Realtor response to Pulte’s trolley tours has been overwhelmingly positive. From Pulte’s perspective, having a (well-fed) captive audience for a couple of hours is a plus too.
|
Pulte Home Corporation is taking Pennsylvania realtors for a ride, and the realtors are loving it. In an innovative marketing move, Pulte is inviting local real estate brokers on trolley tours of their new home communities in Delaware, Bucks, Chester and Montgomery counties.
The first tour was of Brandywine Overlook, a community in East Bradford, Pa. The trolley picked the brokers up at their offices, then they were served lunch in the decorated dining car and given a tour of the community, all in about two hours.
Margot McKee, Associate Broker with Weichert Realtors of West Chester, when asked what she thought of the tour, said "They’re really cool." Besides being an interesting idea, she said, it also gave the brokers a totally different vantage point of the homes. "When you’re [higher] up, which you can’t be in a car, you can see more."
Cindy Cameron, sales manager at Pulte, says the trolley tours have been successful. "It’s only a very short period of time that we need their attention and it allows us all the exposure we need...It’s really like having a captive audience."
For Cameron, an added advantage of the trolley tours is that they allow her a greater opportunity to meet with each of the real estate brokers and answer any questions - something that’s difficult to do in the usual luncheon format.
And what is for lunch? "Filet mignon," answers Mike Disler, vice president of sales and marketing for Pulte’s Delaware Valley Division. "I was picturing a box lunch with a sandwich and a piece of fruit, but it was top notch."
Pulte has trolley tours scheduled for each of its eight communities in the region, and plans to host tours for the 13 communities set to open soon.
Advertisement
Related Stories
Sales
What the NAR Commissions Settlement Means for Home Builders
The legal settlement will improve transparency during the home sales process, mitigate predatory practices, and help preserve profitability for home builders
Sales
Sales and Texting? Know the Rules
Texting your sales prospects en masse can be an efficient way to get your message through if you follow these best practices
Affordability
Will NAR's Landmark Commissions Settlement Lower Housing Costs?
The $418 million deal changes long-standing rules—written and unwritten—that consumers claim inflated sales commissions for home sellers, including new-home builders