Why you plan a launch backwards
A presale launch has one date nobody can move: the day the sales centre opens and the first buyers sign. Every other deliverable, from the name to the price sheet, depends on something else being finished first. The renderings need a settled design. The website needs the renderings. The broker kit needs the website, the floor plans and the pricing. The disclosure statement needs almost everything.
Working backwards from opening day shows you the real start date for each piece, and it usually shows you that you are already late on one of them. Better to find that out at sixteen weeks than at two.
The timeline below is a common shape for a mid-size residential presale. Larger projects, international campaigns or a design still in rezoning need more time. Treat the week markers as checkpoints, not a schedule you can copy without thinking.
One more thing to fix before you start: who holds the master list. A launch touches the developer, the architect, the interior and landscape designers, the marketing agency, the sales team, the brokers, the lawyer and the builder. If each of them keeps their own version of the dates and the approved files, the launch runs on whichever email was sent last. Put the dates, the deliverables and the approvals in one place everyone can see.
Decide what the project is
- 01
Naming and branding
The name, logo, colour and voice come first, because everything else wears them. Check the name for trademarks, web domains and social handles before you fall in love with it. Give the brand team the site, the architecture and the buyer you are aiming at, not just a mood board. Our branding work starts from the building and the neighbourhood.
- 02
Freeze the design for marketing
Marketing images need a design that will not change. Agree with the architect which elevations, finishes and amenity spaces are fixed. Anything still moving gets rendered later or left out.
- 03
Order the renderings and film
Decide the shot list now: the hero exterior, the street view, the amenity, one or two interiors, and the film. Hand the studio drawings, finish schedules, the landscape plan and the interior designer's selections. Plan seasonal and time-of-day variations from the same scene now, rather than ordering new views later. See what drives the cost of a rendering.
- 04
Line up the sales team and legal
Appoint the sales and marketing lead, the brokerage if you are using one, and the real estate lawyer who will prepare the disclosure statement. The lawyer needs the most lead time of anyone.
- 05
Pick the sales centre location
Whether it is on site, in a leased storefront or a display suite, the space needs design, permits and construction. Start now if it needs any building work.
Build the tools buyers will touch
- 01
Website and registration
A registration page can go up early to build a list, with the name, a hero image and a sign-up form. Ask your lawyer what you can say before the disclosure statement is filed. The full project website follows with the gallery, floor plans and neighbourhood story.
- 02
Renderings through review
The first round of images should be in review by now. One person consolidates comments from the developer, architect, interior designer and marketing lead, so the studio gets one clear list per round.
- 03
Film in production
Film takes longer than stills and depends on the approved scene. Lock the storyboard and the music direction, and plan the social cuts in vertical, square and wide at the same time.
- 04
Sales centre and display suite
Finishes, furniture and screens are ordered. Touchscreens, presenters and kiosks need their content plan now: masterplan, plans, gallery and availability. Our sales galleries run from one source so they stay current.
- 05
Pricing and inventory readiness
Draft the price list, the release strategy and which homes go first. Set up the inventory in whatever system the sales team will use, so the website, the tour and the sales centre all read the same availability.
- 06
Disclosure statement in draft
The lawyer needs final unit counts, plans, budgets, deposit arrangements and the development approvals status. Changes after this point mean amendments, so keep the design and the unit mix stable.
Rehearse, check and hand over
- 01
The broker kit
Brokers need the approved renderings, floor plans, a feature sheet, the price list when it is released, the commission terms and the rules on how they may advertise. Send it as a link to the current approved set, not an attachment that will be out of date by next week.
- 02
Final approvals on every image
Every image and film going public should be checked against the approved drawings and approved by the named person. Marketing images that no longer match the design are a sales problem and can become a legal one.
- 03
Web tour and screens live in preview
Walk the web tour and the sales-centre screens as a buyer would. Check every plan, every availability colour and every link to registration.
- 04
Staff trained
Sales staff rehearse the presentation, the pricing, the deposit structure and the questions buyers will ask. They should know what the renderings show and what they do not.
- 05
Disclosure statement filed
In BC, the disclosure statement generally has to be filed before the homes are marketed for sale. Confirm with your lawyer that it is filed and that every buyer will receive it.
The disclosure statement in BC
Under British Columbia's Real Estate Development Marketing Act, a developer marketing strata lots or other development units in a project of a certain size generally has to file a disclosure statement with the Superintendent of Real Estate before marketing them for sale. The statement describes the developer, the project, the approvals, the budget, the deposits and the risks. Each buyer must receive it, and buyers have a rescission period after they receive it in which they can cancel.
