Robots are Your Friend: Why I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Drone

09 Sep 2013 Leave a comment

by John Amardeil in Activities, News, Thoughts

In today’s techie environment it’s easy to take progress for granted. We almost expect every new product, gadget, gear or gizmo to break boundaries. We suffer from innovation expectation.

When I think back to my early days and how much the social and business climate has changed I wonder what could possibly be next. With all the talk of technology’s evils we often forget the great opportunities progress has provided us with. We’re more connected than ever, more frequently in the know and have no shortage of convenience. All thanks to progress.

The thought recurred to me while working on our client Byron Hill’s new project, in Pierson Lakes, New York. Developed in the serenity of a forest and overlooking the beauty of two remote lakes, the region is located only 29 miles from the centre of Manhattan.

We were faced with some challenges of how to best capture the top-down beauty of the area while still retaining the important details of individual homesites. The solution we came up with was simple, robot drones.

Our film crew went out to Pierson Lakes with a radio-controlled quad-copter, mounted with a hi-def video camera and the results speak for themselves. I especially liked the shot that began in a living room and flew out of a balcony door to soar above the lake.

Real Estate Pessimists Proven Wrong

19 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

by John Amardeil in In The Media, Thoughts

Image

The success of communities like TEN 88 is hardly a surprise when you look at how quickly consumers are buying this summer.

Much has been written in the press lately about the real estate market’s poor performance.

But according to recent Market Watch report released by the Toronto Real Estate Board, July’s sales represent the best July since 2009.

In fact, it’s the third best July on record.

This despite tighter mortgage insurance rules that were implemented last year, such as the one cutting the maximum length of an insured mortgage to 25 years from 30.

Of course, it’s also quite possible that many potential buyers who put their decision on hold then are now back in the market.

And although semis in the 416 area saw the biggest year-over-year boost in sales, increasing by 28.8 per cent, semi-detached homes in the 905 followed closely behind with a 26.4 per cent jump in transactions.

That’s good news for our clients, many of who sell in the 905 area. After all, though these are resale stats, the findings should spill over into the new homes market when resale prices go up and/or supply decreases.

Read the report here (PDF). 

Two Lives, One Platform

26 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by John Amardeil in Thoughts, Trends

iPhone as WiFi-Hotspot

When I wrote about switching BAM to a Mac and iOS environment last year, I didn’t expect the post to be as popular as it was. But it clearly struck a chord with a lot of people who are looking for a practical solution to their organizational and communication needs, whether personal or corporate.

Having recently come across a Fast.co article in which well-known entrepreneurs talk about their favourite tools, I was reminded yet again of the degree to which many of us rely on technology as we go about our everyday lives.

I for one have come to rely on my iPad and iPhone so much that I carry them both around, sometimes using them almost simultaneously.

What’s more, I use my iPhone for my personal needs as much as I do for work. (I don’t know about current BlackBerry users, but that never was the case for me back when I had my own BlackBerry.)

My favourite iOS apps include:

Which tools do you use on an everyday basis, whether for work or for your personal life? Which platform are you and your company using?

Living Up To Your Company’s Name

12 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by John Amardeil in Thoughts

bam

I’ve always maintained good marketing is only possible when you really know what your company is about — when you really know what problem it solves for your clients, and when you live by this identity 24/7.

lakeside

In the Lakeside Showroom, homebuyers will be able to browse home designs on touchscreens. Read more here.

In BAM’s case, our identity is closely related to our name. Not just because it stands for Builder Advertising and Marketing, but also because we seek to create an impact. Making sure we take our clients’ world by storm is something we must do if we are to remain to true to our company’s vision.

Luckily, our team does just that — day in and day out. Consider all the communities we’ve successfully opened in less than two months:

  1. Lakeside
  2. Triumph
  3. Villagio
  4. Imagine
  5. And now Ten88

That’s not all — we’re also implementing a series of innovations and leading edge items, including multi media displays, web portals, and multi stage openings to different audiences like insiders, brokers and registrants.

It’s one of the benefits of having a small team of dedicated people. People who care, understand the client, and identify with the company’s vision.

What’s your company’s identity? Can it be summarized in a quick sentence?

The Secret Behind Vibrant Cities

28 Jun 2013 Leave a comment

by John Amardeil in Thoughts

One of the keys to a vibrant city is people-friendly public spaces. Having just returned from Paris, where I’ve already spent two weeks this year, I can attest that when it comes to such spaces, Toronto still lags behind Europe.

Take this tiny canal in downtown Paris:

paris-canal

Located near Place de la République, it fills nightly with people who meet their friends. Thanks to the lax enforcement of municipal laws, they eat and drink wine and beer together. Overnight, the city cleans up any mess and empties the large quantity of public waste bins.

Besides its famous cafés, public spaces are one important factor contributing to Paris’ allure. In the famous Luxembourg Gardens, you could easily spend an entire day watching puppet theatre or playing basketball, petanque or chess. Parks are often filled with people having lunch, chatting and laughing the day away. So comfortable are they that many remove their shoes.

Admittedly, more people may have no choice but to use these spaces now that the French economy is in such bad shape. After all, it’s much cheaper to buy food and wine from a store than to eat out. Likewise, it’s easier on the pockets to meet friends by the river or watch an impromptu hoops game.

But so what? Public spaces enhance livability, bring communities together, and play a key part in the savoir vivre that Europeans have always understood so well.

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