Boston-based Charlesgate Realty Group recently had a catered open house for 290 Marlborough St. in Boston’s Back Bay, available for $5.2 million.
Trying to draw attention to a $5.2 million Back Bay townhouse, Charlesgate Realty Group sent printed invitations to select brokers and fed them Italian cuisine from an upscale South End restaurant at a recent open house.
The event drew 60 brokers, who gathered to tour the 5,000-square-foot brownstone on a steamy summer evening.
“We were really happy with the turnout. We were hoping for 50, so it ended up being a great turnout,” said Michael DiMella, who is marketing the home with his partner P.T. Vineburgh.
Summertime, when most people’s thoughts are centered on vacations, can be a drag for real estate agents trying to drum up sales. But the season forces many Realtors to be creative about keeping their business going.
Some agents are hosting cookouts at open houses to attract house hunters and brokers, and others are mailing out special postcards. Realtors who specialize in selling luxury homes spend thousands to advertise in publications that are circulated in popular vacation desti-nations like Nantucket or the Berkshires. Such ads are more likely to be viewed by affluent professionals who summer in the pricey lo-cales.
DiMella said most companies shift their focus to marketing to other brokers instead of trying to reach buyers who may be vacationing. If a broker sees a property that is ideal for a client, he can notify the buyer.
Some companies are also rescheduling open houses that would normally take place on Sunday afternoons to Monday or other week-day evenings. This accommodates consumers who like to spend summer weekends away from home.
“We’re not reinventing the wheel in the summer Â… but definitely making it easier for people to see the house is important,” said Di-Mella.
Peter Hawley, who manages Jack Conway & Co.’s Falmouth office, said his office sends marketing brochures to local hotels. There is also a link to the company’s Web site at the chamber of commerce site. Internet traffic increases significantly during the summer months because more visitors are on the chamber site searching for information, he said.
Still, other agents insist they do nothing different in the summer. “I really do the same thing that I do normally during the year,” said Julie Harrison, a senior vice president at Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty in Boston.
Harrison said some brokers are resigned to the notion that business slows in the summer and that they won’t get many requests for property showings.
“I think that’s crazy. It’s not like it’s in the middle of winter. The summer is busy because many people have to move by September,” said Harrison, noting that many would-be buyers who are renters have leases that expire Sept. 1.
