Nicholas Candy, who sells luxury apartments to the super-rich, recently showed off a $41 million, four-bedroom property here that boasts a private swimming pool and a life-size statue of a boy, encrusted in Swarovski crystals, with his middle finger raised.

But the brand of conspicuous consumption that Mr. Candy and his brother and business partner Christian marketed to wealthy clients is being put to a severe test by the economic crisis.