Nashville Luxury Real Estate FAQ

Alexander Brandau Partners with Aperture Global Real Estate is a Nashville luxury real estate team representing buyers and sellers of luxury homes, estates and high rise condominiums across Nashville and Davidson County. The situations Alex handles most: relocating to Nashville, discreet sales for public figures and executives, selling and buying at the same time, estate and inherited properties, new construction and custom builds, luxury condominiums, and neighborhood guidance across Belle Meade, Green Hills, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Brentwood and Franklin.

Alexander Brandau IV, known as the Bowtie Realtor, is a fourth-generation Nashvillian and luxury real estate agent with Alexander Brandau Partners at Aperture Global Real Estate. Licensed in Tennessee since 2001, he has served more than 1,100 buyers and closed over half a billion dollars in career sales. He is RealTrends Verified, ranked #44 among Tennessee agents and #16 in Nashville by 2025 sales volume, a seven-time Millionaire Real Estate Agent, and host of the Let’s Talk Luxury Podcast.

Alex represents buyers and sellers of luxury homes in Green Hills, Oak Hill, 12 South, Brentwood, Belle Meade and Forest Hills, including the downtown luxury high-rise condominium market.

Both buyers and sellers, weighted toward luxury and relationships. Alex works most often with buyers relocating to Nashville from out of state or abroad, public figures, professional athletes and music industry clients who need discretion, owners selling estate and legacy properties, clients buying and selling at the same time, buyers of downtown high-rise condominiums, and owners who need a Nashville property managed while they are away.

More than 85% of Alex’s business comes from referrals and past clients, which shapes how the team operates. He was the top-producing agent across all categories in Davidson County in January 2025, ranks consistently in the top 10% nationally, and in 2025 represented the $3.75M sale of NFL cornerback Jalen Ramsey’s Nashville condominium, covered by Realtor.com, MarketWatch and The Tennessean.

It starts with a conversation about your timeline and goals, with no obligation. Call or text +1 (615) 601-2024 or book a call through the contact page.

Luxury and relocation are the focus, but the practice is referral driven, and long standing client relationships often mean helping at a range of price points.

You are not required to have one, but going without means negotiating directly with the seller’s agent, who represents the seller’s interests. A buyer’s agent runs comparable sales, identifies issues during inspection, and negotiates price and repairs on your behalf. Since 2024, buyer representation and compensation are agreed in writing before you begin touring homes, so the terms are clear from the start.

Plan on 30 to 60 days from accepted offer to closing if you are financing, and as little as two to three weeks with cash. The search itself varies far more. Some buyers find the right home in a single weekend while others look for months. Luxury and custom build searches usually run longer because inventory is thinner.

It depends on what matters most to you. Belle Meade offers prestige and historic estates. Green Hills balances walkability with convenience. Forest Hills suits buyers who want land and privacy while staying close in. Franklin and Brentwood appeal to buyers prioritizing schools and space.

If you already know the neighborhoods and plan to stay long term, buying straight away usually makes sense and avoids a second move. If you are relocating on short notice or are unfamiliar with the city, a short term rental gives you time to learn how each area actually feels day to day.

Yes. Relocation buyers are a significant part of the practice, including executives and physicians moving into Nashville. That typically involves video tours, neighborhood orientation, and coordinating inspections and closing remotely.

Relocating to Nashville from out of state, buying and selling at the same time, discreet purchases for public figures and executives, luxury high rise condominiums, new construction and custom builds, and buying an estate or inherited property. Each has its own page under Services on this site.

Automated estimates are a useful starting point but tend to miss finishes, lot quality, views and recent comparable sales, which are the factors that move luxury pricing most. A proper valuation reviews recent sales of genuinely comparable homes in your immediate area alongside the inventory you would be competing against today.

Two separate clocks matter. First, days on market until you have an accepted offer. Then roughly 30 to 45 days to close if the buyer is financing. Luxury homes generally spend longer on market than the broader market simply because the pool of qualified buyers is smaller.

Rarely a full renovation. Paint, decluttering, landscaping and addressing deferred maintenance almost always return more than they cost. Large projects such as kitchen remodels frequently do not return their full spend, and you risk selecting finishes a buyer would have chosen differently.

