Case Study 01
98 Front Street
Selling Through the Impossible
Overview
When the world shut down in 2020, conventional wisdom said to wait. Hope Street moved forward — reimagining how luxury real estate could be sold without a single handshake. Through pioneering virtual sales strategies, hyperlocal community partnerships, and an unwavering belief in DUMBO's enduring appeal, we delivered a $250M+ sellout that defied every market headwind.
Location
DUMBO, Brooklyn
Type
New Development Condominium
Developer
Hopestreet Capital
Units
165 residences
Pricing
$650K – $4.65M
"We didn't wait for the market to recover. We redefined what selling looked like."
The Challenge
What we faced
A Global Pandemic
COVID-19 paralyzed buyer confidence and eliminated in-person showings overnight. The fundamental mechanics of selling real estate — the walk-through, the handshake, the neighborhood stroll — ceased to exist.
Economic Uncertainty
Widespread job losses and financial anxiety made high-value purchases feel reckless. The psychology of buying a home shifted from aspiration to apprehension.
Fierce Competition
DUMBO's luxury pipeline was overflowing. Multiple new developments launched simultaneously, fragmenting an already cautious buyer pool across an unprecedented volume of inventory.
Challenging Sightlines
The building's position overlooking the BQE, paired with an active construction site across the street, created visual and auditory obstacles that conventional marketing couldn't mask.
The Approach
How we solved it
Virtual Pioneering
We secured a WeWork space with direct sightlines to the construction site and built an immersive VR experience — accurately depicting unit dimensions, finishes, and amenity spaces. Ten percent of the building sold before a single physical showing. When the pandemic hit, these digital assets became our primary sales engine.
Radical Accessibility
By securing Fannie Mae and FHA approval for 5% down payments, we fundamentally expanded the buyer pool. We showed renters — side by side — how historically low rates made ownership cheaper than their lease. The barrier between renting and owning dissolved.
Amenities as Argument
We pivoted construction crews to fast-track amenity completion, sending a clear signal: this building understood the post-pandemic buyer's need for self-contained living. Pool, sauna, fitness, playroom — ready on day one.
Neighborhood as Brand
Instead of competing on advertising spend, we embedded ourselves in DUMBO's fabric. Local partnerships, influencer collaborations, and community events built organic demand at a fraction of market cost.
Results
$250M+
Total Sales
165
Units Sold
10%
Sold Virtually Pre-Launch
Conclusion
98 Front Street proved that conviction outperforms caution. By treating every obstacle as an invitation to innovate, Hope Street delivered a full sellout — with marketing costs per lead well below industry benchmarks — during the most challenging sales environment in modern real estate history.