Estate of Mind — The Art of Selling Luxury Real Estate

Episode Summary: Turning Open Houses into Luxury Experiences That Sell

Date: November 5, 2025
Host: Institute for Luxury Home Marketing
Guest: Jerry Hammond, Hammond International Properties Ltd., Greater Toronto Area

Brief Overview

This episode dives deep into transforming open houses from standard showings into exclusive, high-impact events that immerse guests in the luxury lifestyle—and, most importantly, sell homes. Jerry Hammond, an industry veteran specializing in the luxury segment, shares his proven strategies for elevating open houses, building brand recognition, and fostering client and broker relationships through unforgettable luxury experiences.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins & Approach to Luxury Real Estate

• Jerry Hammond’s background: Started in real estate nearly 20 years ago, and credits much of his luxury focus to early training from The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing.
• Influence of mentorship: Recalls attending the Institute’s course in Coral Gables, appreciating founder Laurie Mor Mor’s “Texas hospitality” and the lasting value of early relationships.
• “It is a wonderful testament that the training and the relationships ... stick with you through all these years.” – Host (01:59)

2. Luxury Open House Formats: Macro vs. Micro Events

• Macro Events (“Soirees”): Large, annual events hosted in spectacular listings (often $15M+) with 500+ guests, leveraging partnerships with luxury brands (e.g., Ferrari), art galleries, and high-end cuisine. Events are media-worthy and structured as exclusive social gatherings.
  • Events feature charity partnerships, celebrity guests, and curated entertainment.
  • Example: A $15M listing sold after such an event, with the buyer motivated by the fear of missing out.
  • Memorable Story:
    “She pulls me aside. She says, Jerry, I’m really disappointed... Well, I want the house. You know, this is my home.” – Jerry Hammond (06:05)
• Micro Events: Targeted, neighborhood or agent-focused, designed to introduce agents to their farm areas and build local recognition. Smaller, more intimate, and geared toward generating “notoriety” for team members.

3. Managing Security and Client Comfort at Large Events

• Comprehensive protocols: Professional security, insurance (especially for valuable artwork), and strict access limitations (e.g., only main floors and grounds, creative blockades such as live musicians at staircases).
  • "We hire security... limit the tour to the main floor and lower level only... We had our violinist at the top of the staircase as a blockade." – Jerry (07:30)
• Sellers must sign off, and homes are cleaned thoroughly after events.

4. Partnerships with Luxury Brands & Cross-Pollination

• Events are co-branded with luxury companies across automotive, art, banking, jewelry, etc.
  • Partnerships are collaborative, not financial (brands provide products, presence, and cross-promotion; Hammond’s firm handles costs for event logistics).
  • Exclusivity for vendors is maintained: only one brand of each type per event.
  • "We showcase our last events... so they can get a really good indication about how professional they are and the type of clientele that comes out." – Jerry (13:10)

5. Cost, Planning, and Execution

• Corporate handles the bill: $20-30k typical for a macro event (mainly food).
• Multiple marketing and events teams have “systematized” process down to a science.
  • “We have it pretty much lined up… It seems to be quite consistent at this stage.” – Jerry (17:36)

6. Building the Right Audience & Cultivating FOMO

• Invitations are highly curated, relying on a constantly updated agent database (production tracked monthly, focused on leading agents in key luxury pockets).
  • “People become almost like a magnet…they love what you’re doing…We keep in touch with all the agents that we do business with.” – Jerry (20:17)
• Personal invitations increase attendance from high-producing agents and influencers.
  • Non-producers/influencers sometimes included for strategic word-of-mouth spread.

7. Traditional Public Open Houses & Lifestyle Integration

• At “entry-level” luxury (approx. $3M+), traditional open houses are still used, but prepared with social media, personal, and neighborhood invitations.
  • Event scale is smaller, typically results in 10-20 guests.
• Lifestyle features are integrated through curated catering, designer presentations, and strategic placement of luxury vehicles or art.

8. Leveraging Art, Photography, and Engaging Experiences

• Art shows are routine additions, partnering with gallery owners and artists to fill spaces with high-end visual art.
• Events are professionally photographed and filmed for future marketing, giving lasting value to one-time investments.

