Thus begins his story, an excerpt of life stories, fairytale properties, culture and passion.
«In 2001, Wetag client George Harrison died and Olivia, widowed, asked me if I could sell her island in Australia. It was a delicate moment for the woman and I replied: “Of course”. I said it convinced that I could do it because I believed and firmly believe in the potential of Wetag not only on a local level, but also on a global level. This does not mean that international networks are everything, but undoubtedly personal and trusted contacts remain indispensable and irreplaceable, even in the era of artificial intelligence.
But not every big project or big property guarantees success. I remember when in 2007 we were invited to the Dominican Republic for the largest Caribbean project in history, the “Roco Ki”: 15 years of construction, 4000 hotel beds, 8000 residential units, an entire bay carved into the rock. I still remember the helicopter flight over the jungle, it was incredible… so we signed up to be the go-to seller in Europe. But the project failed and from the analysis we discovered that in exotic developments it takes up to three failures to reach completion.
On the contrary, the invitation to the small and refined “Laluna Boutique Villas”, in Granada, in 2014, where Lewis Hamilton and Nicole Scherzinger had just purchased one of the few residential units, was a success.
I like to remember the challenges experienced in Wetags, I relive them with the same emotions as then. Like when in 2010 we received an exclusive assignment for the sale of the largest private property in the Medina of Marrakech. Behind the dusty facades of a narrow alley was hidden an immense fairy-tale villa, composed of Riads fused together, a garden of palm trees, an indoor swimming pool and a roof terrace of almost a thousand square metres. But selling such a property also requires a lot of study. We had to familiarize ourselves with the local building laws, remaining totally discreet and every time a star wanted to see the complex we accompanied him to Morocco.
We must understand that in luxury everything is possible, I say this because after many years I have seen what I never thought possible: like in 2012 in New York during the visit to the two largest penthouses in the city. One was in pure Art Deco style, with a historic ballroom, the other had floors, doors, wooden beams, fireplaces imported from a 2009th century French castle, among other things designed by a Swiss architect. But even if everything is possible, the right value must always be given to objects. I remember that in 100 a client asked me to accompany him to the French Riviera to visit some villas, one of these was sublime, we are talking about an object worth well over 50 million euros. Yet, something told me that the owners were “motivated” to sell. My advice was therefore to proceed with an offer corresponding to a third of the price. The result was that the man purchased the property for less than XNUMX million."
Ueli Schnorf continues his story, we understand his passion, his love for architecture, for art... his curiosity towards knowledge.
«Culture is fundamental for those who work in the luxury market, you need to know it, but you also need to have seen it. This is why we regularly visit the most beautiful properties, to always be informed about what the international market offers. In 2020, with my partner Philipp Peter, we visited some villas under construction in Palm Beach, in the price category between 20 and 30 million dollars. According to the manufacturer, the sales period was just a few weeks, timing which for example is unimaginable in Switzerland, this is to say that every market has its own rules. Another extraordinary visit, which we have already talked about inside Ticino Welcome, is that of 2021 in Dubai: the tallest penthouse in the world, the one located in the Burj al Arab Tower or the villa in Porto Cervo, seen in 2022, a 150 million euro property, so large that it can accommodate a large yacht directly into its waters."
And it is precisely to deal with "private sales" that Wetag Consulting has created a separate department in its Club EREN European Real Estate Network.
«To conclude I would like to remind you that the real estate market is also constantly evolving and changing faster and faster. Today we look to Asia, to Bali or the Indonesian island of Lombok, where we can follow what is described as the “largest development in Southeast Asia”, we are talking about the Samara Development (Samara Bay, Samara Hills). First the State built an international airport on the lawn, then a GP track was built, with some hotels on the sea, but the actual development was planned by the English with the construction of a large organic farm of vegetables, fruit and rice with solar systems and recycled rice field water. A green vision that also gives value to man. On the site there is now a school, where local farmers are educated in modern organic farming. The products, which will later go to the buyers of the approximately 350 villas, are initially used to feed the workers and their families. The villas themselves will be designed with the utmost respect for nature and everyone will be able to build with their own architect, if they wish, but the materials - preferably ecological - will be specified, as will the style. A winning idea... just think that 90% of the entire complex has already been sold. You see, you never stop learning."
Wetag Consulting sells high quality residential properties in Ticino, but as you have just read, its international contacts can offer you exclusive objects anywhere in the world. Do not hesitate to contact our offices.
