The seeds of family businesses are often sown from the rich soil of dreams and nourished by hard work, risk-taking and resilience. This was the fertile ground from which Laurent Demeure, founder and CEO of Coldwell Banker France & Monaco, planted a new vision for the real estate business started by his grandfather in the 1920s.

Laurent Demeure | Photography by William Bibet
“In 2010, it became clear to me that my company had to integrate with a large group, with a real corporate culture and international reach,” remembers the award-winning real estate expert. “I chose to join Coldwell Banker.”
Today, Demeure has transformed the family business into a multi-million dollar international franchise with 45 offices backed by one of luxury real estate’s most legendary names. His company now has 350 agents, including his top-producing wife Vanda Demeure, a Global Luxury Ambassador who has been recognized as the No. 1 International Sales Associate in the Coldwell Banker network for 10 years in a row. Since 2010, the company has sold nearly 10,000 units, resulting roughly in $9 billion USD in sales volume — ranking it among the top three international high-end real estate firms. Now, Demeure has grand plans again. To mark his company’s 10-year anniversary with the Coldwell Banker network, his sights are set on a bold new expansion into Europe’s three French-speaking countries: Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland.

Craig Hogan
Craig Hogan, vice president of luxury for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, recently caught up with Demeure from his main office in Paris to ask him about his European expansion plans and how he made the transition from a local leader to an international real estate star.
Craig Hogan Why do you feel now was the right time to expand beyond France?
Laurent Demeure
Craig Hogan
Laurent Demeure
Craig Hogan
Laurent Demeure
Craig Hogan
Laurent Demeure
Craig Hogan
Laurent Demeure
In early 2000, I opened a luxury real estate office on Avenue Montaigne, one of the most luxurious avenues in Paris, because I saw the market expand at the international level. So, I put all my cards into the luxury real estate market.
The company has grown quickly. The arrival of the internet dynamically changed the relationship between agents and customers.
Craig Hogan You’ve said before that the internet was one of the catalysts that led to your alignment with Coldwell Banker in 2010. How did that happen?
Laurent Demeure
At the time, I was the local leader, so I could remain known at the local level or move forward to an international level. The 2008 subprime crisis broke out and hastened my decision. My office didn’t make any sales and I almost lost everything. I centralized my business to one single office with a smaller team. I managed to get through the crisis, but it was still necessary to rethink my business strategy because the economic model was no longer sustainable in the long term. This was when I decided to invest a lot more in luxury real estate to reorient the group in this direction. In 2010, I made the commitment to join Coldwell Banker. I’ve never looked back. It was the best decision I ever made.
Craig Hogan
Laurent Demeure
Craig Hogan
Laurent Demeure
With digital marketing, we have developed both inbound and outbound marketing tools to reach all buyers, bring them to our website and share their contact information. Then we can send them newsletters and e-mailings thanks to a marketing automation strategy. We also reach them where they are: on social media, with content promotions. Today, some of our agents in the U.S. make more than 70% of business thanks to Instagram. We are proud to have become the strongest real estate brand on social media.
We have selected two types of magazines to advertise in: some niche magazines with a small but very strong audience on UHNWI and UNWI, and some with a larger audience. We also create content for the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury program’s flagship magazine, Homes & Estates. This medium is one of the most important marketing tools we use to build the luxury image for the brand.
This year, we launched our very own European version Homes & Estates. We have placed these magazines in our offices, free of charge, so our clients have an opportunity to see the beautiful properties for sale all over the world. It’s been an enormous hit among our clients and agents already!