Côte d'Azur Sotheby's International Realty

What Côte d'Azur Sotheby's International Realty does

Côte d'Azur Sotheby's International Realty is a privately held luxury real estate agency operating as the franchised affiliate of the Sotheby's International Realty network across the French Riviera and Monaco. Founded in 1994, the business is anchored on a master franchise held by SARL FORTITUDE (Monaco) with operating entities consolidated under SAS CASIR HOLDING, comprising six SARLs across Cannes, Cap Ferrat (two entities), Saint-Tropez, and Nice. The agency runs six offices — Cannes (headquarters), Nice, Saint-Tropez, Mougins, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat — and participates in the Sotheby's International Realty France & Monaco network of nearly 80 agencies.

The service offering spans luxury property sales (resale), the Private Desk (a dedicated ultra-luxury service for top-tier clients), New Housing (new-build and off-plan / VEFA transactions with developers), property valuation and appraisal, custom and lifestyle property search, vacation rentals, and dedicated multilingual marketing collateral including digital magazines and property videos. The customer base is primarily international high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and investors seeking trophy assets and premium residences on the Côte d'Azur. Distribution is driven by the six owned offices, the global Sotheby's referral network, and active off-market inventory.

Revenue is transaction-based through commissions — capped at 6% (plus 20% VAT) on resale and 10% on land under French regulation — plus ancillary fees from new-build sales and vacation rentals. The customer mix is highly transactional with no recurring revenue, meaning each fiscal year depends on a relatively small number of large-ticket closings. Management includes Peter Illovsky (Chairman), Frederic Barth (Managing Director, Private Desk), and office-level leadership across Cannes and Nice, supported by a dedicated marketing function and a roster of 15+ named consultants.

Name

Côte d'Azur Sotheby's International Realty

Legal name

SARL CASIR CANNES

Website

https://cotedazur-sothebysrealty.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Côte d'Azur Sotheby's International Realty is a privately held franchised luxury real estate agency on the French Riviera and Monaco, operating six offices (Cannes, Nice, Saint-Tropez, Mougins, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat) and selling, valuing, and sourcing premium and trophy properties for international high-net-worth buyers via the Sotheby's network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Residential Real Estate Brokerage

NAICS

Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Real Estate (6500)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury & High-End Residential Brokerage (BPAJAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Buyer Representation Services (BPAJAAAJ), Ultra-Luxury Villas & Estates (THAMAEAA)

Keywords

• Luxury real estate brokerage
• French Riviera properties
• High-end property sales
• Luxury villa sales
• Off-plan property sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Cannes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Sales Commission: Commission-based revenue from luxury property sales on the French Riviera. Fees are typically borne by the seller (maximum 6% of listing price for properties, maximum 10% for land) and include 20% VAT. Buyer fees are calculated on the price received by the seller.
2. Off-Plan Property Sales (VEFA): Fees for sales of off-plan apartments or villas (VEFA - Vente en État Futur d'Achèvement) are charged as per developer marketing contracts.
3. Real Estate Services: Professional services including property valuation, acquisition support, vacation rentals, and high-end appraisal services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Côte d'Azur Sotheby's International Realty is a luxury real estate brokerage that buys, sells, and manages exceptional villas, apartments, penthouses, bastides, and estates across the French Riviera. It operates six offices from Saint-Tropez to the Italian border and delivers core sales services, an ultra-luxury Private Desk, new development (VEFA) sales, property valuation, custom property search, and lifestyle-segmented listings, all under commission-based pricing bearing VAT at 20%.

Product overview

Côte d'Azur Sotheby's International Realty is a luxury real estate agency offering a comprehensive portfolio of services for buying and selling exceptional properties across the French Riviera. The company's core offering centers on luxury property sales and acquisitions through its network of six offices (Cannes, Nice, Saint-Tropez, Mougins, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat). The service lineup includes: the core Luxury Real Estate Sales & Acquisition Services for villas, apartments, penthouses, and estates; the premium Private Desk for ultra-high-net-worth clientele seeking confidential transactions; New Housing services for off-plan developer properties; Property Valuation; Custom Property Search for tailored off-market finds; and Lifestyle Property Search organized by categories like Sea View, Waterfront, Contemporary, and Provençal. The company is part of the Sotheby's International Realty network, leveraging the Sotheby's brand for prestige and international exposure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Private Desk: Ultra-luxury real estate service for high-net-worth clients seeking exclusive properties in France and internationally, headed by Peter Illovsky (Chairman) and Frederic Barth (Managing Director).
• New Housing

