Client:
A British Columbia-Based Home Builder
Project Overview:
Our client needed to sell brand new townhomes with nothing to show except for some equipment moving earth on-site and in-person restrictions in place during COVID-19 the tried and true practices that they have used in the past would not be helpful.
Our goal was to disrupt the traditional real estate sales process – no more launch events, line ups or first-come-first-serve pressure. A new approach was essential: one that allowed the builder to sell out fast, fairly (as they were new to the market and reputation meant everything), and fully online—without a lineup or showroom in sight.
Our Role:
We partnered with the builder from idea to execution, handling:
Strategy & Concept Development
- Media Buying and Deployment
- Content Creation with Collateral Package
User Experience Design
Custom E-commerce Website Development
Marketing Automation & Launch Support
The Challenge:
This townhome launch came with a couple different challenges.
- Traditionally, townhome launches in BC involve in-person events where buyers queue for hours (sometimes even from the early hours of the morning) to secure a home. This approach was outdated, inaccessible, and chaotic. This also was not a possibility since COVID-19 restricted travel and in-person visits. Our digital-first approach that levelled the playing field for all prospective buyers.
- There was nothing on-site to view if they drove by except equipment moving some earth.
- Uncertainty in the market during COVID-19, especially since these townhomes were geared first time homebuyers.
The Solution:
We designed and developed a custom e-commerce platform tailored specifically for the real estate market. Buying a townhome was as easy as buying concert tickets – a concept these first-time home buyers knew very well. Key features included:
Secure login and registration system for lead pre-qualification
Real-time inventory updates
Digital “purchase window” countdown to launch
Optimized checkout process for high demand
Fair access logic to prevent line-cutting or queue jumping or bots or investors
Before the launch for sales, we were able to get renderings of the townhomes along with rendered matterport tours so you can virtually walk the space. We prepared marketing packages with floor plans, included features, colour packages, site map and instructions on next steps.
These marketing packages were provided when you signed up on the landing page as a VIP. With regular communication from branded emails over a 6-week period, we were able to go from launch for leads to launch for sale.
Plus, we were able to make a back-up list of very interested buyers if they were unsuccessful in securing a home. This was very helpful for the client as they were able to pull from this list when there was issues with 1-2 sales and they weren’t going through. They were easy to replace without having to go to market again.
The Results:
The launch was a massive success. The client gained over 2,000 leads who became a VIP and received the marketing launch package, and within the 6 week period from launch for leads to launch for sale, we were able to launch the e-commerce platform and sell out virtually!—a first for the BC housing industry.
Phase 1: 23 townhomes sold out in 4 minutes
Phase 2 (6 months later): Another 23 townhomes sold out in just 3.5 minutes using the same strategy
Why It Worked:
User-first design: Easy, fast, and mobile-optimized experience
Fairness-focused tech: Custom logic to ensure no one skipped the line
Hype-building strategy: Targeted campaigns and launch countdowns built anticipation
Seamless execution: Zero downtime, zero confusion, and instant sell-outs
Impact:
Set a new standard for pre-construction home sales
Established our client as an innovator in the industry and won “Excellence in Marketing” with CHBA Central Okanagan
Created a scalable model that can be replicated for future developments
