THE FOCUS people
Having opened her first Engel & Völkers shop on the Golden Mile many years ago, Smadar Kahana’s expansion into Puerto Banús marks a successful trajectory that has seen this elegant and sophisticated lady become a dominant figure in Marbella’s luxury real estate segment.
Success in Luxury Real Estate
Smadar Kahana WORDS Michel cruz Photography Courtesy of Engel & Völkers
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tepping into the main Marbella office of Engel & Völkers on the Golden Mile, I have the opportunity to meet up with Smadar Kahana again. Newly revamped, the office is not only sleek and modern but also reflects the sense of growth and dynamism that she has created, expanding from one to four shops in the space of just a few years. What’s more, she achieved this during an intense recession, but if you ask her about it she is inclined to say: “what recession?” The glint in her eye reveals that she knows very well what I’m talking about, yet Smadar has accomplished the enviable in that she has been selling luxury homes in Marbella at a steady rate since 2005. Add to this the fact that it is at an ascending rate and you can see why she has become such
a dominant force in the top end of the market. It is this growth that saw her expand from her original operation on the Golden Mile to owning the Engel & Völkers licenses in El Rosario and Elviria – and culminated in the recent acquisition of the important E&V shop in Puerto Banús. “It completes a process that allows me to cover the most important areas of Marbella, as the way we work is that every office is manned by people who are specialists in their specific areas and know the properties there inside out. Engel & Völkers offices work very well together, locally and internationally, but by bringing these four shops under a single organisational umbrella we can provide a totally seamless service within Marbella and its surroundings.”
A Rising Star Like Smadar, Engel & Völkers as a global brand is a rising star in the luxury real estate sector, developing over the past 25 years to become a major global player, with almost 6,000 people working in 600 offices in 39 countries across the five continents. Luxury residential is the main field of activity, though there are also successful divisions in commercial real estate, yachts and aviation, with an original emphasis on primary homes and increasing growth in the secondary ‘holiday home’ segment. “It isn’t by coincidence that we are selling many of the most luxurious estates in the Marbella area,” says Smadar, “just as it isn’t a coincidence that Engel & Völkers has become so successful.”
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