Sixteen short days came and went and with it, the sale of the extraordinary Redwood Estate sold by RE/MAX agent Elizabeth McQueen of RE/MAX Crest Realty in Vancouver, British Columbia, for $23 million (CAD). The 10,000-square-foot home (plus 3,000-square-feet of outdoor living, including tennis court, patios and balconies) was the most expensive sale in Vancouver in three years and was marketed as the “ultimate private residence” with elegance permeating every flawless detail.
A RE/MAX veteran – McQueen has been with the brand and office for 32 years in Vancouver – McQueen sat down (virtually!) with RE/MAX News to talk about her unique approach to marketing this one-of-a-kind property, and what it means for her business to be affiliated with the global real estate franchise brand.
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The home is gorgeous! Tell us more about the property and what your favorite features are.
My favorite part is the great room. It’s easy to imagine casual entertaining and having a bunch of friends over to watch the hockey game. There’s plenty of seating and the kitchen is wide open.
What was your approach to marketing one of the most expensive homes sold in Vancouver?
The home is absolutely stunning and truly spectacular from every angle inside and out. You might think that would make this easy to market, but it was a challenge deciding what features to share. Most people have a fairly limited attention span, so we needed to select features of the home that would be attention-grabbing to draw them in to learn more about the property in-depth.
The Redwood Estate
The Redwood Estate
Did you adjust your strategy as a result of the pandemic?
It’s interesting because some of the challenges we’ve had in the last couple of years in the luxury market in Vancouver had already pinched the demand of buyers making the decisions. COVID seemed to really have the effect of waking up everyone to making a decision because they found that they were stuck in their homes for months during shelter-in-place orders and the virus lit a fire under prospective buyers to make some decisions about where they wanted to live.
How can other luxury real estate agents replicate your marketing success?
Get focused on marketing early and stay consistent. It’s easy to get busy and drop your marketing. But remember that it’s important for the public to see you’re active and out there.
Vancouver is known for its hot real estate market. How did this listing compare to other properties?
The last sale that reached the highest price point in Vancouver sold for $17 million a few months ago. But the Redwood Estate is an even better home.
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How were you selected to be the listing agent for this home?
I’ve used geographic farming for years. And this listing came about as a direct result of that marketing. I have consistent monthly marketing reports that go out, and the sellers felt like they knew me even before they gave me a call. They had actually called me three years ago and we completed an evaluation at that time and then they called me back this year to say they were ready to list the home. Sixteen days after the listing posted, the home was sold with back-up offers at the ready.
Any advice for representing a property of this caliber?
One of the things that is important to keep in mind when selling a home like this is to make sure the funding that buyers are going to need is there.
What does it mean for your business to be associated with the RE/MAX brand?
The solidity behind the name and brand worldwide means everything. It has really allowed me to cultivate amazing connections and referrals around the globe. And I think that’s what being with a RE/MAX brokerage is all about.
A distinguished and award-winning Canadian real estate agent, economist and educator, Elizabeth McQueen has maintained a thriving, domestic and international real estate practice in partnership with RE/MAX in Vancouver, British Columbia, for over 30 years.
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Written by Samantha Rotbart
