Driving through the Florida Keys on the Overseas Highway, a few miles past Key Largo, a $17 million property named The Orchid Cove Estate is on the market. And Jason Zarco believes that, if you’re interested in buying it, the showing should be as luxurious as the property itself.
“That begins the moment they drive through the gates of the property,” Jason said. “A unique aspect of this property is that it's a quarter-mile drive through nature off the main road just to get to the entrance. That creates an enchanting experience off the bat. So, when guests arrive, I have specific music playing in the background to create an ambience. This is a 14½-acre property with two private beaches and a thousand feet of waterfront, so you want to create a vibe that tells the story of this estate.”
It should come as no surprise that, before becoming a realtor representing luxury properties, Jason spent over seven years in a variety of management positions at the Ritz-Carlton New York on Central Park, including director of operations.
“This is a five-star, five-diamond property catering to royal families, heads of state, celebrities, high-net-worth individuals,” he said. “In that environment, your highest priority is making sure the guests’ experience is as luxurious as possible down to the finest detail. I've taken a lot of what I did in the hotel business and have applied it to real estate.”
According to Jason, this involves just the right amount of showmanship whenever he is showing the Orchid Cove Estate property. For example, as prospective buyers arrive, they are greeted warmly and served a specially made Orchid Cove Cocktail, kept chilled with an orchid frozen inside an ice sphere.
“As we tour the property, I'll often have a boat set up in the back for a tour of the waterfront,” he said. “Sometimes, I'll even have a seaplane just to show how easy it is to land one on the property. I then take them on a proper tour of the entire house and grounds, including an incredible nature trail that's been curated over the last 25 years with wild orchids everywhere. I'm infusing my five-star hotel background and it's truly a unique experience in the real estate business.”
While the showings he puts on are clearly a lot of fun, for both him and the prospective buyer, the bottom line is that it's simply the best way to market a high-end luxury property.
“You can tell that people are wowed by the whole experience, and when you’re looking at properties like these, you should be wowed. We give the property a soul and that's really what it's all about.”
