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Home Shoppers Are Buyers at The Foundry in Torrance

Standard Pacific's New Urban Flats Belie The Market

Costa Mesa , Calif., May 20, 2009 -- Shining brightly through the housing market’s gloom, The Foundry in Torrance has captured a robust audience of buyers. Builder Standard Pacific reports some 60 reservations (with about half now at contract) since a February grand opening, an absorption rate more akin to yesterday’s red-hot market than today’s persistent doldrums.

“While we know these homes address a specific niche very effectively, buyer response has surpassed our expectations,” said Suzie Ek, vice president of marketing for Standard Pacific.
“We are very gratified, and we hope this points to a steadily reviving new home market.”

Adroit marketing has helped. The Foundry’s messaging is as tightly targeted as the homes themselves, a function in part of lean budgets, according to Kelly Borgen, executive vice president of The Roxburgh Agency, consultant to Standard Pacific.

“We skipped certain marketing components, such as an extended pre-opening campaign, in favor of placing dollars judiciously and into a mix of channels,” she said. “We focused on lively, original messages and brought them to unexpected places, like the Farmer’s Market across the street.”

Roxburgh commissioned backpack signage at this market, using a strolling vendor who dealt inexpensive project flyers to market shoppers. Distribution is about 200 pieces per week since grand opening day. This, along with an online and newspaper media push, contributed to foot traffic of about 1300 during opening week—and 19 sales for that time period alone.

“The homes and the messages offer a balance of solid, affordable value and quirky, personalized themes that define uniqueness, distinction and individual preferences,” said Borgen. “These qualities are especially important in an economy where buyers are seeking reasons to buy, and we are delighted with The Foundry’s performance.”

Housed in four stories, The Foundry’s stacked flats are priced from the low $400,000s, making these 1,096 to 1,681-square foot units attainable to the targeted young singles and couples who seek new home ownership. The upscale, loft-style community delivers design panache and desirable lifestyle, as demonstrated by mezzanine plans with 17-foot ceilings and home office potential; a focal courtyard with spa, pool and cabanas; secure subterranean parking; and proximity to shopping, freeways and a regional Farmer’s Market. A draw for most infill programs, such attributes gain extra value in The Foundry’s locale, a transitional area without intrinsic appeal.

Roxburgh provides integrated services in advertising, marketing and branding for residential and commercial real estate, engineering, entertainment, interior design, fashion, manufacturing, financial and retail clients. The agency has earned more than 300 international, national and regional awards that honor excellence in multi-media advertising, graphic design, publicity and new media.  Visit www.roxburgh.com.

 

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