When it comes to selling Sapphire luxury homes, you really can’t pigeonhole who the ‘typical’ buyer is likely to be. The 9% of buyers that make up the pool of ‘affluent’ prospects are themselves pretty much profile-proof—and the dollar value that 9% represents fluctuates substantially from one end of the country to the other. On the other hand, it is possible to take advantage of features that are growing in popularity with today’s luxury home buyers.

Realtytimes researchers found that affluent buyers are increasingly attracted to features that belong in the smart-home technology category. Smart thermostats that owners control right from their smartphones, wireless homes security camera arrays, and fully tricked-out home theaters are draws. To qualify at the high end, an entertainment center really should be controlled by a single device. Let’s face it: no matter how fancy a home theater might be, if three or four remote controls are visible, they’re certain to draw scowls!

Kitchen tech—of the kind that marries function with fashion—continues to gain in popularity. Bringing professional-level tools into domestic kitchens is a goal being incorporated in more and more top kitchen appliance offerings. On the leading edge: ovens with high-performance steam generators as well as blast chillers with touch-sensitive, intuitive user interfaces. All are designed “to create the kitchen that’s right”—one to match a buyer’s “level of culinary daring.” Digital Interiors found that 94% of such buyers “would sacrifice 1,00 square feet of living space for more technology…”—but keep in mind that most researchers find that, with few exceptions, 3,500 square feet is the non-urban baseline for qualifying in this market.

Selling luxury homes used to begin with location, location, location. But that may be undergoing a subtle shift. In Luxurydefined, one leading point is made that traditionally prominent ZIP codes are “no longer the defining baseline” for luxury homes. Newly included are areas where there is a “slower perceived tempo of life”—which fits in with the emerging interest in homes with ‘experiential’ features (like meditation gardens or outdoor showers).

Few of Sapphire’s luxury homes have those particular features, but being turnkey-ready is another matter. Brand new homes qualify automatically, but as has always been the case, existing residences that compete with other high-end homes in Sapphire can be expected to do best when they qualify as one of the ‘just bring your toothbrush’ properties.

Affluent prospects may be well-heeled, but they are also increasingly attentive to energy-efficient features. Some new homes designed with the luxury market in the crosshairs boast of ‘super-efficient’ floorplans built to consume 50% less energy than typical new homes. The draw is not entirely economical, either. That’s evidenced in how the current dip in energy costs hasn’t resulted in a proportional tapering in demand for homes reflecting conscious living (features reflecting environmental awareness and sustainability).

Luxury home owners, like their prospective buyers, have a pretty clear idea of what they demand when it comes to selling their properties. First and foremost: an agent with comprehensive knowledge of the local market—and experience with luxury homes. According to Money magazine, sales at the high end are growing faster than in any other market segment…which is another way of pointing out that if you are looking to get into our Sapphire luxury home market, now is a pretty good time to give me a call!

When you have a Sapphire luxury residence ready put on the market, you are about to enter a specialized area of the real estate realm. The luxury home market is, as the name implies, other than ordinary—and so are some of the ways to effectively navigate through it.

First off, we have to recognize the importance of the fact that the pool of prospective buyers is a good deal smaller than that for a standard home. By the National Association of Realtor®s’ assessment, it comprises only about 8% of the buying public. This speck of a target audience might seem to create a discouraging marketing handicap—but it’s balanced by the fact that these well-heeled buyers are only attracted to about 8% of the homes presented in the Sapphire listings. These buyers have more defined objectives than most: a true luxury home prospect isn’t about to accept any other than a high-end residence. Because there are fewer of such properties on the market at any given time, your own luxury residence stands to benefit. Limited supply is, after all, the simplest marketing cure for a limited demand situation.

One characteristic that distinguishes the best luxury residences is exactly that: it’s distinguished. Luxury residences do well when they have distinctive, notable features in their design or setting—even better if those features create a theme that’s memorable. Lacking that, a property may be able to depend upon sheer size or quantity (bedrooms, bathrooms) as well as quality construction to validate its place in the luxury category.

To be in show condition, a property in any category that is up for sale in Sapphire needs to be well maintained and presented. But for luxury residences, there may be a difference in the degree of attention required. The finer the property, the more attention any lapse attracts. Fair or not, people have a tendency to notice (and remember) even minor maintenance miscues—anything that stands out. The last thing you want is for a minor flub to be the most memorable thing a prospect takes away after an otherwise sterling showing.

There is also a seemingly extraneous factor that can help a luxury residence sale: the homeowner’s disposition. Eligible buyers in this category are typically busy people with demanding schedules. They may also be used to calling the shots in their own careers—and as potential buyers of an expensive property, assume they will be treated like what they are: VIPs. Since the owners of Sapphire luxury residences probably have similar credentials deserving the same degree of deference, being asked to accommodate a buyer’s sudden schedule change can be grating. The more understanding an owner can be, the more likely to result in the kind of positive atmospherics that produce the hoped-for result.

The actual mechanics associated with the sale of a luxury residence are generally more involved than with run-of-the-mill home sale transactions because financing, inspections, etc. are usually more time-consuming. To keep the proceedings on track and as efficient as possible, a key ingredient is the same as that which propels the entire process: close communication between the owner and the owner’s Realtor.

It starts with the kind of no-obligation consultation I’m pleased to offer—and it’s only a phone call away!