BAM Goes to the NAHB International Builders’ Show

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This past weekend, I embarked on a trip to Las Vegas for the NAHB International Builders’ Show in search of inspiration. What I found was a plethora of new and fresh ideas, and I could not be more ready to tackle the year ahead.

The first part of the event is taking in the new offerings from manufacturers. I got to browse all the latest trends in building and design, and this year there was a big emphasis on new luxuries for kitchens and bathrooms. It seems as though the market is catering to a more luxurious and almost escapist approach. Bathrooms are looking more like spas and kitchens are looking more like restaurants, and it’s creating better experiences for homeowners. We’re in the age of multiple showerheads and jets! One product that stood out for me was a showerhead from Kohler; it had a speaker built in so you can play audio from your handheld device via Bluetooth.

Another thing I noticed is that many Chinese companies are beginning to enter the market. What the Chinese bring are innovative designs at lower prices, ultimately lowering prices of products that are expensive in the current market. This will create more value and selection for homeowners.

Another great thing about the Builder Show is the chance to get a first hand look at the products and trends coming to the GTA. Understanding what is available for GTA homebuilders always helps with pitching projects and encouraging our clients to offer more to consumers.

And lastly, what would a building show be without the seminars. This year we made a special effort to attend as many digital marketing seminars as possible; staying ahead of the curve is very important in today’s always changing and expanding digital market.

As expected, my trip to the International Builders’ Show left me more passionate about this industry than ever, and revved up with new ideas for 2014.

Visit the BAM Facebook page to see a photo gallery from the event.

Fear and Loathing in a St. Martin Sales Office

The Indigo Green sales centre in St. Martin.

The Indigo Green sales office in St. Martin.

My recent vacation to St. Martin wasn’t all pleasure. I took some time to visit a local sales office as a reconnaissance mission. Upon entering the sales office, I was first surprised by the size and, let’s say, lack of quality. As a real estate marketer, I will say that I wasn’t impressed. Inside the sales office, one lone desk sat stagnant in the tiny room. The walls were practically bare and the lighting was dim. The place lacked emotion without any visual stimulation.

There is a point to all this! I was appalled by how horrible the sales experience was for $600,000 homes and visiting this sales office made me think of how well we present and package pre-construction housing here in Toronto.

The market here at home is vastly different; new developments and communities sell fast and before the shovel breaks the soil. As a marketer, this style of buying forces you to deliver your best marketing time and time again. I’m proud to say I’ve contributed to making Toronto the number one pre-construction market in the world. As a result of the technology and strategy we’ve implemented in our campaigns, we sell more homes before they’re built than anywhere else. That stat alone speaks to the caliber of marketing in the Toronto scene.

The way in which Toronto has grown to such a successful pre-construction market is because we offer something extra. We offer touchscreens, scale models, social media and much more, and these interactive marketing materials and showrooms create an experience for homebuyers. We attempt to sell the lifestyle and benefit of new home communities and to educate and excite them. This was solely lacking in my experience in St. Martin. We’ve evolved this way because people like me are always hungry and always searching, traveling and researching our competitors and other markets with the goal to always get better and outdo one another.

EnerQuality Seminar

Last week, I attended and did a presentation at the EnerQuality “Hit the Road to the Code” conference. In 2012, there will be many changes to the Ontario Building Code. Builders are naturally invested in learning about all the latest info regarding code-leading programs such as ENERGY STAR® for New Homes, GreenHouse Certified Construction, and R-2000. People involved in the green building industry tend to focus on a green home’s features and the construction details. Instead, I spoke about promoting the lifestyle benefits of living in a “green” (environmentally-friendly, energy-efficient) new home. Lifestyle benefits are what’s really of interest to our customers, the new home buyers. They want to know how a green home benefits them, not just the earth. And there are real benefits that we should be talking about and marketing: huge savings on energy and water bills; a healthier and more comfortable living environment, with cleaner air, less toxins, etc.; and the feel-good sensation of doing good for the world doesn’t hurt either, I guess.



Housing Market in GTA Staying Strong

After the surge of people searching for new homes in the spring and summer, the new home market usually slows down in the fall and winter. Yet here it is November and we’re still getting vast interest in our upcoming projects! This month, instead of things slowing down in terms of homebuyer interest and activity, we’re about to launch two major projects and getting huge interest. We’re doing registration campaigns and getting lots of names.

The GTA new home market is strong, and people are not only able, but eager to buy new homes. We’ll be selling lots of homes in late November and December – great news for homebuyers and builders alike.

The two main projects we’re now about to launch and getting registrants for are Pathways in Caledon East, a new family-friendly community by Brookfield Homes, and Weaver’s Mill in Georgetown, a young and fashionable townhome community by Eden Oak. We’re very excited to get these communities to the market.

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