Luxury Homes For Sale In Marbella: What Happens In High-End Real Estate?

When it comes to luxury homes for sale in Marbella, everyone seems to claim expertise. Many agencies boast about specializing in high-end properties, but how often is this claim backed by data or consistent sales performance? At Drumelia, our approach to marketing and selling properties, regardless of price, is uniform. However, the way these luxury homes for sale in Marbella are sold — and to whom — reveals fascinating insights into the high-end real estate market. Let’s explore some open questions, ideas, and brainstorm on some interesting insights of how the €10M+ market works.

• Table of contents
• Marketing of the Exclusives
• Homes Sold Exclusively by Drumelia in 2024
• Perla Negra – A €14M Success Story
• What Sets Drumelia Apart?
• What Does This Mean for Marbella’s Real Estate Market?

At Drumelia, we have a clear policy: our collaborators receive the premium marketing materials regardless of the whether a home is listed at €2M or €20M. We make sure that each home is showcased with high quality, including photography, cinematic videos, and targeted digital strategies. However, when it comes to the sales process, we noted an interesting trend:

• Properties under €6M: These are mostly sold by our collaborators—other agencies with access to our exclusive listings. The consistency with which these properties sell highlights the strength of our marketing strategy and the effectiveness of collaboration, which we value very highly.
• Properties above €6M: The sales done are to our direct clients, these transactions almost never involve collaborators. This pattern raises intriguing questions: why do other agencies not sell properties in this price range, if the level of marketing we offer is the same, if not better, and all agencies have the same level of access to those properties’ marketing materials? Is this because other agencies do not have direct access to ultra-high-net-worth buyers, or is it because there is almost no one on the coast that has resources to specialize on such budgets?

We have analyzed the sales of this year and categorized them into 2 categories: sold to collaborator´s client and sold to a direct client of Drumelia. Below you can see the list of all Drumelia exclusives sold this year, with a total of 18 homes ranging from €1.7M to €29M.

Exclusive properties, sold to a client brought by a collaborator: 

1. La Isla, Nueva Andalucía, asking price 1.790.000 €
2. The Island, Estepona, asking price 1.795.000 €
3. Yozora View, Palo Alto, asking price 1.995.000 €
4. Imara penthouse, Sierra Blanca, asking price 2.190.000 € - Sold before launch
5. Villa Caribe, Marbesa, asking price 2.880.000 €
6. Eight o Three, Marbella Club Golf resort, asking price 3.390.000 €
7. Blue Horizon, Los Flamingos, asking price 4.450.000 €
8. The Golden One, La Carolina, asking price 4.950.000 €
9. Villa Futura, La Reserva de Alcuzcuz, asking Price 5.750.000 €
10. Casa Cielo, El Herrojo, asking price 5.900.000 €
11. Casa Terregles, La Zagaleta, asking price 6.500.000€

Exclusive properties, sold to our direct clients: 

1. Emare Jade, Estepona, asking price 8.000.000 €
2. Plot in Sierra Blanca, Marbella, asking price 10.490.000€
3. Villa Shiro, La Zagaleta, asking price 12.900.000€
4. Villa Toccata, Sierra Blanca, asking price 14.500.000 €
5. Perla Negra, Los Flamingos, asking price 14.500.000 €
6. Favorita, Rocío de Nagüeles, asking price 19.000.000 €
7. El Cortijo, Nagüeles, asking price 29.000.000€

For exclusive listings priced under €6M, our experience consistently shows that these properties are predominantly sold through our collaborators. This is a natural outcome of working with hundreds of local and international agencies, so if the home is properly marketed, the ratio is 400:1 where 400 represents our collaborators and 1 is Drumelia being one more agency to be able to sell this product. The scale of this network allows us to have a broad exposure, making it likely that a collaborator connects the property with the right buyer. While some might question the need for exclusivity when properties sell through other agencies, the advantage lies in how exclusivity allows us to market the homes more comprehensively and attractively, allowing our collaborators to close deals in record time.

When it comes to properties valued at €10M+ or more, the dynamics change dramatically. First of all, it is worth to mention that the list of sold homes in this price range this year is much bigger, where we had a direct but not exclusive contact. You will soon be able to see the full list in our blog with sales results for 2024 published on the 11th of December.

