Builders: Let's Add Pets and Up Your Marketing Program!

Furry family members are influencing home-buying decisions!

Did you see the results from a recent SunTrust Mortgage:

33% of Millennials purchased their new home to have more room (either an improved space or yard) for their dog?

Let's call this a Pet Welcoming community!

What are you doing to make this important connection for home shoppers?

A super interesting article in FusionHappens.com suggests Millennials are particularly focused on including pets in their homebuying decision-making. FushionHappens asks: what are you doing to make this important connection:

•  Are you offering low-maintenance flooring?
• How do you message pet owners?
• Do you include happy dogs and owners in your ads and on your website?
• What about dog parks?

CPS SalesTouch is an interactive touch-based kiosk system designed to engage home shoppers from the minute they enter your sales office; don't you think this pet-friendly Parks & Trails section at Newland Communities' Tehaleh encourages a new pet-focused visitor to consider their community?

Go the Extra Step: Talk About How Your Floorplans Fit Their Lifestyle!

Millennials (and Boomers, by the way) are particularly interested in how a new home fits their lifestyle. For some, a family-focused kitchen is critical. For others, it's the "extra" room that can be a craft space, or a tasting room or a "man cave."

Yes! There's a Pet Room option here!

And, for pet owners: do you offer doggie doors or dog washing areas?

There's a great way to enhance your marketing for these lifestyle-focused buyers: interactive floorplans! 

Let your home shopper try out lifestyle ideas with touch and mix/match structural options and drag 'n drop furniture. Consider something as simple as re-purposing the "mud room" label!

There's nothing better for a potential buyer than seeing that you recognize their lifestyle is important. You might not know which element is critical but offering your buyer with the ability to visualize it is critical. 

Add Lifestyle Visualization to Your Sales Offices!

Interested in finding out more how you can help buyers see how your homes meet their objectives? CPS offers one-on-one demos; use this form and we'll schedule one with you!

Builders: Get Interactive and Highlight Your Best Features

If you don't show it, you're not going to sell it!

That's a suggestion made by Lauren Shanesy in a recent BuilderOnline article regarding new home features and option/upgrade possibilities.

Step Up and Highlight the Possibilities

Shanesy notes, "Buyers in the market for a new home know what they want - comfort, convenience, and an overall better quality of life for their family."

What they don't know, frequently, is what you offer that will enable them to live that lifestyle!

And, Shanesy says, "Show them how a specific feature is a solution to a need that they have to live better, and they'll invest in those features.

Show These Lifestyle Features -- and You'll See Buyers!

What sort of "lifestyle features" are important to today's homebuyer -- whether Millennial or Boomer? You've no doubt seen many; we'll talk about two here with others to come in future blogs.

Open space layouts are number one! Buyers have moved away from the traditional kitchen, living room and formal dining area layout; instead, informal gathering spaces are the lifestyle of choice. 

This move is across the board -- Millennial, Boomer, Gen-X.

Marc Thee calls describes this as "non-compartmentalized living" and it is all about comfortable living.

One other floorplan-related favorite: pet-friendly living! 81% of a 2017 Animal House: Remodeling Impact study reported that animal-related considerations play a role in evaluating lifestyle environments.

Encourage Exploration

An interactive touchscreen presentation provides an introduction into lifestyle possibilities as soon as the home shopper walks into your door. Today's buyer is used to self service; 90% have already started exploring via your website. Today's home shopper is interested in and feels comfortable exploring visually engaging content. Encourage discovery!

Buyers want to know how floorplans work -- how they'll encourage comfortable living. Take a look at the CPS SalesTouch presentation above - interested in adding an outdoor kitchen? How about making the family room cozier by adding a fireplace?

Let your home shopper dream -- and create their new home! And, there's a drag 'n drop furniture feature to zero in on how this dream will live!

Visuals Tell the Lifestyle Story!

Remember the interest in pet amenities? Why not provide some visual focus to capture interest in  a pet-friendly neighborhood? 

Here's your opportunity to incorporate storytelling into your home shopper's journey!

Multifamily Amenities Marketing: Pet Spas Replacing No Pets Allowed

Believe it or not, it's only been about 20 years since "No Pets Allowed" signs were commonplace in the majority of multifamily properties!

Today, you'll see an abundance of pet-friendly communities offering a wide variety of amenities to entice pet-owning prospects to become tenants.

Making Your Property's Story Engaging and Visually Appealing!

What do you know about Pet Spas? For one, they're becoming more and more available at high-end properties.  Pet Spas provide a range of services from self-serve washing stations to specialized care and treatments by professionals.  Need to board for a week? There are facilities right at the property.

Pet-owning tenants are drawn to properties that cater to human as well as pet needs.  By providing these amenities in addition to concierge services, sports bars and in-property office space, developers are meeting lifestyle needs.  Today's pet owners frequently see their pets as family members -- and desire property services meeting their needs for convenience as well as providing essential peace of mind.

Looking for an engaging and informative way to highlight property amenities to prospects? We suggest an interactive touchscreen system capable of telling your neighborhood and property story -- as well as offering full details regarding floor plans and availability.

CPS' SalesTouch system can be wall-mounted or offered in an easy-to-use kiosk or topo table style. We offer real-time integration with a number of 3rd party inventory/availability software packages, too.

Changing Renter Demographics: What Does This Mean for Your Marketing Planning?

You've no doubt seen the headlines: "The Coming Rental Housing Wave" or something similar.

The time is now for multifamily housing and..statistics show that demographic trends and changing attitudes about home ownership are signaling not only increased demand but a change "in the contours of the rental base" according to Michael Cohen, senior real estate strategist at CoStar Group.

Is your marketing program reaching demographic interests?


What does this demographic change mean for your marketing plan?  As Cohen indicates, your prospect is no longer only a member of the 20/30 sector.  Cohen suggests 20 million rental  households are found in the 35-64 age range.

And, their approach to rental housing is different.  Frequently, this is a lifestyle change -- and they are looking for lifestyle in rental housing.  Are they close to shopping, dining, recreation?  What amenities do you offer?

And, how do you present this information?  We'd like to suggest an interactive touchscreen -- and the related content push to your website.  A well-designed touchscreen system engages your prospect, provides an interactive experience designed to showcase your property's lifestyle and saves time by providing inventory availability at a touch.  When your agents are busy, visitors can "self serve," too.

How is your marketing plan gearing-up for the changing rental demographic?