly in terms of setting, style and individual features, but what they had in common was quality and accurately valued pricing. One villa stood out for its magnificent beachfront setting, another for its architectural styling and the final two for their standard of finish and luxurious features, yet all represented quality homes in a top location at the right asking price.

What helps in this regard is the fact that such homes are by their very nature highly individualistic and in many cases unique in their characteristics and what they offer, says José Ribes. "This makes it easier to match them with the often very specific wants of clients who have commissioned us to look out for the right property." It is exactly what happened when the firm were instructed to sell a luxurious villa in Santa Barbara, an exclusive residential area in the small town of Rocafort, close to the city of Valencia. Set within the best part of Santa Barbara - a country club environment generally regarded as one of the most desirable in the Valencia region - the home features modern architectural design by renowned artchitect Ramón Esteve and employs high tech facilities in combination with stone cladding, hardwood panelling and other fine materials constructed with a rare level of workmanship.

The property experts at Rimontgó recently sold Villa Cabo de la Nao, a beautiful four-bedroom villa located in Jávea (Alicante) on Spain's Costa Blanca, another indication that the market is still active, providing that the property is of a sufficiently high standard and properly appraised...

In current times we live and despite the deep crisis that all global economies are suffering, some companies still continue to live through and with huge effort and dedication they manage to be a leader in their market field. Two of these sales are worth to be pointed out, not only for their sale price and their luxury facilities, but also for the beauty of the properties, the importance and the prestige of the area where they have been built. These two featured jewels are in Bétera, Valencia, and Denia, Alicante. the high-end real estate market continues to move and the quality still is an appreciated key element for those who in this moment can make the most of the golden opportunity given by the current situation.