Condo marketers and developers are now collaborating on a different kind of home-shopping network in downtown Vancouver.

The City and Country Condo Centre at 400 Robson St. allows developers and realtors to show and sell rural resort properties to customers in a large urban market.

In contrast to the Home Shopping Network, a TV network that peddles products and allows customers to purchase by phone or online, this home-shopping network is designed to build relationships - and business - between developers, realtors, lawyers, lenders and, of course, home-buyers.

"It's really a multi-discipline facility for the benefit of the general public," said Cliff Bowman, the centre's founder.

Bayne Stanley, Business Edge
Cliff Bowman is hoping the City and Country Condo Centre will attract a large walk-in crowd as well as thousands of tourists.

A 30-year condo marketer who has sold properties across North America, Bowman believes the centre is among the first of its kind in North America.

Bowman and partners Mark Belling and George Hare liken the centre to an auto mall where customers have a one-stop shopping experience.

The trio hopes to lure a large walk-in crowd from the estimated 70,000 downtown residents, 50,000 workers and thousands of tourists - and provide a one-stop shopping experience.

In addition to selling rural B.C. properties, their firm, Recreation Project Marketing, will sell properties in Alberta, the United States and Mexico.

For $15,000 per month, developers rent space that contains scale models of properties and even a complete 1,300-sq.-ft. condo.

Meanwhile, Bowman, Belling and Hare sell units and gather customer feedback for exhibitors.

"It's almost like running a real-time focus group," said Bowman.

A lawyer and lender are also on the premises, allowing deals to be completed on the spot.

Potential buyers can talk to developers, realtors and the lawyer and lender, view the actual property online and gather brochures and other materials.

"You just come down to get all your questions answered," said Bowman.

The condo centre also contains a café in its basement, where business can be conducted in a relaxed atmosphere.

It's all about convenience, said Bowman.

Developers don't have to build expensive temporary show facilities that would be torn down six months later, and customers don't have to drive out to remote sites where, in many cases, construction has not yet begun.

The condo centre will pre-sell yet-to-be-built units as well as expansions of existing projects.

"It'll help us move units quicker," said Jim Rogers, president of Burnaby developer Channel Ridge Properties Ltd.

Channel Ridge is selling a $200-million condo development on 1,400 acres on Salt Spring Island through the centre.

Rogers said his company installed a complete condo unit in the centre and also provided Bowman with about $300,000 to help him cover startup costs because the centre is "a great idea."

"It gives us a bit more presence in Vancouver," said Rogers.

He believes the centre's downtown location and rival developers will help bring in more potential customers.

And, he isn't worried about losing business to rivals because the centre offers a level playing field on which to compete.

"A lot of people (think) bigger is better," said Rogers, who predicts that similar centres will emerge in other cities over the next 10-15 years.

Rogers said the company will likely be involved with the centre for a few years as the Channel Ridge project goes through an expansion and future developments unfold, because it will be much cheaper to remodel its space in the centre for a future project than build a new facility.

"We couldn't have opened up on our own here in Vancouver because we would be doing our own marketing and people would come based (only) on our attraction," said Rogers.

Bear Mountain, a condo project and Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course being developed by former National Hockey League players Mike Vernon and Len Barrie near Victoria; Pacifica in Nanaimo; and Beach Club in Parksville were also displayed in the centre.

"We think (the condo centre) is going to accelerate the sales," said Darren McAdams of the Pacific Beach Group of Companies, which is developing the $50-million Beach Club site. "It gives us a lot more exposure."

He and his brother Brad McAdams are selling the 75 two-bedroom unit resort on a fractional ownership basis, whereby owners purchase quarter shares for under $100,000.

Local marketing will begin in early spring.

Construction is expected to begin on Beach Club next June or July.

Darren McAdams believes the centre will help people who are too busy to spend a lot of time looking at properties.

The convenience factor will also apply to industry professionals, said Hare, one of the centre's three principals.

He predicted the centre will attract many top sellers who are tired of the heavy travel grind typically required to sell rural properties.

"It's like a full-time permanent road show," said Hare.

He said the centre will also provide a competitive edge for himself, Belling and Bowman as they market projects.

"No other marketing business can compete with us," said Hare, predicting most units will be sold right at the centre. "Nobody else out there has a facility like this."

(Monte Stewart can be reached at monte@businessedge.ca)