What is your most memorable sale to date?
I sold a home a few years ago for more than $6 million to a client that initially had no interest in seeing the property, but I somehow convinced him that a trip to view the estate was worth his time. The lesson I learned from that sale was to trust your instincts, and work hard to convince your clients that you will show them varied options, including those that seem outside the box, if you truly believe those properties present value to the customer. A creative approach to client services can often lead to great success. I am constantly looking at luxury properties and storing the best in my memory bank for the right buyer.
What advice would you offer someone looking to begin their search for a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th home?
I always start the conversation with questions about lifestyle and location. What’s important to their family, and what activities do they value most while here in town? For example, if a buyer is set on playing golf multiple times per week, I would show them certain properties versus a buyer who views ocean access and boating activities as their number one priority. Once we establish lifestyle and location, I work to find multiple properties that suit their needs so we can negotiate the best possible purchase price. Nothing helps buyers more than the risk to sellers that they might lose a quality buyer to another property.
What is the biggest "must have" consumers in your market are seeking in their homes?
Today’s consumers want design features that allow them to bring the outside into their home. Family room and patio features are often designed to blend as one with pocketing doors of twelve feet in height that when open allow the two spaces to read as one large indoor/outdoor space. Flooring and ceiling specifications are also carefully chosen to facilitate a smooth transition from one space to the next. Entertaining is a breeze at these estates where some guests watch a movie in the home theatre, while others grab a few bottles of wine from the temperature controlled wine cellar and pass it through the game room bar window to guests on the patio enjoying cocktails at the double-sided fireplace, along with guests on the other side of the fireplace who are relaxing in the spa. It’s a tough life… but someone’s got to do it!
Can’t get enough of the latest and greatest Haute Real Estate news? Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! For Haute pics of the latest and greatest listings, be sure to visit us on Instagram.
To learn more about Vince Marotta, visit his Haute Real Estate Network profile and website
