Designer Cabinets & Real Estate Couture
“Fantastic sun-drenched West-facing, 2-story (top floors) each with a balcony (top-floor’s is huge), Valcucine cabinets, large center island, granite, open floor plan and hardwood throughout.”
–MLS listing, “Public Remarks” field.
[Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway, or any other entity referenced.]
Reading the marketing blurb above, I wonder how many (other) agents had to look up the “Valcucine” in “Valcucine cabinets.”
Personally, I didn’t know if it was a style/descriptive, e.g., “French doors,” “Venetian blinds,” etc.; a material (engineered wood, perhaps?); or, a proper noun.
It turns out that “Valcucine” is option #3: a high-end (need it be said?) Italian cabinet-maker from a small town northeast of Venice.
Which begs this question: “is such name-dropping good real estate marketing?”
(No) Name Brand
I suppose the first time Alfieri Maserati or Ferrucchio Lamborghini sold one of their cars, no one was especially impressed.
Gradually, though, their products gained a reputation for style and craftsmanship, and their surnames acquired the patina of a brand.
No different, once upon a time, than Antonio Stradivari’s violins, Henry Steinway’s pianos, or, for that matter, Guccio Gucci’s leather goods, Charles Tiffany’s jewelry, or Henri Matisse’s paintings.
Buyer Psychology
Which means that the question, “is touting a designer name good marketing?” is likely empirical, and the answer is, “it depends” — on how many people know the name, and what their association is.
Of course, it’s always possible that people subconsciously confer a sense of status and exclusivity on names they don’t recognize.
At least for now, though, my guess is that — with the exception of Manhattan or maybe Miami — “Valcucine” is more of a head-scratcher than a marketing help.
P.S.: While the name appears in about 150 “Sold” listings in the Twin Cities, virtually all of them are condo’s in one development, “Loop Calhoun.”
It’s certainly possible that more local MLS listings include the term in their (non-searchable) marketing supplements.
See also, “The Scoop on the ‘Loop (Calhoun).“