The practical point for a launch team is that the disclosure statement is a hard gate. You cannot move opening day past it, and you should not let marketing copy say anything the statement does not support. When the design, the unit mix or the approvals change materially, the statement usually needs an amendment, and that takes time too.
This is general information, not legal advice. The rules, the policy statements and the exceptions are specific, and they change. Your real estate lawyer decides what you can say, when, and to whom.
Who needs to approve what
Swipe to see more →
| Deliverable | Approves | Checks it |
|---|---|---|
| Project name and brand | Developer | Lawyer for trademark; marketing lead |
| Renderings and film | Developer, through one named reviewer | Architect for accuracy; interior and landscape designers for their scopes |
| Website and registration copy | Marketing lead | Lawyer for what can be said before filing |
| Floor plans for sale | Architect | Sales lead; lawyer against the disclosure statement |
| Price list and release plan | Developer | Sales lead; lender where the financing requires it |
| Broker kit and advertising rules | Sales lead | Lawyer; brokerage |
| Sales centre and display suite | Developer | Interior designer; builder for construction and safety |
| Disclosure statement | Developer | Real estate lawyer; filed with the Superintendent of Real Estate |
Who needs what from whom
Architect
A clear shot list and time to check every image against the drawings before it goes public.
A design frozen for marketing, and a quick answer when the studio finds a gap in the drawings.
The architect comments on the same image as marketing, so accuracy notes and styling notes do not arrive in separate emails.
Interior designer
Interiors and the display suite that show their selections as specified.
The finish schedule and furniture direction early enough to render and build.
Finishes are checked on the image itself, and the approved interior is the one that goes into the tour and the staging.
Marketing agency
Approved images in every size and aspect, on time for the campaign.
The campaign calendar, so seasonal and social variations are planned from the first scene.
The agency pulls from the approved library, not from an old download folder.
Sales team and brokers
Current plans, availability and pricing, and a presentation they can run without help.
Feedback from buyers on which homes and views are drawing interest.
The tour and the sales-centre screens read the same availability, and registrations land with the home each lead viewed.
Real estate lawyer
Final plans, unit counts and approvals status, and sight of the marketing copy.
A filing date you can build the launch around.
The approved set is dated and kept, so what the lawyer reviewed is what went public.
The handoffs that cost weeks
Images approved in email
Someone said "looks good" in a reply thread. Three weeks later nobody can find it, and the version on the billboard is not the one the architect checked.
Approvals sit on the image in StudioLink, with who approved it and when. Order and review is live today.
More →Availability that disagrees
The website shows a home as available after it sold. A buyer drives to the sales centre for it.
Tours and sales-centre screens read one source of availability. SalesLink, for inventory, pricing and leads inside StudioLink, is coming; until then we connect to the system you use.
More →A broker kit that ages overnight
A PDF goes out, then pricing changes and the old one keeps circulating.
Send a share link to the current approved set, so brokers always open what is approved today.
More →Questions
How long does it take to launch a presale?+
For a typical residential project, many teams plan around four months from brand to opening day, and more for large or international launches. The disclosure statement and the renderings are usually the long poles, so start them first.
When do I need the disclosure statement in BC?+
Generally before you market the homes for sale. Your real estate lawyer will confirm what you can do before it is filed and when amendments are needed. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can I take registrations before the disclosure statement is filed?+
Many projects run a registration page early to build interest. What you can say and collect before filing depends on the rules and your lawyer's advice, so check first.
When should I order renderings for a presale?+
As soon as the design is stable enough for marketing, usually about four months before opening day. Film takes longer than stills, so order it with the stills from the same scene.
What goes in a broker kit?+
Approved renderings, floor plans, a feature sheet, pricing when released, commission terms and the rules on how brokers may advertise. A link to the current set is better than an attachment.
Who approves the marketing renderings?+
The developer, through one named reviewer, after the architect checks them for accuracy against the drawings. Interior and landscape designers check their own parts.
Do I need a display suite?+
Not always. Many projects sell from renderings, a web tour and sales-centre screens. A display suite helps buyers judge finishes and space, but it needs design and construction time.
What if the design changes after the launch?+
Update the model, re-render the affected views and replace them everywhere at once. Talk to your lawyer, because a material change may also need a disclosure statement amendment.
