RISMEDIA, Feb. 5, 2007-The 2007 Luxury Real Estate European Conference was held in Geneva, Switzerland on Jan. 19, 2007, at the Hotel Bristol - a high-end boutique hotel across from scenic Lake Geneva. Members present at the conference included those from firms across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East. After the conference, an intimate group headed to Zermatt for a week of skiing for the Luxury Real Estate European Ski Trip. "This conference brought together the leaders in luxury real estate from all over the globe - Europe, the Americas, the Middle East," says John Brian Losh, chairman and CEO of LuxuryRealEstate.com and Who's Who in Luxury Real Estate. "International contacts have always been essential to the successful luxury broker, in recent years we have seen a steady increase in referrals between domestic and international members of Luxury Real Estate." The conference included discussions on brand initiatives and strategic marketing and a gala dinner sponsored by the delegates from Dubai. At the dinner, a new 15B development project in Dubai, The Palisades, was introduced to the Luxury Real Estate membership.

This mixed-use development will include a hotel, apartments, villa residences, shopping, a hospital, schools and places of worship. Many topics were discussed during the conference, including the latest trends in the international real estate markets, including - the emergence of a new middle class making strong investments throughout Europe, with a focus on off-shore areas in Spain and Portugal; the sales of high-end homes in Italy have surged in Tuscany, especially near Sienna, Umbria and Cortona; September was a great month for luxury sales in Italy, France, Switzerland and Spain; Chateaux in Switzerland are selling well at record rates, particularly in St. Moritz, Gstaad, Lausanne and Vevey. In North America the supposed real estate bubble has only ‘burst' somewhat in select markets, Phoenix, Las Vegas and around Los Angeles. In the Pacific Northwest, Northern California and British Columbia, Canada, markets are still strong. The luxury market has made significant gains in those areas. In other U.S. markets, for instance New York City, pricing has reached new heights."Now more than ever, the high net-worth are looking worldwide for their home and investment purchases. The Internet has played an integral part in connecting the international luxury real estate marketplace," says Losh. "

It is essential that brokers specifically catering to the luxury buyer connect at events of this nature."Those interested in maximizing the Internet to take their real estate business to the next level should attend the next Luxury Real Estate conference - the LRE Tech Exchange, Feb. 22-24, 2007, in Seattle. Luxury Real Estate hosts four conferences annually in various locations: the European Conference and Ski Trip, the LRE Tech Exchange, the Luxury Real Estate Spring Retreat and the Annual Fall Conference. The Spring Retreat will be April 22-24, 2007, held in Key Biscayne, Florida. The Fall Conference will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia in October.