Are You On The V-List?

Let’s face it- the real estate market isn’t particularly easy for anybody, whether you’re looking to sell, buy or rent. Not surprisingly, the economic situation over the past few years hasn’t made the jobs of real estate agents any less difficult. But in such a competitive industry, realtors are shifting from merely selling property to instead branding themselves as professionals. These agents have turned themselves into household names, using their surnames to trademark the quality and class of the property they sell. Taking my hometown of the North Shore into consideration, the realtor most prominent in my evoked set is none other than Karim Virani. The founder of Virani Real Estate Advisors is based in West Vancouver and has strived to demonstrate to property owners, financers and buyers his standards on the quality of products he chooses to sell and represent his firm with. By doing so, he’s created a luxury brand of real estate. No longer is purchasing a house solely about the property itself- potential homeowners want more than a nice home in a prestigious neighbourhood, they want a “Virani” house.

It’s remarkable how a single man has turned himself and his family name into a celebrated brand of the real estate market. Virani creates a real estate experience like none other- client stress immediately declines with one step into their office, decorated as a midpoint between a luxury home and a high end office space. Agents drive various Mercedes Benz sedans branded with the Virani Real Estate logo.

Lavish offices and luxury cars aside comes “The V-List”- the company’s seasonal magazine featuring property for sale and lease. Homes are placed on a pedestal and praised for every dollar it is worth. Instead of a tedious SOLD next to unavailable homes, The V-List uses friendly orange print to state that the property is “Gone!” But it’s the famous mantra- “Who’s on the V-List?” that leads even owners of simple homes to seek Virani’s representation in the real estate market.

Moreover, the company’s “Five Testimonials” mission statement emphasizes their use of value based marketing, the first testimonial stating “We Create Value” and the importance they place on loyalty and family by stating “We Do the Right Thing” and “We are Family”. And not to forget the first words that greet visitors of the webpage “Vancouver is Virani is Vancouver”

A once family business has not only branded their founder, but effectively uses value based marketing to capture the real estate market and is slowly branding one of the largest cities in Canada. Now the question is, are you on the V-List?