Pre-Con Recon Podcast

How Top Developers Sell Homes In Today’s Market | Pre-Con Recon Podcast Ep. 14

In this episode of Pre-Con Recon, Justin Frenette speaks with Warren Saunders, Sales and Marketing Manager at Cardel Homes. Warren shares his journey through the homebuilding industry, from architectural design to sales leadership, and explains how those experiences shaped the way he approaches branding, technology, and customer experience in real estate. The conversation explores how buyer behavior has changed in the past decade. Today’s homebuyers often complete most of their research online before visiting a sales centre. Warren explains why developers must adapt by simplifying the buying process, clearly communicating value and pricing, and ensuring their marketing and sales experiences align with how buyers actually make decisions. Warren also discusses the launch of Cardel’s multifamily division and the strategy behind building a brand focused on clarity, trust, and simplicity. He shares why transparency builds stronger relationships with buyers, why technology should support the customer journey rather than complicate it, and why the most successful sales teams focus equally on service and sales. Connect with Warren Saunders: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warren-saunders-salesdirector/ Cardel Homes: https://www.cardelhomes.com/ [https://www.cardelhomes.com/]Cardel Homes Alberta Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cardelhomesyyc/?hl=en Connect with Justin Frenette: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinfrenette Brought to you by Him & Her, a design agency that moves quickly and makes things matter. Learn more at https://himandher.ca/ Learn more about Pre-Con Recon at https://www.preconrecon.com/

How to Survive the New Pre-Con Market | Pre-Con Recon Podcast Ep. 13

In this episode of the Pre-Con Recon Podcast, Justin Frenette sits down with Rachel Galway, Sales & Marketing Manager at DBS Developments and one of the most experienced boots-on-the-ground professionals in Canadian pre-construction real estate. With nearly 16 years in the industry and close to 7,000 homes sold, Rachel offers an unfiltered look at what it actually takes to survive and stay relevant in today’s pre-con market. From the shift away from frenzy-driven sales to a more thoughtful, lifestyle-led approach, she breaks down why storytelling matters more than hard closes, how floor plans and livability were overlooked during the boom, and why reputation and purchaser experience have become the real currency of success. The conversation explores how experience, adaptability, and long-term thinking are now essential in a more disciplined market. Rachel shares hard-earned insights on mentorship, decision-making, and what separates resilient operators from those who relied on momentum alone, offering practical perspective for developers, brokers, and marketers navigating pre-con today.

How Top Developers Build Brands That Drive Demand | Pre-Con Recon Podcast Ep. 12

In this episode of the Pre-Con Recon Podcast, Justin Frenette sits down with Ryan Funt, VP of Marketing at Fitzrovia, to unpack how brand, storytelling, and operations intersect to create lasting value in the pre-construction and rental housing market. Ryan shares how a background in operations shaped his marketing philosophy—bridging creativity with execution—and why every brand decision must start with the end user experience in mind. The conversation dives into how hospitality principles can elevate residential development, the shift toward lifestyle-driven branding, and what it takes to deliver consistency across every customer touchpoint. From the evolution of rental marketing to the growing role of technology, data, and AI, Ryan offers a practical look at how developers can adapt to a new era of resident expectations, transparency, and brand accountability.

Branding, Trust, and the Buyer Experience | Pre-Con Recon Podcast Ep. 11

In this episode of the Pre-Con Recon Podcast, Justin Frenette speaks with Tim Ng, founder and CEO of Blackline and ADHOC Studio. Tim shares how his early exposure to real estate inspired a lifelong mission to bring technology and innovation to the industry.  Together, Justin and Tim explore the lessons learned from scaling two companies, breaking into new markets like Miami, and navigating the differences between condo sales and purpose-built rentals. Tim also highlights what’s working in today’s sales and marketing playbooks, how AI is set to unlock predictive insights, and why brand, reputation, and personalization have become essential for developers to succeed in today’s buyer-first market.

Why Better Data Builds Better Projects | Pre-Con Recon Podcast Ep. 10

In this episode, Justin Frenette speaks with Darcy Rai, Founder and President of Real Property Data, about how unit-level data is reshaping pre-construction development. Darcy shares how his background as a development manager revealed the critical role of real-time data in acquisition, design, and marketing decisions. He shares how Real Property Data goes beyond self-reported numbers, collecting real-time, unit-level data to give an unbiased view of the market. The conversation covers why unit mix and sizing now make or break projects, how incentives are becoming central to lease-ups, and why architects should shift from purely design efficiency to a business-driven lens. Darcy also highlights how oversupply in urban rentals is putting pressure on leasing strategies, why curated amenities are the new differentiator, and how clean datasets will unlock the true potential of AI in real estate decision-making.