The Montage Beverly Hills hotel has 201 guest rooms and an array of world class amenities. BrightDoor is powering the sale solutions for all Montage Residential properties and this location is really special.

The Residences at Beverly Hills occupy the upper three floors of the hotel, have dedicated elevators and an underground parking area with valet service. The two- to five- bedroom floor plans range in size from 1,900- to 5,700-square feet and offer private balconies and long, dramatic views of the surrounding hills and cityscape.

The architectural details and estate-quality craftsmanship is something to be admired. Residents even have access to all Montage Beverly Hills hotel amenities –  including complimentary access to a fleet of Mercedes-Benz automobiles.

Congratulations to our friend and Montage founder, Alan Fuerstman along with the entire Montage team! This is one property that genuinely deserves the recognition!

ULI panelist: Peter Rummell, Diana Permar, Michael Shannon and Dr. Jim Taylor

Heres the main highlights from todays ULI Resorts and Leisure session: 

• Disproportionate impact on the wealthy
• Buyers have adopted new due diligence in all shopping categories
• Focus on needs not wants
• Can live without 5 star stuff
• Price, Price, Price
• Buyers mindset from 06-07 will never return – Sales need to talk more about “values”
• Prospects know everything about the developer and community
• All about total cost of ownership
• Have to learn what the customer really wants

For those of you that didn’t attend ACMS, here is a link to my presentation from the event. I believe there are strategies and information you’ll find valuable.

Download ACMS Presentation (PDF – 3.5MB)

At the midpoint of my RDU to DFW flight I thought I could complete a customer proposal with some information from my office PC. With a quick connection to our VPN and Remote Connection to my office Dell, I am sifting through my desktop files while somewhere above the clouds over Tennessee. And at broadband speed!

This shouldn’t come as a big surprise for a veteran tech savvy traveler like me (remember 9,600 baud?) but I have to admit… the world just got much smaller!

Good-bye InFlight Entertainment

It all starts by determining what you’re trying to attain with the technology. Is lead generation the sole focus? Do you plan to use social marketing to stay connected with your current owners? Are you looking to broadcast special offers as quickly as possible? All of the above?

BrightDoor customer Hampton Lake has a robust Facebook presence.

As a primer to the potential of social marketing, I’ve compiled the following links to help as you build your plan. Although these articles aren’t necessarily real estate focused, they do provide some good background information on social media marketing, tips and best practices.

• From Pragmatic Marketing - Tuned in social media
• From Associated Content - Business: Three Risks and Myths of Social Networking
• From About.com – Reasons to Adopt Social Media Marketing
• From Duct Tape Marketing – Your Social Media Strategy

Once you’re off and running, like any other marketing initative, analyze the results and makes any necessary adjustments. In the digital age, change is just a few keystrokes away.

Posted via email from Deven Spear’s Posterous

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125085108563549051.html

Posted via email from Deven Spear’s Posterous

For the full story: http://www.cnbc.com/id/32450865

There are some notable changes from Q1:

• Lack of management experience is a big factor – lots of confusion about what to do next.
• Increased pursuit of any and all types of “efficiencies”. How can I cut cost and still do more.
• Continued financing hurdles for those that want to buy – especially on home sites.
• Buyers perception is that you can get 25% – 40% off at present.  They all want foreclosures or short sales….then it’s tough to get them financed.
• Pre-development communities are stagnant or dead.
• New development ownership and private capital on the rise.
• Interested prospects want completed communities – show me the clubhouse, let me play the golf course, what time is dinner?
• We are using the web and social networking much more. Must be targeted rather than mass media.
• Most prospects are jumpy and just won’t spend cash or go further in debt.
• On site agents have to relearn the art of selling.
• Follow-up is the key! Must be more frequent and more creative.
• Sales consultants have to be just that — consulting on financing, timing, market competition and they better be well versed in the competition too.
• A strong, trusted brand even more relevant than ever before.
• Developers lacking a positive and strong track record are dead in the water in this environment. People will not trust un-proven developers.
• Still watching for signs of positive consumer confidence – starting to see some now!

Add your feedback below….

All good questions. But consider this. If persistance pays off, how do I manage my marketing and sales efforts over the long term? Agencies are invaluable at establishing your brand and developing a plan for targeting your ideal prospects. Most of them understand that an integrated marketing approach (mostly weighted around online) is the best, most cost-effective approach.


Today, unified software systems like BrightBase give you the power and flexibility to take control of the on-going content management process. This now extends to your public website (inventory, site maps, surveys, registration) as well as other sales force automation tools such as information kiosks and sales center presentation. No one expects the “good old days” of 2006 to return anytime soon. As developers consider how to get back in the game, those with a persistant approach are best positioned for long term success. They’ll need technology that gives them full control of their online presence.