DEMA: Domestic Estate Management Association

The Domestic Estate Management Association's domain is now part of The Celebrity Personal Assistant Network, the world's premier domestic staffing agency. Hire estate managers >>

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Domestic Estate Management Association, also known as DEMA, was an organization dedicated to the professional development of staff in large mansions worldwide. The DEMA founder retired from the industry in 2020, and our organization is separate from the original one. 

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DEMA in the news

What's the difference between an estate manager and a house manager?

It's a great question, and there is a lot of debate in the private service industry about job titles and duties. Firstly, an "estate manager" should not be confused with an "estate planner." An estate manager, also synonymous with house manager, runs the day-to-day operations of an estate. They are, essentially, a form of a personal assistant, except with a lot more responsibility.  

An estate planner -- quite often a lawyer -- helps families plan what happens to assets as they pass from one family member to another (usually changing hands after death).

What are the different names for domiciles that estate managers run?

Firstly, there is a bit of a debate in the domestic staffing industry about what constitutes an "estate." Some private service professionals argue that it needs to be over 20,000 square feet to be considered an estate. 

As far as domiciles are concerned, there are several different names that high-net-worth families use: estate, manor, chalet, chateau, villa, and palace. Essentially, an estate manager (or house manager) can be in charge of any of them. 

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