Condo developers offering a range of perks to attract high-end buyers
Rendering / Courtesy of the Procopio Cos.
The Daymark condominium development in Portland's West Bayside neighborhood will feature a sports and gaming lounge, shown here.
From garden tenders to cleaning services to sports and gaming rooms, amenities included with new residential developments have become increasingly fancy to appeal to high-end buyers and people from away who are used to custom offerings.
Even with a housing crunch and residential property already selling quickly, developers are still catering to needs and wants of buyers and renters who expect just a little more.
“It’s not just a boring meeting space with a little fridge anymore,” said Tom Landry, owner of Benchmark Real Estate and CornerStone Building and Restoration in Portland. “Buyers have different expectations.”
“It is a race — who can be the most creative and identify what people want and need,” said Bryan Vitale, vice president of development at Massachusetts-based Procopio Cos., which is developing the Daymark condominium development in Portland’s West Bayside neighborhood. “It’s a form of survival in this business.”
“It’s really changed over the past two years. There’s indications that 80% of employers will support some kind of work from home even after the pandemic. Properties have to adapt,” Vitale said.
Landry agreed: “The house and condo has to do more for us now than ever before.”
Hobson’s Landing, at 387 Commercial St. in Portland, will have a concierge to greet residents, accept packages and schedule services like massages. The building will also feature events such as wine tastings and cooking classes, as well as community-shared bicycles and even a shared Tesla.
Some of the change in the amenity race is driven by more buyers coming to Maine from other metropolitan markets, where luxury amenities are commonplace. In the past, 5% to 10% of buyers were from other cities, but that number has jumped to about half of the buyers in Portland, Landry said.
From young buyers who have come out of colleges that featured lazy rivers and espresso bars to older buyers who are used to convenience and instant gratification all have constantly evolving desires, Vitale said.
“Amenities now are light years ahead of what they used to be,” Vitale said.
The Daymark property has 5,000 square feet of amenities that could have been used for more residential units, but added extras were important, Vitale said.
“We want to deliver best in class properties. We want them to be different. It’s about creating the identity of the community when you add amenities. Amenities are key,” Vitale said.
Parking, as an amenity, has increased as well, with luxury housing now offering two-car parking areas, rather than just one-car spots. Pet wash areas of the past have increased, as well, to feature multiple washing zones that are heated, Landry said.
“People want kayak and paddleboard storage as a matter of course. People, in a variety of seasons, want to have stuff on hand,” Landry said. “Maker’s space is important. Whether it’s sewing or crafts or woodworking. Developers have to solve these vexing problems for people.”
Dedicated or shared outdoor space is key for those downsizing from a traditional suburban home, said Landry, whose new Solaris condominium at 130 Morning St. on Portland's East End, offers an organic gardening service among one of many amenities.
“Health and wellness was always an area that we paid attention to. COVID exacerbated that. There might be yoga areas or fitness areas that are smaller and more private and proper filtration is on people’s minds,” Vitale said.
Even outside the luxury market, affordable housing and market rate housing amenities exist to make residential properties more appealing.
Community rooms, indoor bicycle storage, fitness centers and laundry facilities on site all matter, said Nathan Szanton, president of the Szanton Co. in Portland.
“There’s such a dearth of available housing, that people might take the units without the benefits, but they’re excited to see the amenities,” Szanton said. “We try to go above and beyond.”
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