Sales and Marketing within Extra Care Housing

1. Sales and Marketing within Extra Care Housing Louise Connolly – Sales and Support Advisor bpha

2. Who is bpha • Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association known now just as bpha • Established in 1990, raised funds to purchase the housing stock with a transfer of 7,280 units from Bedford Borough Council in 1991 • We own around 17,000 homes concentrated in Bedfordshire and the surrounding counties – Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. • We have 15 new care homes that largely provide specialist dementia or end of life care for the elderly in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire • 2014 bpha was awarded the homebuy Agency status for central, southern and eastern England • Joined bpha in 2010 to pilot the first Extra Care scheme with an option to purchase Shared Ownership units • I came from working in the financial sector for 7 years , 3 years of this time all communication with customers was over the telephone which proved beneficial as it Improved my sales skills

3. Extra Care Schemes to date • Oxlip House – Bury St Edmunds • (Suffolk County Council) • Built in 2010 – 39 Shared Ownership (S/O) 13 rental • Built in 2011 – 20 S/O , 19 Rental • Built in 2011 – 20 S/O, 20 rental • Built in 2012 – 10 S/O, 10 rental • Built in 2013 – 18 S/O, 36 rental • Shotover View – Oxford (OCC & Oxford City Council) • Orchard Meadows – Banbury (Oxfordshire County Council, OCC and Cherwell District Council, CDC) • Florence Court –Trowbridge (Wiltshire County Council) • Centurion House – Bicester (OCC & CDC)

4. Our Current Schemes (under construction)Moorside Place - Kidlington Working with OCC and Cherwell DC – 15 S/O and 39 Rental Apartments

5. Mayott House - Abingdon Working with OCC and The Vale Of White Horse DC – 4 S/O and 36 Rental apartments

6. Areas of Marketing • Regular advertisements in local news papers • Presentations to professionals in the care and health sectors • Visiting day centres for the elderly • Presenting to various groups for the elderly run by Age UK • Featuring in community based publications (Age Uk Newsletter, Parish newsletters) • Advertisement on property search websites, Zoopla, Rightmove and Housingcare.co.uk • Hoarding outside the scheme • Visiting local community services - gp surgeries, dentists, churches, libraries, local hospitals,etc • Advertising through local business’ - mobility shops, retailers (not a great response), Stalls in shopping centres, post offices, etc • Distribution of leaflets within the surrounding area of the new scheme • Awareness days run at local community centres • Open days when the show flat is available • AND THE LIST GOES ON………. AND ON…………

7. What is working The results can vary based on area of scheme

8. Reasons why people buy places in ECH • Remain independent • To be closer to family • Leave an inheritance behind • Sociability • Plan for the future • Emergency assistance 24/7 on their doorstep • Peace of mind - Care and support provided on their doorstep • Respite for the non dependant partner within a couple • Security • Reduced maintenance within the new home

9. Reasons against ECH 13%

10. Who is leading the decisions

11. Conversion rates in Extra Care • 2 people to 1 viewing /meeting • 3 people to 1 application form • 1.8 people to 1 purchase • 5 people to 1 purchase • Interest generated to securing viewing/meeting • Viewing to submitting application form for approval • Application form to purchasing Conversion rate for Standard New Build Sales This may vary based on scheme location

12. How are the purchases funded Results based on one scheme – Shotover View

13. Moving forward in ECH • The results show that overall we are getting the message across and we are achieving the buy in. The key important aspects that need to be taken into consideration as a way of moving forward • Consultation with local community Local Awareness (Slide 8) • Community involvement • Location is important Reasons not to buy (slide 10) • Financially – ECH property values in line with surrounding property values • Build within an area with a high level of elderly occupancy • Marketing to our target audiences The purchasers are making the decisions (slide 11) • Communal areas within a scheme are correct - What is perceived as useful communal areas within a scheme and what is practically used!!!!

14. What our customer say “I looked at 2 or 3 other places before visiting and I was immediately impressed by the facilities, security which was a major factor, décor and the finish to the apartments, which I thought was to a very high standard”. “As soon as you walked in the place had the ‘Wow’ factor, really impressive” “Privacy and spaciousness, good aspect with low window views from living room enabling my husband who is in a wheel chair a chance to see out the window”. “Carers are very professional, helpful and cheerful. Having the care plan allows flexibility which is useful when I am away on holiday as we can increase the care as required”. “Best thing about mum now living here is the peace of mind that there is always carers here all the time should mum need assistance”. “Honestly there is nothing that I would change about the development”.