I came across an interesting luxury real estate marketing technique recently.

Live, webcam walkthroughs.

Max Ribitzky of HQ Marketing Partners, a luxury real estate brokerage in Manhattan has taken the walkthrough digital. Faced with a buyer in London and an apartment for sale in Manhattan, Mr Ribitzky, armed with a laptop and a High-definition video camera hooked up to a video conferencing service, spent three days walking through the apartment, allowing the client to direct his actions and following along on her own laptop in London.

The result – a 1.9 million dollar sale of a 44th floor apartment in the Highpoint condominium development on East 40th street. With the buyer never stepping foot on the premises.

HQ Properties is a cutting-edge real-estate development, marketing and brokerage group located in the heart of Chelsea, New York.

Tough times call for tough marketing and with the dollar at an all-time low, foreign buyers are to be attracted at all costs. Including walking around with a video camera. Well worth the effort apparently.

Michell Asayag, President of HQ says:

In the past few months we have been working with a growing number of investors from three countries in particular: Germany, Great Britain and France. Thanks to strong currencies, as well as realistic price points for quality development - especially in the outer boroughs - we have seen interest in luxury condos soar since the beginning of 2008. I personally find that Manhattan condos - both downtown and uptown – are still the main draw, with Brooklyn and Long-Island City a close second and third.

HQ Properties