Emerald Haven, Irish luxury property finders and designers, have simply revolutionised the high-end home buying process in Ireland. The team provides a very exclusive and bespoke service for a diverse mix, from global business leaders to Hollywood celebrities.
 Facilitating the jet-set, Emerald Haven, a Cork based firm, offers an unashamedly bespoke service to their clients. Whether you are enjoying a1995 Krug Clos du Mesnil on your villa balcony in Monaco or burning the midnight oil at your desk on Wall Street, the team will search the length and breadth of Ireland for your dream property.
No stone is left unturned and if your mansion, castle or penthouse is not to your exact standards, a team of the finest interior designers, architects, home entertainment wizards, Feng Shui gurus and traditional master craftsmen are brought in to make that luxury dream property a reality. Emerald Haven claim that they do not deal in the ordinary when the exceptional is on offer and their attention to detail and to their clients’ expectations is reflective of this.
Brad Wrigley, a Cork born entrepreneur and business man, is the managing director of Emerald Haven. He takes the time out of his increasingly busy schedule to speak to The Wealth Collection about the magic of Ireland and why it is becoming a playground for the rich and famous.
Tell us a little about your background and how you got to Emerald Haven.
t’s certainly been an interesting journey, which has taken me from a career as a naval officer to one as a management consultant. As for Emerald Haven, well I’ve always had a passion for architecture and interior design. My father was a quantity surveyor and an inspirational businessman. As a consequence, I think I showed entrepreneurial attributes from a very young age. I bought my first investment property in my early twenties and I was that nerdy twelve year-old who brought their books to school in a briefcase.
Where did the idea come from?
Establishing Emerald Haven just felt like a natural progression for me. While working in London, my own experience of buying and then redesigning high specification property in Ireland was stressful, time consuming and frustrating. The simple concept of Emerald Haven is that we build a strong relationship with our clients, understand their every desire and aspiration regarding their ideal property and then deliver it. Sometimes this is simply finding the perfect home for them but sometimes this is redesigning a property to exact requirements. We will organise absolutely everything, including flights, chauffeurs, accommodation, days at the races or shopping trips.
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Traditional old world charm embraces
modern contemporary luxury
You specialise in a particularly niche market. Was this the intention from the outset?
We wanted to build a very extraordinary company and decided that we would concentrate solely on quality of service rather than a high turnover of clientele. As we fostered this concept, we found that the service that we delivered suited a particular audience. There are enough websites, house search engines and property finders out there dealing with generic property requirements and probably too many developers designing mediocre homes for the masses. Our clients demand the exclusive, the elite and the exceptional and for me this encapsulates everything Emerald Haven represents.
What have your biggest challenges been to date?
Getting the message out there. We purposely don’t flood papers and magazines with advertisements. It’s probably naïve of me, but I would like our success to be based on growing our reputation by good old-fashioned word of mouth.
The Irish market is considered by many as a turbulent one. Is it really a time to invest?
I feel that now, with the market as it is, there is an opportunity for mortgage-free and cash-rich buyers. There are a number of shrewd investors already out there snapping up relative bargains with the time-poor home buyers being left with the scraps. It’s so important to remember that a large number of the wealthy elite in Ireland at present are the property investor generation from the 80s who bought when the market was at its lowest. The sensible may buy during a bull market but the richest are the bears.
Who is your typical client?
Our clientele are from a variety of professions, locations and backgrounds and they are all bestowed the same absolute confidentiality and anonymity. Emerald Haven has been embraced by a very specific market and offers a very exclusive service. Consequently, our clients may be in the public eye or may enjoy keeping themselves to themselves.
Broadsheet and lifestyle publications have highlighted you and Emerald Haven as one to watch for the future. Why do you think you are causing such a stir?
I was really surprised and flattered at the interest from the publications that have interviewed us. I like to think it is because we are offering something different. Our contacts and reputation give us access to the crème de la crème of properties, many of which may not be on the market yet. Clients are able to choose from castles on their own islands to mansions in the mountains. Of course, the more skeptical think the papers are simply hoping I will let slip who the next celeb buyer in Ireland is.
Why do you think the Hollywood A-listers and celebrities alike have taken to buying in Ireland over recent years?
Ireland is a magical place and, while offering the necessary elements of a luxury playground, it has still maintained that old world charm. Of course, it helps that the Irish people are fantastic and receptive to all who visit and especially to those who stay. I also believe many enjoy the anonymity and privacy they are offered by the people. I’ve heard of a number of small villages dotted around the country where you may, on any one day, see a Sheik, a rock legend and a Hollywood star enjoying a Guinness.
Further information
Emerald Haven
Telephone: +353 21 4831551
Email: info@emeraldhaven.com
website: www.emeraldhaven.com
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