Professional photography, video and often drone work are the baseline rather than an upgrade. Beyond that it is about reaching a smaller and more specific audience through targeted digital placement, agent networks and private previews, rather than simply maximizing broad exposure.

Expect agent compensation, title and closing costs, and any repair credits negotiated after inspection. Tennessee has no state income tax, though federal capital gains tax may apply depending on your circumstances and how long you have owned the home. Speak with your tax advisor about your specific situation.

It depends on schools, commute and the kind of home you want. Green Hills and Forest Hills are popular with buyers who want established neighborhoods close to private schools; Brentwood offers newer homes and Williamson County public schools; Belle Meade suits buyers looking for estate-size lots. Alex will compare them against your priorities before you visit.

Yes. Alex regularly tours homes for clients by live video, sends detailed notes on each one, and coordinates inspections and closing remotely. Most clients still visit once before closing, but it is not required.

Ideally three to six months, so you can see a few homes, time a sale in your current city and line up schools. If you are on a shorter timeline, Alex can work faster.

Yes. Alex has represented sales involving buyers from overseas, including a London buyer in 2025, and can tour homes, coordinate inspections and manage closing for you remotely.

Selling first gives you certainty about your budget and a stronger offer, but you may need temporary housing. Buying first avoids a double move but can mean carrying two mortgages. The right answer depends on your equity, your lender and how competitive the homes you want are.

It is a clause that lets you cancel a purchase if your current home does not sell by an agreed date. It protects you, but sellers often prefer offers without it, especially in sought-after neighborhoods. Alex will tell you when it is likely to be accepted.

A lease-back lets you sell your home and keep living in it for an agreed period after closing, usually as a short-term rental from the buyer. It is one of the most useful tools for making the two closings line up.

Often, yes, through bridge financing or other lender options. Ask your lender which programs fit, and compare the cost against waiting to sell. Alex can introduce lenders he works with.

Yes. A private or off-market sale offers the home to qualified buyers and agents without a public listing. It can reduce exposure, though it may also reduce the number of buyers who see it. Alex will walk you through the trade-off for your home.

Through limited disclosure of who the buyer is, showings and negotiations handled through your agent, and, if your attorney recommends it, buying through a trust or LLC.

Often, yes. Some Nashville luxury homes trade privately before or without a public listing. Alex can tell you what is available quietly in the neighborhoods you are considering.

Sales prices in Tennessee are recorded publicly once a deed is filed, so a sale can be reported. Alex plans for that moment with you, including whether and how to talk to the press.

The HOA budget and reserves, any planned special assessments, rental and short-term rental rules, pet policies, parking, and how the building has held its value. Alex helps you get and read those documents before you are committed.

For many buyers, yes, because they are easy to lock and leave and close to downtown. The right building depends on how often you will be in town and whether you want to rent the unit when you are away.

It depends on the building’s rules and on city regulations for short-term rentals. Many luxury towers restrict or prohibit short-term rentals, so check before you buy.

Floor, view, layout and parking drive value within a building. The best comparables are recent sales in the same tower and similar units in competing towers.

You do not have to, but the builder’s on-site agent works for the builder. Your own agent can negotiate price, upgrades and contract terms on your behalf, and in most cases the builder pays the buyer agent’s commission. Confirm the arrangement before you visit a model home.

Typically about a year or more from design to move-in, depending on design, permitting, the builder’s schedule and weather. Alex’s guide to custom build timelines breaks it down.

It varies widely with lot price, size and finishes. Alex’s 2026 guide to custom build costs walks through realistic ranges and where budgets usually go over.

Yes. An independent inspection before drywall and again before closing catches issues while the builder is still responsible for fixing them.

For homes that sold for $1M or more between October 2025 and October 2026, the median sale price was $1,880,000 across zip codes 37205, 37215 and 37220.

The median $1M+ home spent 14 days on the market, and about 62 percent sold within 30 days.

About 31 percent of $1M+ sales closed at or above the final list price; the median sale closed at about 97 percent of asking.