Despite applying equally sophisticated, if not superior, marketing strategies, these ultra-luxury properties are rarely sold by collaborators. Instead, nearly all transactions in this price range involve direct clients of our agency. The most plausible reason for this is the significantly smaller buyer pool in the €10M+ segment, where demand is concentrated among ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs).

While collaborators are highly incentivised to sell such properties, the challenge lies not in marketing or effort but in accessing this exclusive clientele. Our direct relationships with these buyers allow us to bridge the gap, helping us to find the right audience for even the most prestigious listings.

Selling a €10M+ property is not a stroke of luck or a one-off opportunity; it requires consistent access to a network of high-net-worth individuals, professional expertise and problem-solving.

So, we ask ourselves:

• Is selling one luxury property per year enough to claim expertise in the high-end market? At Drumelia, we see a steady flow of clients interested in properties above €10M. We believe that this consistency is what differentiates us from the rest.
• If other agencies have access to the same collaborative networks and marketing tools, why do they not manage to introduce the clients for these high-value properties?

One of our recent sales was Perla Negra, an exquisite €14M property sold by our Senior Property Advisor Bruna Karla Krüger. This home had been on the market for over 2 years before it became an exclusive of Drumelia and got sold in less than 6 months, including the time for completion. It happened so fast that we filmed a property tour for our YouTube channel that never got released, as the reservation came in.

This sale is significant not only for its price but also because it confirms a recurring trend in our agency: homes like these are almost always sold to our direct clients that come to Drumelia either from our webpage or by recommendation.

When analyzing the secret ingredient of this sale, we cannot help by notice: it very often happens that the owner receives an unrealistic price recommendation in the past from other agencies. However, our focus in Drumelia is not to win the like of the owners, but to provide a good service and professional advice that will result in a successful transaction for all parties involved.

Let’s think deeper about what could be contributing to our success in the €10M+ niche of the market:

1. Know our client. Selling ultra-high-end properties requires more than visibility online —it demands a deep understanding of the lifestyle, aspirations, and preferences of potential buyers. We take our time to really understand the needs of our clients and learn how they envision their day to day life, which helps us find the right home to match it.
2. Be trustworthy. High-net-worth buyers often gravitate toward agencies with a proven track record. Our expertise and reputation speaks for itself when it comes to closing even the most complex negotiations.
3. Build our network. We have a tailored selection of homes in the price range of €10M+, offered directly or exclusively by Drumelia, and most of those homes are kept in private collection until we learn more about the buyer’s needs, either for reasons of privacy requested by owner or off-market offerings that we are one of the first to get access to.
4. Focus on global reach. Every year, the sales we make in Drumelia represent at least 15 nationalities of buyers and sellers from all over the world. Not only do we have strong online marketing campaigns in place, but we are also followed by hundreds of thousands of people globally on our Instagram and YouTube, those people who learn about Marbella’s lifestyle through Drumelia.

The patterns we see about the ultra-high-end-market might not just be about us—they could indicate broader trends in Marbella’s real estate market. Here are some open questions for discussion:

• Is the €10M+ market niche hard to reach for most agencies? If a sale of a home above €10M does not happen very often, does this suggest a lack of expertise or resources in this segment?
• What attracts buyers to Marbella’s high-end market? Why do buyers from all over the world choose Marbella as the destination for investing in a property market and moving the center of their life activity to Marbella, raising their kids and forming communities? Understanding the needs and interests can help the industry improve to better serve high-net-worth buyers and sellers alike.

The fact is that the real estate market in Marbella is blooming, and the ultra-luxury segment requires an especially specialized approach. At Drumelia, our data from 2024 underscores the importance of consistency, expertise, and relationship-building in achieving success. While many agencies claim to specialize in high-end properties, the evidence suggests that few can match the steady traffic and results we deliver in the €10M+ segment.

These findings prompt us to ask some big-picture questions: What defines true specialization in luxury real estate? How can agencies adapt to meet the demands of the ultra-high-end market? And most importantly, what does it take to earn the trust of clients who seek nothing but the best?

As we move forward, these questions will shape not only our strategies but also the future of Marbella’s real estate market. The insights we gain today will help us continue setting the standard for excellence in luxury real estate tomorrow.

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If you’re interested in buying a property in the Marbella area, we have the biggest collection of updated high-end real estate of villas, apartments and plots. Feel free to contact us at [email protected] or call the office at +34 952 76 69 50; you will be very well attended! We want to provide the best real estate service in Marbella and be fully dedicated to finding you the best properties.