Douglas Elliman has been a defining force in American residential property for well over a century. Established in New York City in 1911, the firm has expanded across major metropolitan and coastal markets, from Florida and California to Colorado, connecting high-net-worth clients to premium homes and luxury developments through an international network.
The company is now making a calculated move beyond real estate. Through the launch of Elliman Yachts, Douglas Elliman is entering the luxury marine sector, with the ambition of offering ultra-high-net-worth clients an integrated lifestyle advisory service that connects waterfront property ownership with life on the water.
Elliman Yachts was established via a strategic relationship with Royal Yacht International, described as one of the fastest growing boutique brokerages in the industry. The venture was introduced publicly in Florida, timed to coincide with the Palm Beach International Boat Show. Through the partnership, clients can access yacht acquisition advisory and brokerage services, as well as bespoke charter arrangements offered on a global basis. Douglas Elliman already holds a well-established presence in key luxury coastal markets across the United States, St. Barths, and the South of France, regions where appetite for on-water experience is deeply woven into the lifestyle of its clientele.
Michael S. Liebowitz, President and Chief Executive Officer of Douglas Elliman Inc., framed the launch as a direct reflection of the way the firm's clients actually live. "At a time when the brokerage industry is consolidating around scale and volume, Elliman continues to differentiate through specialization, service, and expertise," he said. "Elliman Yachts reflects how today's ultra-high-net-worth clients actually live across waterfront homes, global destinations, and on the water. This offering will allow us to add meaningful value in a category where guidance, discretion, and insight truly matter."
The commercial case for the move is compelling. The global luxury yacht market was valued at more than $11 billion in 2025 and is projected to nearly double in size by 2035. Shipyards are running at near full capacity, and the new-build pipeline alone carries a value exceeding $15 billion. Much of that momentum is being driven by a generational shift among buyers. A younger, more experience-oriented cohort is less drawn to status-driven acquisition and more interested in intentional luxury: long-range cruising, private wellness retreats, and bespoke vessels that function as floating residences. For a firm whose client relationships have been built on trust, discretion, and access to exceptional properties, the step from land to sea is, by Douglas Elliman's own account, a natural progression.
Dan Goodstadt, a licensed yacht salesperson and licensed real estate salesperson with Douglas Elliman in Miami, spoke to what the initiative means in practical terms. "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," he said. "This is about deepening relationships, not expanding headcount, and redefining what full-service luxury brokerage and service truly mean." Goodstadt brings considerable hands-on experience to the role, having recently delivered two brand new yachts from the Ferretti Group totalling over 240 feet and $30 million in combined value. He also set a record price for a single-family home in Sunny Isles in the past year.
Liebowitz also highlighted how the marine offering fits alongside the company's recent international expansion. "In addition to servicing our seafaring clients in the United States, our new yacht initiative perfectly aligns with our recent expansions into France, Monaco, and St. Barths, where boating is a dominant pastime for our upper-high-net-worth customers," he said.
The similarities between acquiring a yacht and purchasing a significant property run deeper than appearances suggest. Both transactions involve considerable complexity, demand absolute discretion, and depend on the kind of trusted guidance that takes years to build. By linking clients across both categories through its relationship with a specialist third-party brokerage, Douglas Elliman aims to strengthen loyalty while meaningfully extending its service offering. Elliman Yachts joins a broader suite of divisions already shaped around the full scope of high-net-worth life, including Sports & Entertainment, Equestrian, Farm & Ranch, and Estate, Trust & Probate, each built to engage clients well beyond any single transaction.
The underlying ambition is to position Douglas Elliman not simply as a property firm, but as a luxury lifestyle advisory platform capable of meeting the world's most discerning clients wherever their interests lead, whether ashore or on the open water.
