Christie's International Real Estate expands in mainland China with Shenzhen affiliate
The expansion signals strengthening demand for larger, prime and branded luxury homes and could increase exposure and cross-border transactions in Shenzhen’s high-end residential segment.
Christie’s International Real Estate launched a Shenzhen affiliate as sales of homes above RMB30 million reached 168 in 1Q2026, up 154.5% y-o-y.
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Luxury real estate brokerage firm Christie’s International Real Estate has expanded its presence in mainland China with the launch of a new affiliate in Shenzhen, Guangdong, following its entry into Shanghai in September.
The new company, Christie’s International Real Estate Shenzhen, is led by Xiaosheng Qiu as president, who has experience in the city’s luxury residential market and a social media presence across Weibo, Douyin and WeChat.
The affiliate will focus on prime residential submarkets, including Overseas Chinese Town (OCT), Shenzhen Bay, Qianhai and Futian Central District.
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The team has established relationships with major developers and state-owned enterprises, and is marketing luxury residential projects priced from RMB30 million to over RMB500 million ($5.7 million to over $95.3 million), said Christie’s International Real Estate in an Oct 16 release.
These include CITIC City Development’s Xin Yue Bay, a waterfront development in Shenzhen Bay, and Raffles Residences at Shenzhen Bay 1, which overlooks Shenzhen Bay and the Hong Kong skyline.
Other projects include Blue Oasis Bay at OCT Harbor, comprising 93 lakefront villas with private yacht docks, and OCT’s Xin Xi, a completed waterfront development in Shekou.
The expansion comes amid stronger activity in Shenzhen’s luxury residential market. According to China Real Estate Information Corporation, 168 homes priced above RMB30 million were sold in 1Q2026, a 154.5% increase y-o-y.
According to Qiu, demand is increasingly concentrated on larger homes in prime locations such as Nanshan and Futian.
Branded residences are also gaining traction, reflecting demand for properties offering high-end design, amenities and services.
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Shenzhen is a major technology and economic hub in China's Greater Bay Area, home to companies including Tencent, Huawei and BYD. The city will host the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November.
The affiliate will leverage Qiu’s digital marketing network, which has a reach spanning millions of followers, alongside Christie’s International Real Estate’s global referral network to market luxury properties and advise clients on overseas investments.
Qiu said international education and cross-border business ties are driving interest among wealthy Chinese buyers in overseas real estate.
Helena Moyas de Forton, managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as Apac at Christie’s International Real Estate, said Shenzhen is an important market in the network’s regional expansion.
The Shenzhen launch follows the establishment of Christie’s International Real Estate Shanghai in September. The Shanghai agency will likewise focus on the eastern Chinese city’s prime residential submarkets, including Xintiandi and The Bund.
Christie’s International Real Estate has also established affiliates in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Read also: Christie's International Real Estate enters mainland China with Shanghai agency