Something vs. THE Thing
Since September 2021, we've received more than 12,000 inbound inquiries into our Get Started form. Prospective clients and collaborators submit their desired home type, use, location, budget, and a bunch more about their home dreams and wishes.
A lot of housing trends can be gleaned from this data set. One of the most consistent is the desire for a home that's smaller and less expensive. Simple and refined. But also a flexible asset designed for personal use, for friends and family and rental.
Here's the client script:
"I rent in the city, but want a 2 bedroom home in the country. I don't want to rent it all the time, but enough to cover the carrying costs and then some."
Within many of the regions HUTS works, our prospective clients are correctly assuming that a HUTS-designed project will be differentiated from existing inventory and in-demand. But, is that enough? Just because a great house exists and there's a market for rental, doesn't automatically make for a high-ticket, high-occupancy hospitality property.
There's an old adage in advertising that it's better to be THE thing for someone specific rather than SOME thing for everyone. Your future rental property? It's a product - and if it's by HUTS - it will be awesome.
But who, exactly, is it for?
What, exactly, will they do there?
What's a day-in-the-life of a renter at your property?
Why would they keep coming back?
These are the questions we'll help you answer to get better product-user fit, higher rates, and more demand on your rental. Guidance on how to be THE thing for someone specific.
As an example, we have three nearly identical home shapes and footprints currently in construction in the Western Catskills, each based on our Big Bar Standard.
One is designed for group fly fishing trips. The place has the interior styling, gear room and fly tying station to prove it.
One is designed as a wellness escape, with a sauna, cold plunge, yoga shala and more as part of the circuit of amenities sprinkled throughout the property.
One is designed for foraging and forest-to-table meals.
The property features a variety of permaculture growing opportunities and, when paired with a chef's kitchen and entertaining spaces, the house is primed to host a lot of ramp, mushroom and wild trout dinner parties.
Each place isn't just some place. It's THE one and only place for the fly fisherman, the cold plunger, and foraging chef. The good news for these HUTS clients? There's a lot of fly fisherman, cold plungers and foraging chefs looking for their perfect place to stay in the Western Catskills.
