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How Tech, Social Media And Virtual Launches Paid Off

Posted 26 September 2022 by Lizzie Leigh

We talk to Emma Fletcher-Brewer, department head at London’s Knight Frank…

Emma Fletcher-Brewer tells us how clever use of tech, social media and a virtual launch of a new home scheme paid off in lockdown…

 

Emma, what was it that first got you interested in property?

I have grown up exposed to the world of property from a very young age as both my parents worked in the industry; my mother was an interior designer whilst my father worked in commercial property.

I decided to follow in their footsteps and went to university to do a degree which combined my love of interiors, art and architecture and my own journey into real estate started from there.

Can you tell us a little bit about your current role at Knight Frank?

I currently head up the New Homes City Department for Knight Frank, covering a broad spectrum of areas and clients.

Being a chartered surveyor, I still very much enjoy working on the technical aspects of the role, providing consultancy advice very early on in the planning stages, through to the follow-on sales strategies.

I am also involved with the Peoples Board and other aspects of the business at Knight Frank, where we help to shape the firm across all business areas; giving everyone a voice, which has been a rewarding aspect of my role also.

How did you continue to market new homes to buyers during the COVID-19 pandemic?

My colleagues will probably roll their eyes at this one, given it has been a topic discussed many times over, however we had one of the most successful launches in New Homes during the pandemic.

I had just returned from maternity leave, at the start of lockdown to launch a new scheme in Acton. We had to be very clever and different with the marketing given how that everyone was tuned into social more than print. We rolled out one of our biggest social media campaigns for a launch, which went viral.

We launched virtually within the marketing suite, allowing people to book in viewings from their laptops / mobile phones. We relied very heavily on tech and social, something you see more in the US, and it paid off for us – we were fully reserved (160 units) in two weeks.

We hear that London is bouncing back, how do you think a protracted cost of living crisis will affect people's new home buying decisions in the coming months?

I think it will not only be the cost-of-living crisis that may have an impact but also the end of Help to Buy (HTB), which has underpinned the market for some time. However, demand is still outstripping supply and needs based buyers will look to take advantage of new schemes that are being supported by the HBF etc.

There are also other macro-economic factors that are beneficial to those purchasing in other currencies and the demand for London very rarely wavers due to the unending appeal of the capital, our education system, legal system and global headquarters based here.

Why do you think developers choose Knight Frank to market and sell their new homes?

As our strapline says, we are our clients’ ‘partners in property’. We genuinely care and will be there to support our clients every step of the way.

I believe we provide the best advice as well as innovation, curating bespoke strategies for every site we are instructed on.

People are at the heart of the business of property, and we have a great team of knowledgeable, fun, supportive people who our clients enjoy working with.

Which schemes are you promoting at the moment?

We have just launched Chelsea Botanica and sold 80% of the scheme in the first 48 hours, which has been phenomenally received by purchasers. Great partnerships were involved with Peloton, Kew Royal Botanical Gardens and NM Atelier who won Great British Brand for Interior Design 2022.

We are just about to launch Hammersmith Town Hall, which is a really exciting mixed-use scheme with FABRICA in partnership with Hammersmith and Fulham - a landmark for the Borough and incredible civic campus proposed.

We then have the next phase of the sell-out scheme, The Verdean in Acton, and we continue to see huge demand across HTB schemes like Hanwell Square, Oxbow and Upton Gardens.

And finally, Canary Wharf has seen a huge renaissance over the past 8 months, and we are very excited to be launching the new apartments in One Park Drive this Autumn.

What's the most exciting new home trend you've seen in a development recently?

I think what is really exciting about new developments being imagined now is not just the new proptech ideas that are coming forward, including residents’ apps that have evolved considerably but also the innovation in health and wellbeing – be this through considerate construction techniques and or through the wellbeing offerings available within the developments.

Developers are also looking to other countries across the world like the US, South Africa and Australia for inspiration. We are starting to see this within our developments here in London too, in the Prime London arena like The Whiteley and Six Senses or Royal Eden Docks, in the Royal Docks which have started to prioritise health and wellbeing at the forefront of their delivery agenda.

In terms of design, what new interiors are coming through strongly at the moment?

It’s exciting to see so many emerging trends coming through in the new homes market at the moment. The private members’ club trend continues to run through many of our developments,

from the contemporary Soho House approach or the fantastic new interiors styles from Rosanna Bossom at 5 Hertford and The Fitzdares Club. Minimalist curvature within interior architecture is also emerging at schemes such as The Arc and Artisi at Hammersmith Town Hall.

Which incentives do you think provide the best help to first-time buyers who are looking to purchase a new home?

As indicated with the cost-of-living crisis on top of everyone’s agenda at the moment, additional costs associated with purchasing a property are at the forefront of first-time buyers’ minds. So, incentives such as Stamp Duty are still being very well received as well as cash incentives towards solicitors, moving costs and furnishings, etc.

And finally, what's in store for your team over the next 12 months?

We have been really lucky to have won a number of new instructions over the past few months and will be launching some really exciting new projects across London, starting with the much-anticipated launch of The Verdean Phase 2 in October 2022.

We also have a number of volunteering days that we are looking at booking in, looking to support our colleague James Clarke who has been raising money for Motor Neurone Disease, since his very sad news of his own diagnosis this year.

 

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