5 Things Every Buyer Should Know about Model Suites

The model suite is built and designed to entice the senses and ignite the imagination. Developers know that they only have a few seconds to grab a potential buyer’s attention and make them feel like they want to move into the condo immediately. In order to achieve this result, developers have long been using several ‘tricks of the trade’ to make their model suites appear as appealing as possible. Here are 5 things every buyer should know about model suites before walking into any condo sales centre:

1. Ceiling Height. Often model suites are in loft or commercial space where the ceiling heights are far higher than what you will actually receive. Side note, The Berczy‘s model suite has 8′ ceilings whereas the suites will have a minimum of 9’ ceilings – first time I’ve actually seen this!
2. Doors. Many model suites don’t have doors between rooms, this creates the illusion of more space.
3. Upgrades. Every model suite has some sort of upgrade. Counter tops, appliances, hardwood in the bedrooms, the type of hardwood used, bathroom tiles used, etc. Ask yourself why is this? It can only mean that the standard finishes will not effectively ‘sell’ the building which means you will likely be paying more for your unit than you originally planned to! Quick tip: if a sales person can’t tell you exactly what is an upgrade and what isn’t an upgrade in the model suite – RUN the other way!
4. Custom wood work. I’m seeing this more and more in model suites – custom mill work on walls, built-in storage, built-in desks, etc. This is a design trend that developers are adopting in their model suites but remember, when you move it it’s nothing but concrete and drywall painted in “Egg Shell White”!
5. Furniture and Lighting. The furniture and light fixtures being used in most sales centres are top of the line, high-end pieces.  The average person would be shocked to hear how much money was spent on the furniture and lighting in a typical model suite. Look past the $10,000 couch and $2,500 chandelier and see if you still fall in love with the unit itself before signing on the dotted line.

If you are thinking about buying a pre-construction condo, educate yourself first and never register with a developer without representation. Questions or comments? Contact me.