If your open house feels dry, just bring in the camels — at least that’s what luxury developer Nile Niami did to generate buzz around his $55 million West Hollywood property.
Last weekend, the Hollywood producer-turned-developer hosted an extravagant home tour for prospective buyers of his 14,000-square-foot home just off L.A.’s Sunset Strip. Although Nile and real estate company Williams and Williams were careful not to call the $100,000 theme party an open house – they explicitly did not invite any Realtors to the party — the objective was to show off the home to potential buyers.
“This was not an open house because no Realtors were allowed at the event,” Nile’s public relations spokesperson told Inman. “This was an immersive experience hosting a vetted list of millionaires and billionaires.”
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As first covered by the Hollywood Reporter, guests were told about the events only 24 hours before and included stars from the film Crazy Rich Asians. The party was themed as “The Garden of Earthly Delights” — different rooms were set up as Hell, Earth and Heaven.
And so no vice (or expense) was spared — for entertainment, Niami brought in fire performers, nude actors and a bar of cannabis edibles, which are legal in California. A live camel also served as a backdrop for guests entering the home.
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The property itself, which spans six bedrooms and 10 bathrooms and has everything from a sensory deprivation tank to a living plant wall, hit the market in January. Branden and Rayni Williams of Hilton & Hyland are the listing agents in charge of the sale.
“We’ve found giving buyers in this price range an experience is more powerful word-of-mouth marketing than any ad or broker’s open [house],” Rayni Williams told Inman in a statement. “Luxury brands like Chanel and Louis Vuitton are shifting their ad dollars into experiential marketing so why shouldn’t we sell luxury homes the same way?”
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Nonetheless, it remains unclear whether the theatrics will help bring in a buyer. Ultra-luxury properties frequently sit on the market for above-average durations of time.
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