9. Food & Beverage Choices and Risk Management

• Light, bite-sized cuisine is served to minimize mess and liability; wine is usually limited to prosecco or white varieties.
• Homes are professionally cleaned following each function.

10. Event Types Beyond Single Properties

• “Tour of Homes” weekends involve multiple listings in a single neighborhood, each staffed and timed for maximum exposure.
• Macro events may include luxury condos in partnership with large developers; success measured by subsequent penthouse sales.

11. Strategic Marketing, Longevity & Brand Building

• Events form part of an ongoing, integrated campaign—not just isolated marketing pushes.
• Very conscious of cash flow and need for consistent, sustainable branding to outlast market cycles.
  • “If you’re not creating longevity out of it, or…thinking strategically…then it can all go for nothing.” – Jerry (38:12)
  • “In cycles like this…we have to reinvest and increase our budgets accordingly.” – Jerry (40:49)
• Part of strategy includes carefully “fixing” listings from other firms, rebranding, and sometimes strategically raising prices.

12. Learning from Other Luxury Industries

• Jerry emphasizes learning best practices from outside real estate—aviation, hospitality, yachting—then importing those standards of service into real estate.
  • "Get out of the real estate game, so to speak, for a while, step into another luxury arena and start gathering ideas..." – Jerry (43:46)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Macro Event Success:
  “We just hosted one at a home we’re marketing for about 15 million. And after the event, we sold the home. So it worked out very well.” – Jerry (03:41)

• On Creating FOMO:
  "She pulls me aside. She says, Jerry, I’m really disappointed... Well, I want the house. You know, this is my home." — (06:05)

• On Security Measures:
  “We hire security… limit the tour to the main floor and lower level only… We had our violinist at the top of the staircase as a blockade.” – Jerry (07:30)

• On Partnering with Luxury Brands:
  "We asked for collaboration, we don't ask for any costs... Of course making mention if we create a speech at the event and make mention of each of the vendors." — (13:00)

• On Event ROI and Brand Building:
  “If you’re not creating longevity out of it...it can all go for nothing…then it just becomes an expense.” – Jerry (38:12)

• On Adapting Service from Other Luxury Sectors:
  “If you bring on some of those ideas into your organization, you can really leverage in a marketplace and really sort of adhere to the values of the luxury market…” – Jerry (42:04)

• On Continuous Innovation:
  “Reinvention is a very important key point in our industry because every other industry that’s doing well…they’re reinventing themselves all the time.” – Jerry (45:28)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• Early history and luxury focus: 01:00–03:07
• Macro event case study & FOMO story: 04:01–06:53
• Security & homeowner comfort: 07:09–09:20
• Brand partnership mechanics: 12:43–14:53
• Costs and event planning: 17:06–18:21
• Curating the guest list and broker FOMO: 20:17–24:06
• Public open houses & lifestyle features: 28:25–31:00
• Art and luxury integrations: 31:05–32:59
• Risk management & post-event cleanup: 33:07–35:04
• Condos and builder partnerships: 36:21–38:12
• Campaign longevity and adapting to market cycles: 38:12–41:18
• Learning from other luxury industries: 42:05–45:54
• Closing advice and importance of service culture: 43:46–45:54

Closing Words of Wisdom

• “Step out of your real estate box. Look at other industries, find out what they’re doing. Those will give you all the success tools you need to adapt into your own organization.” – Jerry Hammond (43:46)
• “Reinvention is a very important key point in our industry because...they’re reinventing themselves all the time.” – Jerry (45:28)

Episode Takeaways

• Luxury open houses are far more than showings—they are curated events that build emotional connections and lasting impressions for the right buyers and influencers.
• Strategic partnerships and thoughtful event planning not only enhance the guest experience but can dramatically impact both immediate sales and long-term brand value.
• Data-driven guest curation and influencer marketing create the “buzz” and exclusivity necessary to stand out (and sell) in the upper echelon of real estate.
• Continuous innovation and learning from other luxury sectors are essential to maintaining leadership and growing market share, especially during softer markets.
• Lasting relationships, superb service, and reinvention are the backbone of successful luxury real estate marketing.

To learn more about the Institute or to suggest future podcast topics, visit luxuryhomemarketing.com or email infoluxuryhomemarketing.com.