A recent project by Crest City Capital on Croton Street in Wellesley that includes a grand entryway creating an welcoming moment sold for $4 million prior to completion. Image courtesy of Crest City Capital

Location may be one of the most common words to describe valuable real estate, but when embarking on a multifamily or single-family project, regardless of location, design arguably reigns supreme.

There’s so much talent throughout Greater Boston that it can be hard to narrow down and select an architect. What’s pivotal in architect and design selection is finding a firm that is familiar with the community in which you are working and to consider the project scopes they are most familiar with.

Home styles from town to town, even if located close to each other, differ immensely. Just look at Newton and Wellesley. Newton is more transitional in design when compared to Wellesley, yet each has a Historical Commission with different standards that is very hands-on during the approval process.

Town governments and residents have a large say in the approval process, too. The right architect will thoroughly understand the local expectations for design, so it’s vital to bring them into the project from the very beginning.

Don’t Neglect the Interior Designer

Collaboration and relationships are key in any field, especially real estate. It’s advantageous to also bring in your interior designer early.

For example, if you are incorporating marble floors into the project, what other rooms are well-suited for marble? The interior designer and architect can work together to determine that. Maybe the home has marble columns or marble detail in the bathroom too.

Time is everything when it comes to a successful deal. We can pick out and order whichever materials and design elements that may be best for the project but if they don’t fit into the budget, scope and timeline, the result will be compromised.

Avoiding Homogeneity, Adding Creativity

When working in cities and towns with very specific requirements, it can be tough to avoid homogeneous design, but we are always determined to differentiate our properties through tasteful, subtle attributes in stonework, clapboard, doors and color.

Where possible, we also insert creativity into roof lines and windows. (On Nantucket and in Beacon Hill, each exterior detail requires approval, from the doorknob to the color of the door).

We appreciate that real estate is a very detail-oriented business and often find the elements that buyers fall most in love with are the smallest of details.

Other unique elements include walk-out basements, expanded common spaces that can accommodate tall ceiling heights, or a grand entry. Our project on Croton Street in Wellesley features a grand entry that creates a memorable, inviting moment immediately when entering the home. This home sold quickly for $4 million before we finished construction.

Nailing the Layout

Floor plans help us visually explain our vision to the end-user. Some people can walk into a space and understand how it will function with furniture, but it is a skill.

Perhaps when walking into an open space, someone may not immediately consider a grand bedroom on the main floor which could make for comfortable, multigenerational living, but you can showcase that in a plan. Another concept that can be easily visualized in a floor plan may be a home office with a bathroom that could function as a guest room or an in-law apartment.

Brad Cangiamila

People generally know what they are looking for, but floor plans help guide the process and at times, inspire a new idea or perspective on how to design or use a space, or even better, change a buyer’s perspective on a home that they maybe wouldn’t have considered otherwise.

Also, before finalizing, we find it helpful to consult our agents on floor plans as they are in direct contact with buyers and thoroughly understand the timeliness elements and trends.

Location and design are on the same playing field when it comes to a swift sellout. Your team must be effectively assembled and collaborative from the onset. Effective collaboration will help you avoid any timeline and budget roadblocks that could compromise a deal. Never underestimate the power of the design and the emotional attachment to unique design details when making a purchase decision.

Brad Cangiamila is founder and principal of Crest City Capital, a Wellesley-based private equity and real estate development firm.