Products and services

• Luxury Real Estate Sales & Acquisition Services Full-service luxury real estate agency specializing in the purchase and sale of high-end properties across the French Riviera, including villas, apartments, penthouses, bastides, and estates, for high-net-worth buyers and sellers.
• Private Desk Dedicated ultra-luxury real estate service led by Peter Illovsky (Chairman) and Frederic Barth (Managing Director) for high-net-worth clients seeking exclusive properties and confidential transactions in France and abroad.
• New Housing (Programme Neuf / VEFA) Marketing and sale of new development properties including off-plan apartments and villas (VEFA - Vente en État Futur d'Achèvement) from developers on the French Riviera, with featured projects such as Le 20 Marinoni, Villa Lérins, First Croisette, Eden Garoupe, Eagle & Albatros, Le Chauvain, and Résidence Couleur Esterel.
• Property Valuation Services Expert property appraisal and valuation services for sellers seeking to determine the market value of exceptional properties on the French Riviera.
• Custom Property Search (Entrust Research) Tailored property search service in which the agency's experts identify properties matching specific client criteria, including access to off-market listings not publicly advertised.
• Lifestyle Property Search Property search organized by lifestyle categories including Sea View, Waterfront, Contemporary, Belle Epoque, Penthouse & Top Floor, and Provençal properties, helping buyers filter luxury listings by lifestyle preference.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Sotheby's International Realty France - MonacocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCôte d'Azur Sotheby's International Realty operates as a member of the Sotheby's International Realty network, the real estate branch of Sotheby's, the prestigious auction house. The franchise is licensed to Sotheby's International Realty France - Monaco (SARL FORTITUDE, headquartered in Monaco).
• Sotheby's International Realty France - Monaco Franchise HoldercoreOthersSARL FORTITUDE, Corporate Headquarters at 17 boulevard de Suisse, 98000 Monte Carlo, Monaco - the master franchise holder for Sotheby's International Realty in France and Monaco.
• Sotheby's Auction HouseflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation with Sotheby's, the prestigious auction house founded in 1744, provides guarantee of excellence and international expertise. The Sotheby's brand enhances credibility and attracts high-net-worth clientele globally.
• Legal Professionals (Notaries, Lawyers)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership with lawyers, notaries, and supervisory authorities for compliance with legislation (Alur, Tracfin, Anti-money laundering) in property transactions.
• QBE European OperationsminorOthersProfessional liability insurance provider for real estate agents underwritten by QBE European Operations (police numbers: 2020IM00143, 2020IM00144, 2020IM00145, 2020IM00305).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Daniel Féau: Daniel Féau is a high-end Paris-based luxury real estate agency that also serves French Riviera markets. While primarily Paris-centric, it competes for the same international buyer pool seeking prestige French properties and overlaps with Côte d'Azur SIR on cross-Paris/Riviera mandates.
• Monaco Real Estate (Miells & Partners / Regus-based local agencies): Miells is a Monaco-focused luxury boutique agency active on the Riviera and Italian border, serving ultra-luxury buyers and residents of Monaco. It is comparable to Côte d'Azur SIR's Monegasque client flow but operates in a more geographically concentrated Monaco-niche adjacent to the firm's Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Beaulieu offices.

Direct peers

• Christie's International Real Estate: Christie's International Real Estate is the auction-house-backed luxury brokerage network that competes head-to-head with Sotheby's for affiliated brokerages selling exceptional properties worldwide. It directly parallels Côte d'Azur SIR's brand-backed luxury positioning and ultra-luxury buyer pool.
• Barnes: Barnes is a luxury-focused international real estate brokerage with strong presence across France and continental Europe, including the French Riviera. It competes directly with Côte d'Azur SIR for ultra-luxury mandates, off-market inventory, and international HNW clientele using a similar boutique advisory model.
• John Taylor: John Taylor is a historic luxury real estate specialist with deep roots in the French Riviera, Monaco, and other Mediterranean prime markets. It is one of the most direct competitors to Côte d'Azur SIR for prestige villa, apartment, and waterfront estate transactions serving U/HNW buyers.
• Michaël Zingraf Real Estate: Michaël Zingraf is a French luxury real estate group concentrated on the Côte d'Azur and Provence, offering luxury sales, rentals and new-build marketing. It is a regional direct competitor with comparable pricing model (commission-based) and similar client type (ultra-luxury second-home and primary-residence buyers).

Broad incumbents

• Savills: Savills is a global real estate services firm with a prominent prime-residential and lifestyle desk serving the French Riviera. It is comparable in serving international ultra-luxury buyers but its broader commercial and investment advisory portfolio distinguishes it from Côte d'Azur SIR's focused residential brokerage model.
• Coldwell Banker Global Luxury: Coldwell Banker's Global Luxury program aggregates high-end listings from its global franchise network and competes for international HNW buyer attention alongside Sotheby's affiliated brokerages. It targets a similar ultra-luxury clientele via a different parent brand, representing indirect competitive pressure on Côte d'Azur SIR.
• Engel & Völkers: Engel & Völkers is a global luxury real estate franchise with offices across the French Riviera. It overlaps with Côte d'Azur SIR's luxury mandate profile while operating a much broader franchise network and offering adjacent services like yachting, finance, and property management.
• Knight Frank: Knight Frank is a global real estate advisory firm with a strong prime-residential and luxury desk in the South of France and Monaco. As a wider-portfolio incumbent (residential, commercial, wealth advisory), it competes for the same HNW buyers but with broader service scope than Côte d'Azur SIR's focused residential offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cote-d'azur-sotheby's-international-realty

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Côte d'Azur Sotheby's International Realty