Making Life Simpler

Real estate concierge caters to special needs

By: Cynthia Cannon

Luxury


Domain, an exclusive concierge service, provides assistance with accommodations
to exotic ports of call and personal help in fulfulling gift needs.

"Relaxation"
Homes


of Prestige Fall 2001

SPONSORS:

Acoustical


Concepts: Serious
home theater

Asiantique: Wood furniture & collectibles
Beazer: Westampton Homes
Beco, Inc.: Custom cabinetry
Bowden’s


Fireside Hearth and Home

Couches


USA: A manufacturers outlet

Cranbury


Paint and Hardware: Gas grills

Creative


Ceramic Tile, Inc.

Doerler


Landscapes: Architects
& contractors

E


& B Distributors: Elegant baths showroom

Freehold


Music Center: NJ’s
Music Superstore

Gasior’s


Furniture & Accessories

Glenns


Furniture: Contemporary
furniture

Gloria


Nilson Realtors: Elegant
properties

Graves


Design: Studio store

H


& H Appliance: Cooking
Ware

H


& H Appliance: Dishwashers

H


& H Appliance: Washing
Machines

High


Pointe: Estate homes at Hopewell

Home


Hardware Designs

Home


Theater Shop: Custom
installation

Jamesburg


Hardware & Appliance Co.

Jefferson


Bath & Kitchen: Remodeling

The


Knob House: For that touch of elegance

The


Light Gallery: Exclusive
importers..

Lloyd’s


French Shop: Bonjour, New Jersey

Lloyd’s


Furniture: Fine
home furnishings

Matteo


& Co.: September 35% off sale

Mrs.


G: Get in touch with your inner chef.

N.T.


Callaway: Real
estate brokerage services

Oriental


Teak: Oriental
furniture and accessories

Peyton: Peyton People —


We Make the Difference

Planters


View: Quality. Luxury. Location.

Pond


View: Good lines. Smart layout. Easy living.

Rider


Furniture: Fine
quality home furnishings

Rogers


Appliances, Inc.: Kitchen furnishings

Saums


Interiors, Inc.: Interior
Design

Spyglass


Design, Inc.: Signature
designs

Weichert: Capital


Properties & Estates

Weichert,


Realtors: Ellen Lefkowitz

The


Weidel Group: Auctioneers
of fine property

Weidel


Realtors: Abigail
Weidel, Princeton

White


Lotus Home: handmade
futons

Worldwide


Wholesale Floor Coverings

   The Indonesian archipelago island of Bali is not the only place to enjoy extravagant concierge
services.
   Although extra time to bathe in warm blue water or trek through dense tropical
jungle is indeed a luxury, it’s reassuring to know that one can enjoy leisure
time at home when enlisting the help of a concierge.
   At one time, concierge service seemed out of reach, said Fred and Laura Romano
of Belle Mead. But services, like real estate, have caught onto this fashionable
trend, and the Romanos are one such couple who have benefited from the invaluable
service.
   Relocating from Buffalo, N.Y., the couple welcomed advice on choosing a preschool
for their 4-year-old daughter, Jessica; they also needed an architect to redesign
a kitchen to satisfy Ms. Romano’s desire to create gourmet meals.
   "Mentioning we had few friends and family in the area, our real estate
agent said she’d supply us with resources," Ms. Romano said. "The
realtors gave us schools to phone and referred us to architects and builders
in the area."
   "It was a relief to know that we only needed to worry about the physical
aspects of moving while our realtor helped us figure out the details,"
her husband added.
   Like the Romanos, Central Jersey residents are benefiting from valuable concierge
services provided by local realtors. They’re providing a balanced way for people
to create more time for themselves and the things that have priority in their
lives. Families no longer have to spend entire weekends running errands when
they enlist the help of personal services.
   Once known as "a person employed at a hotel who carries on the business
of making arrangements," "concierge" may be noted today as any
service tending to errand-running and personal shopping, referrals and arrangement
of reservations.

"towels"

   Pamela Parsons, marketing director of N.T. Callaway in Princeton,
pointed out that N.T. Callaway’s clients can sign on to Luxury Domain (www.luxurydomain.com),
a concierge service which caters to the interests of the affluent. Clients
are offered a membership plan, she says, which assists them in finding the
best goods and services worldwide.
   Ms. Parsons says clients who have participated in Luxury Domain have found
readily available items like concert and theater tickets and access to fine
hotels and spas.
   Similarly, Coldwell Banker of Princeton Junction offers concierge services
to clients. Alice Schoemann, manager of the Princeton Junction realty, is so
enthusiastic about the program, she has encouraged her daughter to take advantage
of those services, she said. There is an extensive regional program clients
can participate in, Ms. Shoemann explained, which entitles the client to preferred
customer discounts.

"theater

   "The Children’s Concierge program is helpful for clients seeking childcare
and daycare centers," Ms. Schoemann continued, adding that real estate
agents are more than willing to direct clients to these services at no charge
for the consumer.
   Although some realtors prefer to use the chic "concierge" term for
luxury services they provide, some realtors have been providing these services
to clients for several years, they say.
   "We just don’t call it concierge," said Tod Peyton of Peyton Associates
Realtors in Princeton. Peyton has always provided unique and special services
to home buyers, according to Mr. Peyton, who says his realty always has offered
high quality service and convenience to the home buyer.
   Also providing convenience service to home buyers is Weidel Real Estate. President
Richard Weidel says Weidel offers "one-stop" shopping. The Weidel
Home Finders Network offers convenience and high end service to home buyers.
"Because we pull together a network of service vendors in the area — and these vendors are all familiar with each other — potential difficulties
are worked out before the consumer is troubled with problems," Mr. Weidel
explained.
   Trouble-free home buying services are also offered by Gloria Nilson/GMAC Real
Estate in Princeton. An Elegant Home Program (eleganthomes.org) is offered
at no extra cost to the consumer, said Maureen Penta, general sales manager.
The program provides the extraordinary service of marketing homes for nationwide
exposure, Ms. Penta said. The program targets exclusive buyers for properties
that are listed at $700,000 and more.

"tulip"

   Gloria Nilson/GMAC Real Estate also caters to clients’ individual needs. "Follow-up,
closing, settling in, providing buyers with references to utility services,
painters, carpenters, or whatever the client needs is all part of our service,"
Ms. Penta continued.
   Catering to clients needs is also the aim of Weichert’s Gold Service. A fairly
new program, Weichert Gold Service provides a company-wide service that puts
the home buyer in touch with a Gold Service coordinator. The coordinator leads
the client through the process of home buying, financial services and home
warranties, according to Joseph McDonald, office manager of Weichert, Realtors
in Princeton. Mr. McDonald added, too, there is no charge to take advantage
of the valuable services.
   Mr. McDonald would agree with most realtors. When clients feel they’re trying
to squeeze a life between the never-ending details of home buying, it’s wise
to invite the assistance of a coordinator, personal assistant or concierge.
Cynthia Cannon is editor of The Packet Magazine.