A trans-Atlantic partnership with a legacy of global achievement

This year marks the 15 year anniversary of the partnership between Knight Frank and Douglas Elliman, a global alliance between two leading real estate agencies headquartered on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. It was founded on a simple but overriding concept: to create a worldwide service for clients that is locally expert and globally connected.

For clients, that means a fully joined up service, one that offers superior advice and knowledge says Paddy Dring, head of the Private Office. “I believe that together Douglas Elliman and Knight Frank connect the globe better than anyone else in our industry,” he says. “Over the past 15 years, we have expanded our network, collaboratively working wherever our clients need us to be, no matter where their property search takes them.”

Together, Douglas Elliman and Knight Frank comprise the world’s largest privately-owned global property network, one with over 25,000 property professionals in 604 offices worldwide.

The relationship between the two firms started over a century ago with their first deal together taking place in 1920. By 1979, through a joint venture with Douglas Elliman, Knight Frank established an office in New York, but it was in September 2009 that the partnership was formalised. Today, everything Knight Frank does in the US is conducted through Douglas Elliman while Douglas Elliman works with Knight Frank globally, providing a one stop shop for clients wight across the globe.

“Douglas Elliman has 115 offices and 6,600 agents across the US,” says Jason Mansfield, head of US residential sales at Knight Frank. “They achieved US$51.2 billion in sales and rental transactions last year. Between our two companies, over the past 15 years, we have helped over 1,300 clients find a home in 37 different countries, and broken records together with some impressive sales.”

Those sales span a wide range of locations and prices. Knight Frank’s Como office referred a client to Douglas Elliman who bought a New York apartment for $4 million while a client referred by the Paris office purchased a house in Los Angeles’ Bird Streets for over $7 million. A client referred by Knight Frank London paid in excess of $30 million for an Aspen property. Meanwhile, property purchases made by clients referred to Knight Frank by Douglas Elliman offices include a CHF 30 million Swiss house and London properties priced from £3 million to over £35 million.

“Over time, the more we worked together, it was clear that both firms were equally focused on creating a seamless client experience,” says Mansfield. “So while we are different firms, we are both cut from the same cloth, alike in the important ways that make a difference for clients. Throughout, clients have one central point of contact in each firm.”

Along with the convenience of having one point of contact, advantages of the Douglas Elliman-Knight Frank partnership for clients include the depth and specialities within the combined firms, the speed that this depth allows both firms to provide and most importantly, a heightened and secure degree of trust. “Clients trust as at Knight Frank and we trust our contacts at Douglas Elliman,” says Mansfield.

A further aid for clients is the close connection with Knight Frank’s Private Office in New York, headed by Hugh Dixon. “Hugh works with New York-based Knight Frank clients, helping with their global property purchases whether that is in London, Dubai, Singapore or Sydney,” says Mansfield. “Everything we do with Hugh goes through Douglas Elliman. If, for example, a client needs a property valued in Beverley Hills, Douglas Elliman will swiftly find an agent with specialist knowledge of that exact location.”

Even as the 15 year anniversary is celebrated, both firms are focused on continuing to evolve to better serve their clients. In November 2023, in a joint venture with Douglas Elliman, Knight Frank began an affiliation with The Isles Group, headquartered in Nassau and working with luxury property throughout the 700 islands of the Bahamas. They deal with luxury properties across islands including the Exumas, Eleuthera and the Abacos.

“This is an exciting step in our relationship with Douglas Elliman and the first time Knight Frank has entered an affiliate partnership like this,” says Mansfield. “There are so many Brits and Americans with an interest in the Bahamian market and this partnership provides an even greater breadth and vision on the market.”

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