The furniture is comfortable, with overstuffed sofas and pillows. Brooks notes that as a community sells out, there is often competition among homebuyers to purchase the model. Many will buy the home fully furnished and decorated. Buying a merchandised model home can cost more than building one from scratch. For some individuals, buying the model is a matter of convenience.
Most builders choose fully merchandised models.
But there are times when it makes sense to go with vignettes, a much less costly method of making an interior look home-like without all the trappings. The smaller communities and those which are selling well sometimes don't merit a fully merchandised model home, Brooks says. However, when it comes to stimulating sales, there are some striking examples of how well model homes can work. K. Hovnanian Enterprises cites model homes as a highly effective component of its sales process. At The Estates at Woodcliff in Marlboro, the company saw its sales at the community double after the grand opening of its model in October.