The Wall Street Journal published a great piece yesterday titled “How Good Are Zillow’s Estimates?” (subscription required). The Journal analyzed 1,000 recent home sales and compared the price paid with Zillow’s “Zestimates.” Summary of The Wall Street Journal’s findings: Median difference was 7.8% (Zillow reports 7.2% margin of error) Estimates were both too ... Read Full Article »

Last week, Quintess announced a partnership with Leading Hotels of the World along with its second acquisition in an exclusive interview with Helium Report. We spoke with Paul McManus, CEO of Leading Hotels of the World to hear his perspective on his company’s second foray into the destination club industry. Pairing ... Read Full Article »

If one merger worked well, why not another? In an exclusive Helium Report interview, Quintess announced a long-term partnership with Leading Hotels of the World and the firm’s second acquisition this year. In August, the luxury destination club merged with competitor Dream Catcher Retreats to form a 240-member destination club with ... Read Full Article »

When Leading Residences of the World launched in August 2005, we were impressed with the experience of the management team, the corporate partners, the portfolio of homes and the member deposit insurance. In particular, the club started its membership marketing with many homes already open and ready for occupancy. However, ... Read Full Article »

Every industry has its dominant players. Does that mean the leader is the best choice for everyone? Although Exclusive Resorts’ recent announcements solidify their position as the alpha club, many of the other 20+ destination clubs offer compelling alternatives to sheer scale. Even iPods only have 90% market share. Helium Report ... Read Full Article »

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Five days after we featured a home in St. Jean Cap Ferrat, the New York Times published a short article about the same luxury destination in their Sunday edition. Quelle coïncidence! “[F]or years, Cap Ferret had been a hideaway for wealthy families from ... Read Full Article »

Still nursing our sea urchin stings, we hop the pond to the south of France for a tour of Leading Residences of the World’s Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat retreat. Jet-setters may be familiar with the Leading Hotels of the World brand and it’s that level of elegance and hospitality that their partner ... Read Full Article »

Fifty-five years ago, you could have purchased the entire island for less than the cost of a destination club membership today. South Carolina’s Kiawah Island features five championship golf courses, two luxury resorts, and ten miles of beachfront homes on 10,000 acres. Two of the estates are destination club homes located ... Read Full Article »

Another day, another new club. We just wrapped up a call with Thomas Memmo, one of three co-founders of Pinnacle Club, a new entrant with its first home in Brigantine, New Jersey. With membership fees ranging between $114,900 and $139,900, Pinnacle Club competes directly with Private Escapes and Ultimate Resort. These three ... Read Full Article »

Yesterday’s fictional tourney bracket didn’t include all 23 destination clubs that we track (click here for the complete list), but we do have one for the NIT…or “Not in Tournament.” We’ve reached out to Bob Stephens of Choice Escapes to learn the story behind the recent announcment on their website. ... Read Full Article »

Quintess announced their 100th member this week, joining Exclusive Resorts, Tanner & Haley, and Private Escapes in the century club. The milestone is a noteworthy achievement in this rapidly growing industry. As more companies launch, consumers are increasingly confused about the differences between clubs and it becomes harder ... Read Full Article »

We spoke earlier this month to Steve Peterson, a partner at Ballard Spahr, and arguably one of the country’s experts on the formation and corporate structure of fractional real estate businesses, including destination clubs. Steve confirmed what we have been thinking and saying: that a prospective member to any non-equity destination ... Read Full Article »

People have asked us about the industry, and where it came from..so here is an abbreviated timeline, identifying some of the players: Started in 1998, with the launch of Private Retreats by Rob McGrath, an experienced fractional real estate developer. Originally called Abercrombie & Kent Destinations and since renamed to Tanner ... Read Full Article »

The Leading Residences of the World Charter Membership offer expires tomorrow, November 15th. The membership deposit will increase from $299,000 to $325,000. Annual dues for the luxury vacation membership club remain at $15,000. Read Full Article »

<!-logo and address-> Membership Inquiries: http://www.lrwclub.com/ Click here to request more information <!- profile data-> Membership Members (as of 1Q06) 50 Member cap None ... Read Full Article »