Architecture Coach: Marketing Top-Line Features for Luxury Buyers

In a struggling economy, one of the hardest sells is a home that includes big-ticket luxury items — mainly because
amenities command a higher asking price. Knowing where and how to market these
dazzling incentives in a home can bring you closer to matching the property with a new owner. 

One example is a custom wine cellar, which not many homes — even in Napa
— have. Price is one reason for that: Wine cellars can easily cost as much as
$20,000 to install, says Tony Wilke, vice president of operations at Wine Cellar Innovations, a
leading firm in creating wine-storage solutions for private residences. “It
really depends on the budget and look and the stain options for the wood.” 

Within the last eight months, he has noticed an increase in orders, proof that this age-old luxury item — sometimes
rivaling the size of a master bedroom — continues to be an attraction for some real estate shoppers. But what’s the most appropriate way to promote these high-end creature comforts?

 Camera Magic

Tracy McLaughlin sells multimillion dollar homes in Marin County,
Calif., where she is an agent with Pacific Union International Inc. & Christie’s Great Estates. On
average, she says, her listings run between $1 million and $2 million. But for
a current listing that’s going for $9 million in Ross, Calif., she’s had to up the ante to attract the right buyer. Located on 5 acres, the 8,000-square-foot grand estate includes a cabana and is, overall, a “very yoga-Zen retreat. 

“When you get into this price point, it’s imperative to promote the pool, cabana, an outdoor fireplace, and a wine
cellar,” McLaughlin explains. “Buyers really expect to have that checklist.
Those things need to be described in the listing.” To achieve this, she arranged to have aerial photographs taken from a helicopter, with a goal of capturing the intensity of these little luxuries against a larger backdrop.
Also, the easiest way to visualize a grand estate before that first walkthrough is to see it — rather than reading about it. 

Baytown real estate