Industry leaders, bold ideas, and global perspectives drive day one of Zonda’s premier conference.
Elevate 2024 opened its doors to a captivated audience of real estate professionals, economists, and innovators, delivering a dynamic exploration of the housing market, luxury branding, and strategies for thriving in a volatile economy. Hosted by Zonda, and sponsored by Livabl, ARCHITECT, and MFE, this year’s conference brought together thought leaders from across the U.S. and Canada to dissect the challenges and opportunities shaping the industry’s future. From navigating fluctuating mortgage rates and election-driven market shifts to redefining luxury and client relationships, the insights shared on day one set an inspiring tone for the days ahead.
With optimism and excellence as recurring themes, the conference spotlighted innovative approaches to housing trends, client engagement, and market strategy. Whether discussing the impact of inflation and unemployment, the nuances of crafting premium brands, or the evolving role of technology in real estate sales, Elevate 2024 served as a launchpad for actionable ideas and transformative perspectives.
Highlights from day one included:
State of the Housing Market and Wider Economy
Elevate 2024 kicked off with a keynote by Ali Wolf, chief economist at Zonda, who discussed trends in the housing markets of the U.S. and Canada. Wolf opened by going over inflation rates and unemployment in the U.S. and Canada and explaining the difference between how inflation is viewed by economists versus the average person. The average person will typically look at the prices of something, see them go up and thus associate inflation negatively, while economists look at the overall market to take note of possible trends. Wolf pointed out that the U.S. market is much more volatile, where investors drive mortgage rates, not the market itself.
The U.S. market has “wild cards,” Wolf said. Namely, in 2024, the U.S. presidential election made clients and investors nervous to act until the winner was declared. However, projections still saw a rise in debt and deficit regardless of the winner. With Donald Trump officially the president-elect, investors now believe there is an opportunity for more market growth. Wealth and age are important factors in both sales and supply; those with higher incomes are more likely to be able to afford homes and therefore more likely to commit to a purchase. Baby boomers and individuals in Generation X are much more likely to own a home than millennials and Gen Z. The future, Wolf said, looks better for the housing market in both countries, but is still worth watching.
Creating the Luxury Experience of the Future
Dr. Daniel Langer, the CEO of Équité, was up next. The topic of discussion was how to create truly luxurious brands and experiences by connecting with the clients on a deeper level than normal brands. He focused on what he calls the 4E’s: emotion, experience, engagement, and exclusivity.
Dr. Langer’s “4 E’s” are his answer in hospitality to the “4 P’s” of marketing. For something to be truly luxurious, Langer said, it must be more than just expensive. The brand, be it an airline, hotel, or fashion company, should seek to connect with the client on an emotional level. They should seek to make every step of the client’s journey as excellent and unique as possible, to ensure that the client understands the story and emotion behind the brand. Langer listed some of the top hotels in the world that he thinks are doing things right: Equinox, Potato Head, Remedy Place, and Core as examples of brands that go above and beyond to form and retain a relationship with their clients through excellent theming and hospitality.
Elevating Excellence: CEO Strategies in Today’s High-Rise Market
Kimberly Byrum, senior managing director at Zonda, moderated the third panel: a conversation with Henry Bott, president of Swire Properties, and Jonathan Landau, CEO of Landau Properties. The pair answered questions about their strategies for navigating the volatile housing market in the U.S., how they build and maintain strong client relationships, and what their focus is going into the future.
Bott and Landau are both CEOs of successful companies who take different approaches to their goals. Landau believes, he said, that a strong team of people who understand the builder’s vision are a key aspect of a successful project. His company, Landau Properties, does not start a project with the intention of considering it a branded product, though he acknowledges there are benefits, such as attracting investors. He’s keeping an eye on interest rates and President-elect Trump’s proposed tariffs in the new year. Bott and his company, Swire Properties, strive to associate excellence and loyalty among their clients with their name. They focus on strong hospitality and service to build the definitive luxury experience on their properties. Buyers were more ready to commit, Bott stated, after the results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election. He, like Landau, will continue to monitor tariffs and interest rates.
Mastering the Story: Selling in an Evolving Market
Vice president of business development at Zonda Matthew Slutsky hosted the fourth panel of the day. Seth Kaufman, chief sales officer at ONE Sotheby’s International Realty; Shlomi Reuveni, president and CEO of Reuveni Development Marketing; Greg Zayadi, president of Rennie; and Melissa Ziweslin, senior managing director at Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group, were the speakers, covering their strategies for sales and marketing in today’s changing market. These companies cover real estate from South Florida all the way to New York, and each represents a unique challenge.
Reuveni and Ziweslin emphasized the importance of being hands-on and involved with clients. Reuveni said he believes that while Zoom and email are useful communication tools, being able to look a potential client in the eye and hear their voice goes a very long way into securing a deal. Selling, he said, is different than showing, and the distinction is important.
Ziweslin said even though technology is a useful tool, it can occasionally have some drawbacks. Some architects, she said, can have a home finished and then change the design immediately after, rendering the newly built home technically out of date. Adaptability and the ability to see a client’s needs, Ziweslin said, are important aspects of selling as well.
Zayadi said he believes that while technology makes sales more efficient and informed, data is the key element to executing a successful sale, and properly utilizing it will equip salespeople with the ability to more successful close deals, and Kaufman said technology is an excellent complement to their sales, such as using VR and AR to allow potential buyers to view the property and form their own opinions on the property they’re viewing.
A Conversation with the 2024 Developer Icon Award Winner
Editor-in-chief of ARCHITECT magazine Paul Makovsky sat down with the winner of the 2024 Developer Icon Award, Nick Pérez, on the final panel of the day, to discuss strategy, the housing market and real estate with him. Pérez looks at any potential property as a blank canvas, he said, and each one is worth different levels of design and pricing. His company, Related Group, strives to stand out among other developers, Perez stated that when developing a property, they seek to grant equal opportunity among the communities the development is in, through hiring local, POC and women-owned businesses.
Pérez’s strategy is to exploit opportunity as fast and as much as possible, before others catch wind of it. They partner with other companies to grab up as much prime real estate as possible and turn it into a development worth its price tag. Pérez and his company have played a major role in shaping the skylines of several cities in Florida, including Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
That’s a brief overview of day one of Elevate 2024. Optimism, distinction, and the human element were the major themes of the day. Visit architectmagazine.com to stay up to date with the event.
