“Having access to high-end yachts swayed my decision to purchase at The Continuum and is an incentive I will take full advantage of,” said Mr. Wolitzer. “Especially in my business when I’m dealing with high-profile sportspeople, it’s great to be able to get access to these amazing yachts where they’re well-served. I know they will be well taken care of.

Homeowner freebies and perks like private club memberships are a mainstay in the world of luxury real estate and are meant to entice prospective buyers to sign on the dotted line.

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They are primarily a local phenomenon, according to Jonathan Miller, president and CEO of Miller Samuels, a real estate appraiser and consulting firm.

In the US residential real estate market, offers are made by both developers looking to move into apartments in their vacant buildings and individuals selling their homes. According to Mr. Miller, they range from moderate to high and are most prevalent when the market is soft.

“When sales are slow, freebies increase in bids to encourage buyers,” he said. “Sales are currently declining, and inventory is rising after two years to the contrary, which suggests we could see more going forward.”

Many of these extra items are available, particularly in South Florida, where the market has normalized to an unprecedented level during the outbreak, Mr. Miller said. “The frustration in South Florida has been so intense compared to the rest of the country because it has become a place where people want to live full time,” he said. “Now that the numbers are creeping back to pre-pandemic levels, free agents can push buyers over the finish line.”

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Kelly Killoren Bensimon, a real estate agent for Douglas Elliman in Miami and New York, has experienced gifts in her business that range from yacht access and summer homes to premium wines. “A guy I know who sold a $5 million house in the Hamptons threw in a Mercedes 280SL for free,” she says. “They didn’t want to lower the price, but they were happy to sweeten the deal.”

A car, an Aston Martin to be exact, is also attractive at the Aston Martin Residences in Miami Biscayne Bay. Buyers who purchased one of the building’s 01 Line apartments—a collection of 47 oceanfront residences ranging from 3,500 to 3,900 square feet and priced from $8.3 million to $9 million—had their choice of DBX Miami Riverwalk Special Edition, or DB11. Miami Riverwalk Special Edition. The DBX is Aston Martin’s first SUV and retails for around $200,000. It may have helped boost sales as all the apartments were for sale.

A $59 million triple penthouse, meanwhile, is still up for grabs, and the buyer will receive a $3.2 million Aston Martin Vulcan track-only sports car.

“We want to give homeowners the opportunity to live the full Aston Martin lifestyle, and owning a beautiful Aston Martin is definitely the highlight of that,” said Alejandro Aljanti, chief marketing officer of the building’s developer, G&G Business Development. “We would like to include the cars as part of a package for our more exclusive units.”

An $800,000 furniture budget for buyers of North Tower Condominiums in Sunny Isles, Florida, is another recent perk. The 94 homes were sold last year, and the starting price was $6.3 million, according to Michael Goldstein, president of sales. “They can pre-select furniture, and when buyers move in later this year, all they need is a toothbrush,” he said.

Then there’s the $2 million art collection included in the sale of a penthouse at Four Seasons Residences in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood. The property recently sold for $15.9 million and has 8,800 square feet. Designed by the renowned ODP Architects, it features contemporary paintings and sculptures from notable names such as American conceptual artist Bill Beckley and sculptor Tom Breiwitz.

But in the year It’s hard to add to the millions of dollars attached to the 2019 asking price of an $85 million, 15,000-square-foot duplex in Atelier, Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. The list includes two Rolls Royce Phantoms, a Lamborghini Aventador, a $1 million yacht with five years of mooring fees, a summer stay at a Hamptons mansion, weekly dinners for two at prestigious French restaurant Daniel, and a live host and personal chef. for one year. And the most disgusting of all: a flight into space for two.

It turns out that the so-called duplex was actually a collection of several apartments and an unsold listing. But it created a lot of buzz among the press and real estate circles and was a marketing success, Mr. Miller said.

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“A listing like this, which looks incredible with all the giveaways, gets more eyeballs but is less likely to push sales,” he said. “It’s not an effective method in practice.”

On the other hand, Mr. Miller’s more reasonable but still generous freebies, such as yacht club memberships, have the potential to sway undecided buyers toward a sale. “A good but not great gift won’t be the only factor in their decision, but it can be a big factor,” he said. “It’s a feel-good incentive that buyers think they’re getting at no extra cost.”

Examples of these bonuses include 1 Hotel South Beach Private Beach Club Membership at Baccarat Residences in Brickell, or a one-year Grand Bay Beach Club Membership in Key Biscayne. Casa Bella Residence by B&B Italia, located in downtown Miami and a residential project from the renowned Italian furniture brand. Membership at Grand Bay Beach Club typically costs $19,500 in initiation fees and $415 in monthly fees.

Still tempting but less expensive perks include a two-hour cruise on Hemingway’s wooden boat in New York City’s Brooklyn Bridge Park for an estimated $1,900. The building’s developer, Robert Levine, said he began offering the cruise in July to help sell the remaining units. “We’re about 70% sold, but of course, I want everything to go,” he said.

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A $1,635 Avalon throw blanket from Hermes for those staying at Ten30 South Beach, a 33-unit boutique condominium; In Manhattan’s Financial District, custom artwork from renowned artist James Perkins has been offered to buyers at the 42-story Jolly on Greenwich Street. Perkins said the price of the piece depends on the purchase price of the home, but the minimum is $4,000. “High-end houses get a bigger job,” he said.

Chad Carroll, a Compass real estate agent in South Florida and founder of The Carroll Group, says that while gifts are part of the overall real estate package, sales can be emotional and personal. “If the freebie appeals to the buyer, the transaction becomes a different dynamic,” he said. “The idea of ​​receiving a gift will kill those who love it.”

From his own experience, Mr. Carroll said that sellers can have an emotional connection with the exchange. “Last year I was selling my house in Golden Isles for $5.4 million and included jet skis and paddle boards,” he said. “The buyers were a family with small children and they really liked the water toys.” Mr. Carroll could have given it to the highest bidder, but decided to accept their offer. “I loved them and wanted them to create the same happy memories in the house I did,” he said.

The family moved a few months later.

This article appeared first Mansion Global.