The latest episode of the Livabl Launch Podcast features an exclusive interview with Stephanie Lane, Vice President, Sales & Marketing at Geranium.
Stephanie’s sales and marketing experience has led to sell-out success of numerous high- and low-rise residential communities across Ontario, totalling over $2 billion in sales revenue.
Tune in to listen to Stephanie and Matt chat about everything from market trends to whether you should buy a home with a sidewalk.
Here are some highlights from the episode:
On the low-rise market:
“Low-rise is starting to move in certain areas. Like high rise and the condominium landscape, we’ve seen a little bit of a slowdown. […] We are seeing some buyers come back to the market, but they are being very selective. They are doing a lot of research and not moving forward quickly. Multiple visits to sales offices, multiple visits to websites to learn more information. So, we are seeing some interest come back to the market in certain areas, on communities that I would say are priced right for today’s marketplace.”
On the multi-generational demographic:
“Multi-generational families, too, that’s been a lot of where the interest [in upsizing] has come from. So, having an aging parent. […] A few of our floor plans do have what we’ve called a guest suite on the main floor, with laundry rooms, a full bathroom, and so on. So, a lot of people have really opted in for that, especially with an aging parent to keep them on the main floor of the home.”
On bungalows:
“Bungalows are interesting. They’re always in high demand, because there’s a demographic that we’ve found that’s really appealing to. So, someone who’s looking toward their retirement or toward their later stages in life who wants that single-level living. […] You don’t see a lot of bungalows these days, simply because you need a larger lot size. It’s what we refer to as a floor plate – so a larger coverage area for homes. And they’re not as easy to build sometimes from a builder’s perspective – not referring to the construction, but just general profitability.”
On estate homes:
“We are known a little bit more for our estate homes, so our larger executive residences. In those instances, I find that it really is more homebuyer-driven in terms of the location and the size of the home, the amenities within the home, and the finishing level of those homes. And homebuyers are prepared to pay what the price is for that. […] I find that the majority of these homebuyers do tend to be more end-user driven, not investment driven. The price per square foot conversation isn’t really as prevalent, and it really does come down to community, the area, the home itself, the inclusions of that home, the amenities and so on.”
On sidewalks:
“In my experience, people would prefer not to have a sidewalk. Typically, that gives you a longer driveway. So, if you have multiple cars, you can get multiple cars in the driveway. You also don’t have to worry about not having to park over the sidewalk because that is obviously a concern. So, I have found in my experience that most people do not want to live on the side where there’s a sidewalk, and will avoid them if they’re purchasing a home.”
For more information about the Livabl Launch podcast, or to listen to past episodes, check out Livabl Launch on Podbean.
