Douglas Elliman is diving into yachting.
The luxury real estate brokerage, known for handling top-tier listings and sales across the U.S., has exclusively shared with Robb Report that it is launching a new division to help the wealthy traverse the high seas—if they aren’t already.
Elliman Yachts, which debuted today in the midst of the Palm Beach International Boat Show, will offer yacht acquisition advisory and brokerage services, as well as bespoke yacht charters globally through a strategic partnership with Royal Yacht International. Headquartered in Monaco, the boutique brokerage specializes in the sale and charter of high-end vessels, offering a fleet that is on par with the Douglas Elliman property portfolio.
“Elliman Yachts reflects how today’s ultra-high-net-worth clients actually live—across waterfront homes, global destinations, and on the water,” Douglas Elliman president and CEO Michael S. Liebowitz said in a statement. “This division will allow us to add meaningful value in a category where guidance, discretion, and insight truly matter.”
The move underscores the rapid growth the marine sector has experienced over the past few years. The global luxury yacht market was valued at more than $11 billion in 2025 and is projected to nearly double by 2035. Shipyards are operating at near full capacity, with a new-build pipeline valued at over $15 billion. Demand is being driven by a new wave of buyers, who are splashing out on travel and experiences rather than the more traditional assets.
It also coincides with Douglas Elliman’s recent international expansion into France, Monaco, and St. Barths, where yachting is a pastime for many of its discerning clients. The firm also operates in key luxury coastal areas throughout the U.S., with a client base that is equally into boating. It makes sense, then, that Elliman brings those individuals the most exceptional offerings both on land and at sea.
“Elliman Yachts allows us to meet our clients where their passions already exist, while expanding our ability to serve as trusted advisors across the most meaningful lifestyle assets in their lives,” adds Douglas Elliman salesperson Dan Goodstadt, who recently recently helped with the sale of two new Ferretti yachts totaling $30 million and also set a record price for a single-family home in Sunny Isles. “This is about deepening relationships, not expanding headcount, and redefining what full-service luxury brokerage and service truly mean.”
Douglas Elliman isn’t the only real estate powerhouse pulling double duty. Barnes International launched a similar division in 2023 to offer yacht brokerage, management, and charter services alongside its global portfolio of prestigious properties. Elliman is a little closer to home, though.
Facts Only
Douglas Elliman, a luxury real estate brokerage, launched Elliman Yachts on March 21, 2024, during the Palm Beach International Boat Show.
Elliman Yachts will provide yacht acquisition advisory, brokerage services, and bespoke yacht charters globally.
The division operates through a strategic partnership with Royal Yacht International, a Monaco-based boutique brokerage specializing in high-end yacht sales and charters.
Douglas Elliman’s president and CEO is Michael S. Liebowitz.
The global luxury yacht market was valued at over $11 billion in 2025 and is projected to nearly double by 2035.
Shipyards are operating at near full capacity, with a new-build pipeline valued at over $15 billion.
Douglas Elliman has recently expanded internationally into France, Monaco, and St. Barths.
The firm also operates in key U.S. luxury coastal areas.
Dan Goodstadt, a Douglas Elliman salesperson, recently facilitated the sale of two Ferretti yachts totaling $30 million.
Barnes International launched a similar yacht division in 2023.
Elliman Yachts aims to serve ultra-high-net-worth clients with integrated land and sea luxury offerings.
Executive Summary
Full Take
The launch of Elliman Yachts reflects a calculated pivot by luxury real estate firms to capitalize on the booming experiential asset market, where yachting has become a status symbol for the ultra-wealthy. The strongest version of this narrative is that Elliman is responding to genuine client demand, leveraging its existing network in high-net-worth coastal markets to offer a seamless extension of its services. The partnership with Royal Yacht International suggests a strategic alignment with established expertise, rather than an attempt to reinvent the wheel.
However, the narrative also carries subtle patterns of authority games (ARC-0012) and false framing (ARC-0024). The emphasis on "discretion" and "trusted advisors" leans on the prestige of the Elliman brand to imply superiority, while the framing of yachting as an inevitable lifestyle extension for the wealthy risks normalizing extreme consumption as aspirational. The projection of market growth—cited without skepticism—could also serve as a self-fulfilling prophecy, encouraging speculative investment in a sector already strained by capacity constraints.
Rooted in the paradigm of luxury as a service ecosystem, this move assumes that the ultra-rich prioritize integrated lifestyle management over standalone purchases. Historically, such expansions often follow economic booms, but they also risk overleveraging if demand softens. The second-order consequences include potential market saturation, environmental concerns from increased yachting, and the reinforcement of wealth inequality as a cultural norm.
Bridge questions: How might this trend reshape coastal real estate markets if yachting becomes a bundled luxury? What environmental and ethical trade-offs are being overlooked in the pursuit of "full-service" luxury? Would a market correction expose vulnerabilities in firms diversifying into niche, high-cost sectors?
Counterstrike scan: A coordinated influence campaign would amplify the narrative of yachting as a "necessary" luxury, using prestige-by-association and growth projections to lure investors. The actual content aligns with this pattern but lacks overt manipulation—it’s a business strategy, not a deception. Still, the uncritical presentation of market projections warrants scrutiny.