The Wall Street Journal recently spotlighted a fascinating reality few outside the ultra-wealthy truly understand: the intricate network of private household staff that keeps luxury estates running like clockwork. From estate managers and housekeepers to tech specialists and chiefs of staff, the article offered a rare look inside the “army” it takes to maintain the lifestyle of today’s ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) families.
For our clients at Town + Country Resources, this wasn’t breaking news—it was validation.
While the WSJ article captured the scale of modern estate staffing, it left out a critical piece of the puzzle: the partner behind the scenes who assembles, aligns, and maintains those teams. Because as anyone managing a multi-property estate knows, building the right team is as complex as running the estate itself.
What the WSJ Got Right About Luxury Estate Staffing
The article highlighted several important truths about what it takes to operate a private household at the highest level:
- It takes a team. Large estates often require 10–25+ staff members working in specialized roles.
- Roles are evolving. Today’s estates require not only traditional domestic roles but also specialists in smart home technology, security, wellness, and more.
- Staff costs are significant. Families may spend over $1 million annually to retain high-performing, full-time private staff.
- Estate managers are the linchpin. These professionals oversee daily operations, vendor coordination, seasonal projects, and everything in between.
At Town + Country, we see this complexity every day. From Bay Area mansions to New York penthouses and Aspen vacation homes, our clients are not just looking for help—they’re looking for operational excellence.
What Was Missing: The Partner Behind the People
What the WSJ didn’t mention is how these elite teams of luxury household staff come together. These households don’t just “happen” to find a highly vetted chief of staff, an estate manager who aligns with the family’s values, or a nanny fluent in multiple languages and educational philosophies.
That’s where a trusted staffing partner makes all the difference.
Without strategic support, families often face:
- High turnover that disrupts household flow and trust
- Mismatched candidates that cause unnecessary tension
- Time-consuming vetting processes they don’t have the bandwidth to manage
- Lack of structure in managing multi-residence or hybrid remote staff
That’s why the most discerning families choose to work with Town + Country Resources.
Why Families Choose Town + Country
At Town + Country, we’ve spent more than four decades helping families build household teams that align with their lifestyle, values, and expectations. Our success isn’t based on headcount—it’s built on matchmaking, discretion, and long-term alignment.
Here’s how we do it differently:
- Unmatched vetting process: Every candidate is personally screened for experience, discretion, and cultural alignment.
- Culture-fit matching: We look beyond the résumé to understand personality, emotional intelligence, and household dynamics.
- Specialized expertise: From estate managers to private chefs and executive housekeepers, we understand the nuances of each role and how they work together.
- Geographic flexibility: We staff for primary residences and secondary homes across the U.S.
- Confidentiality, always: Your privacy is paramount. Every search is conducted with complete discretion.
Real Impact: From Chaos to Coordination
A Bay Area client came to us with three properties across California, Montana, and the South of France. They had spent more than a year struggling to find the right estate manager and cycling through incompatible hires. Within 45 days, we helped them onboard a highly experienced chief of staff with multilingual fluency, international logistics expertise, and a proven track record managing multiple properties and staff teams.
They told us later:
“We thought we needed just a manager. What we really needed was a partner who understood how our home should operate. Town + Country gave us that.”
The Real Luxury? Peace of Mind
The WSJ captured the scale of what it takes to maintain a luxury home—but the real insight is this: behind every well-run estate is a carefully built, deeply trusted team. And behind that team is a strategic partner who knows how to bring it all together.
If the article resonated with you, it’s likely because you’re living that complexity every day. Let Town + Country Resources simplify it.
A Final Thought from Our Director of Operations
As someone who has overseen hundreds of placements of luxury household staff across some of the most complex estates in the country, I can tell you this: great staffing is not about filling roles—it’s about creating trust, longevity, and harmony inside the home.
When a principal tells us, “I feel like my home is finally running the way it should,” we know we’ve done more than place a candidate—we’ve solved a problem that résumés alone can’t address.
Behind every seamless estate is a team of people who are not only capable, but also aligned, empowered, and trusted. And behind that team is a partner who knows how to build it.
If you’re managing that complexity daily, you’re not alone. We’re here to help.
Ready to Build Your Dream Team?
Let’s talk about how we can help you create a high-performing, low-maintenance household staffing structure that supports your lifestyle today—and grows with you into tomorrow.
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