Meet the Kretz Family: Pioneers in Luxury Real Estate

Discover a French Family and Business Affair celebrating l'art de vivre - The art of living

How do you go about promoting, negotiating and selling a €40m estate with more than fifty rooms? Just follow the lead of the Kretz family, who are pioneers in the world of luxury real estate.

According to Ernst & Young, family businesses are outpacing the global economy. They have been growing at nearly twice the rate of advanced economies, and this doesn’t seem to be slowing down. EY suggests that if family businesses were a national economy, they would be the third largest, trailing only the US and China. So, it comes as no surprise that the Kretz family have found such success and is trusted with some of the most prestigious properties in the world.

Mother-and-father duo Sandrine and Olivier Kretz founded Kretz Family Real Estate in 2007. Based in a stylish office home in Boulogne-Billancourt in Paris, they aim for their company to embody the values of independence, agility and family they hold in high esteem. Most importantly, Kretz Family Real Estate supports the projects and dreams of its clients: ‘we see real estate as a deeply and exclusively human business,’ they say. Three of their four sons, Martin, Valentin, and Louis, work with Sandrine and Olivier at the family business, and younger Raphaël has recently followed as a work-study sales coordinator. 

Supporters have recently been able to get a closer look into the inner workings of Kretz Family Real Estate through the 2021 Netflix series The Parisian Agency: Exclusive Properties. The show follows the family as they sell million-euro homes across the world and navigate their own personal challenges. Perhaps it’s the fact that non-English-language TV shows are more popular than ever, or it’s the comforting family ethos and intuitive sales. Still, The Parisian Agency has received wide acclaim and comes as a refreshing deviation from some of the more materialistic property shows ruling the charts.

The success of the Kretz family comes as a result of exceptional strategy and communication. They recognise that real estate is an industry that revolves around more than just conventional transactions. Through their services, the Kretzs foster the personal aspirations of their clients and support their life projects. They offer innovative consulting and a unique database to match clients with their dream homes. And now, with offices and agents around the world – including in Paris, Spain, Monaco, New York and Greece – it seems that Sandrine and Olivier are at the head of an ever-expanding international family business.

A Peek into an Exclusive Property Real Estate Portfolio

Currently on the ‘Domains and Castles’ roster is a €40m estate boasting more than 50 rooms (including 30 bedrooms). The elegant château commands the coastal landscape from the heart of Cassis on the Mediterranean coast and comes with a thriving wine brand that produces up to 200,000 bottles each year. The grounds are peppered with a variety of opulent villas and apartments, which make up the property’s impressive room count. At the other end of the spectrum – and under the ‘Gardens and Terraces in Town’ category – is a breathtaking Parisian penthouse that overlooks the Seine and the Eiffel Tower. On sale for just under €14m, this property is Kretz Family Real Estate’s bread and butter.

From countryside castles and Parisian palaces to family cottages and contemporary lofts, Kretz Family Real Estate does it all. This family business is dominating the luxury property market, and even for those not currently looking to invest, The Parisian Agency is certainly worth a watch. If the company continues to grow at the same rate as family businesses across the world, it is hard to see a future in which Kretz Family Real Estate isn’t at the top of the luxury property tree.