Editors’ Note

Susan de França joined Douglas Elliman Development Marketing as President & CEO in 2011. Her expertise and insights in development design, planning, marketing and sales have been integral to the division’s expansion throughout New York, South Florida and California. Under de França’s leadership, Douglas Elliman Development Marketing has represented high-profile projects such as 150 Charles, 10 Madison Square West, 111 Murray, 432 Park Avenue, Faena House, and Miami Beach EDITION, many of which achieved record breaking statistics. Her vision, passion and expertise are reflected in the success of Douglas Elliman Development Marketing under her tutelage. With over 100 in-house development professionals and a $70 billion global new development portfolio, Douglas Elliman Development Marketing is a real estate leader both nationally and internationally. Prior to joining Douglas Elliman, de França was the President of Related Sales and presided over $3 billion worth of sales within the company’s luxury and super-luxury condominium portfolio, with properties in New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles. During her tenure at Related, her prestigious portfolio included One Central Park, The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, The Chatham and Superior Ink. She also previously served as Executive Vice President and Managing Director of The Sunshine Group Ltd.

Company Brief

Established in 1911, Douglas Elliman Real Estate (elliman.com) is the largest brokerage in the New York Metropolitan area and the third largest residential real estate company nationwide. With more than 7,000 agents, the company operates approximately 113 offices in New York City, Long Island, The Hamptons, Westchester, Connecticut, New Jersey, Florida, California, Colorado and Massachusetts. Moreover, Douglas Elliman has a strategic global alliance with London-based Knight Frank Residential for business in the worldwide luxury markets spanning 60 countries and six continents. The company also controls a portfolio of real estate services including Douglas Elliman Development Marketing, Douglas Elliman Property Management and Douglas Elliman Commercial.

Will you provide an overview of Douglas Elliman Development Marketing and how it is differentiated in the industry?

Douglas Elliman Development Marketing, a division of Douglas Elliman Real Estate which was established in 1911, offers unmatched expertise in sales, leasing and marketing for premier new developments throughout New York City, Long Island, Westchester, the Hamptons, South Florida, California and Massachusetts as well as throughout other parts of the United States and internationally.

Our hybrid platform of pairing experienced new development experts with our skilled brokerage professionals provides unparalleled expertise and real time market intelligence to our clients.

Our Douglas Elliman Market Report produced in conjunction with Miller Samuels, a leading independent appraisal firm, is the benchmark for residential real estate market information.

Our strategic global alliance with Knight Frank Residential, the world’s largest privately-owned property consultancy, allows us to market properties to audiences in 60 countries and provide insight into wealth trends that are shaping residential real estate markets worldwide.

How broad are the services that Douglas Elliman Development Marketing offers and where do you see the greatest opportunities for growth?

Drawing upon decades of experience and market-specific knowledge, our firm offers a multidisciplinary approach that includes dedicated architecture, planning and design, project management, research and analytics and marketing and sales teams.

We have substantially expanded our footprint in Brooklyn and recently entered the Boston market. We are proud to lead the sales and marketing efforts for some of the most highly sought after new developments in Southern California. Our proven track record in our established markets has enabled us to accelerate our expansion into other key U.S. cities.

Will you discuss Douglas Elliman Development Marketing’s project portfolio?

With a portfolio of over $30 billion, we represent high-profile new developments such as 432 Park Avenue, The XI, Eighty Seven Park in Miami, 3550 South Ocean in Palm Beach and The Residences at the West Hollywood EDITION in California.

We are proud to collaborate with many of the world’s most renowned architects and interior designers including Rafael Viñoly, Renzo Piano, Bjarke Ingels, Giles & Boissier, Gabellini Sheppard and William Sofield.

Will you highlight the strength of the team at Douglas Elliman Development Marketing?

The power of our firm’s reputation enables us to attract the industry’s brightest and biggest talent. Our staff of new development specialists has extensive experience in working directly in-house for many of the nation’s premier developers. Additionally, many of us have had the pleasure of working together for over a decade and enjoy a collaborative platform that is unmatched.

Our team’s cross-industry expertise and relationships in the luxury marketplace enable us to cater not just to our clients’ housing needs but also to their overall wellness and lifestyle. We partner with like-minded fashion, art, and lifestyle brands that elevate and enrich our projects.

Another differentiator for our firm is our partnership commitments with the most celebrated luxury lifestyle events such as Art Basel Miami Beach, New York Fashion Week, The Hampton Classic and Frieze London and New York.

How do you focus your efforts in leading Douglas Elliman Development Marketing and what are your priorities for the business as you look to the future?

Our loyal and highly motivated team with diverse skill sets has proven tantamount to my success as a leader in this industry. It is imperative to us that our clients understand that they are our priority and that we are committed to our pursuit of excellence throughout the entire development and sales process.

Through our partnership with Knight Frank Residential, we look at the future through a global lens by providing unique insight into the emerging trends of the global prime property markets. This collaboration has set us apart as leaders in the international marketplace and allowed our clients to benefit from the insight of the world’s wealthiest investors. Through proprietary tools such as the Wealth Report, the annual publication providing a global perspective on prime property and wealth, and FOLIO, the first-of-its-kind digital asset management and distribution platform, our firm embraces innovation through technology while honoring our brand’s extensive legacy of unparalleled quality.

To quote Knight Frank’s maxim, we’re “Connecting people and property, perfectly.”