In Florida, you could go to a condominium event almost every night of the week. Plans for luxury buildings pop up every day in the real estate market. Fighting to get noticed, developers host exclusive condominium events and parties to boost the notoriety, drive sales and step up the buzz—especially when these dream buildings don't yet physically exist. Glossy brochures, fancy sales centers and full-color ads are the marketing staples, but some developers are going far beyond these sales techniques. What sells these hot, new condo buildings? See-and-be-seen events. From small soirees to lavish parties, real estate developers have the money, spend their money and cater to potential buyers well before the project ever breaks ground.
Because of the expense—from $25 to $300 or more per person—these events usually aren't open to the public. Invitations are sent to a hand-picked group, which includes prospective buyers, brokers, community figures and celebrities. Some events cater to intimate crowds of as many as 200 people—reinforcing the exclusivity of the group—while others specifically go for the masses. The crowds at the parties for Core developers' Ten Museum Park in Miami and Colonial developers' W hotel and residences in Ft. Lauderdale were estimated at nearly 3,000 people each—designed to incorporate the trendy see-and-be-seen vibe of the city's nightlife.
Curious guests can wander through a sales center and peek at the scale model while nibbling hors d'oeuvres and sipping cocktails. And gift bags can get elaborate—depending on the property and the company. Some events show videos of the lifestyle associated with the condo while others give out multimedia CD or DVD's. Although the overall One Bal Harbour event was produced by Designs by Sean, multimedia production company AVS projected sexy images onto the façade of a building. At several other events including L'Hermitage's Symphony event in Ft. Lauderdale, Ice Magic supplied mammoth ice sculptures and ice renderings of what the building will look like.
Also wowing the crowd at these events is the entertainment, which can sometimes include fireworks displays. At a party for Metropolitan Miami, a performance artist wore an inflatable balloon-like dress that doubled as a screen to project renderings of the upcoming project, while at Ten Museum Park guests were amazed by gymnastics troupe AntiGravity's performance. At Skyline on Brickell Avenue, also in Miami, guests were treated to an outdoor Hugo Boss fashion show, while at a nautical-themed event for the Related Group's Aventura Marina, guests enjoyed the sushi station, raw bar, cocktails and a calypso band.
Whether tented or alfresco, most often the events are held at the site of the future structure. The W event offered guests the ability to walk in, out and all around the space, plus added the bonus of having the sales center on the premise, which featured several lounges and room vignettes of the condo's units. Triton Productions' event for the Infinity consisted of an elaborate tented location—a smart idea and a good refuge because it rained that evening. With the ocean playing a major role in Florida, the Symphony's guests boarded a yacht that cruised around Ft. Lauderdale during cocktail hour. And when the Related Group's Aventura Marina—the last piece of bayfront property in Aventura—invited guests to help launch its L'Oasis beach club they meant every word. Upon arrival, guests kicked off their shoes and were treated to a true beach retreat, complete with Balinese four-poster beds, plush sofa-sized floor pillows, all placed on tons of sand brought in specifically for the event.
"The overall experience creates excitement about the property in many different facets," says Jim Rosewater, a partner in Weitzer Communities, which promoted Velencia Grande in Coral Gables. "It definitely gets people talking."
—Jose Gomez
