It’s little wonder that coastal Orange County may seem like the setting for a novel, with its expansive ocean vistas, low rolling hills and wide blue skies. Real estate professionals who count some of the area’s wealthiest people among their clientele have recognized the power of weaving the Orange County story into their marketing efforts.
“Storytelling creates brand affinity and memorability among the consumer and the product being consumed,” says Mark Fitzpatrick, chief executive of RUHM Luxury Marketing. He said that when a person can identify him or herself as someone whose values, beliefs and goals are aligned with a specific product, he or she is more likely to buy it.
“This is the very reason why a certain type of consumer will buy fair trade, small-batch coffee from a specific region of South America, rather than buying Folgers or Maxwell House,” he says. “It’s also the reason why a high-end consumer will buy a home based on the type of life he or she envisions having in the home, rather than according to a steep price drop or a long list of features and amenities the home advertises.”
Tim Smith of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage specializes in creating a compelling story around a home, often through a short film that highlights the property and surrounding community.
“We find that clients enjoy the films because it gives them a better idea of what living in a particular home might be like, as opposed to viewing still photography or even having a private showing of a home,” he says. “We find that, when provided with captivating content, both buyers and sellers engage more often and on a more meaningful level.”
Natalie Raney of Villa Real Estate, like Smith, leverages the power of film to draw in potential buyers. “We use 3-D virtual tours, as well as state-of-the-art drone video technology, oftentimes coupled with actors, to create vignettes that showcase the unique features of the home, location and neighborhood,” she says. “The high-end clientele is often overseas or frequently travelling for work or pleasure, so these tools are incredibly effective at offering a glimpse of the home’s personality and a sense of what living in the home actually feels like.”
Luxury buyers prefer items that come with a sense of history, purpose and quality, explains Sara Peary, managing director of RUHM Luxury Marketing.
“When it comes to real estate, luxury consumers expect a bespoke experience, a custom story told for the home they’re thinking of purchasing. A multimillion-dollar home must come with its own special promise—to fulfill the wants, desires, hopes and dreams of just one special buyer.”
Puttin’ on the Ritz
The home at 17 Ritz Cove Drive in Dana Point, which graces an 8,700-square-foot oceanfront site in the private, guard-gated enclave of Ritz Cove, sold on July 29 for $12.8 million. The home, which has four bedrooms and six baths, was listed in June for $14 million.
The 6,700-square-foot property, designed by award-winning Palm Desert architect Guy Dreier, features a gourmet kitchen with custom cabinetry, a private office, and a gym with a dry sauna and steam shower bath. The master suite has NanaWall glass doors that open to a private deck.
John Stanaland of HÔM Sotheby’s International Realty represented the seller, and Suzi Dailey, also of HÔM Sotheby’s, represented the buyer.
Living Large
The six-bedroom, seven-bath home at 3 Shell Beach, on a 0.47-acre parcel in the guard-gated community of Crystal Cove in Newport Coast, sold on Aug. 4 for $10.5 million, under its March list price of $13 million.
The 9,200-square-foot hillside home offers ocean, coastline and city lights views. There are several ocean-view terraces, a private tower room, a wine tasting room, and a formal great room that opens to a veranda with curved arches and fluted columns.
The professionally landscaped grounds feature a swimming pool and separate spa, as well as a separate guest casita.
Timothy Carr of Villa Real Estate was the seller’s agent, and Nong Chen of Keller Williams Realty worked on behalf of the buyer.
