By Laurie Andrews,
President, Cotton & Company
A New Type of Buyer — and a New Type of Intelligence
In the luxury real estate market, we’ve always known that the difference between interest and action isn’t price — it’s psychology. The most successful developments understand who their buyer is and what motivates them to make a move. But that psychology is evolving faster than ever before, and artificial intelligence is at the center of it.
Today’s affluent buyer isn’t being introduced to AI — they’re already using it. They’re reading The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Bloomberg for market trends, they’re integrating AI into their home automation and vehicles, and they’re relying on it for intelligent insights in every aspect of their lives.
Boca West Country Club’s new Lifestyle & Racquet Center, designed by Garcia Stromberg’s G4 Studio.
They don’t want to be sold. They want to be informed. They expect brands — especially luxury real estate brands — to speak their language: smart, confident, and authentic.
That’s where behavior intelligence comes in.
GreenPointe Developers Glynlea Country Club will officially open its Jim Furyk signature golf course on November 8th.
Turning Buyer Psychology into a Competitive Advantage
At Cotton & Company, we’ve always built our success on understanding the mindset of the luxury buyer. It’s not about demographics — it’s about desire, timing, and trust. And now, AI is allowing us to analyze and anticipate that psychology in entirely new ways.
By applying behavioral modeling, we can identify the emotional and informational cues that signal readiness to buy. We can create live focus groups using AI data streams that reveal what today’s affluent consumers are curious about, what’s influencing their decisions, and where they’re directing their attention next.
This insight allows us to adjust creative messaging, timing, and media placement in real time — transforming marketing from a reactive process into a predictive one.
Marius Fortenelli’s Forté Development celebrated with Kast Construction, the topping off of Forté Luxe in Jupiter, Florida last month.
The Power of Curiosity and Credibility
Here’s what makes this moment so interesting: affluent buyers trust AI as an information source. When they ask questions — whether through ChatGPT, Gemini, or their own digital concierge — they’re not looking for advertisements. They’re seeking intelligent, unbiased answers.
That’s why we’re engineering our content to perform like third-party recommendations within AI ecosystems. When the right information about a project appears naturally in generative results, it carries the credibility of an expert endorsement. And that credibility converts.
For developers, this means understanding that the next phase of luxury sales isn’t just about being seen — it’s about being cited by the algorithms affluent consumers already trust.
Working from the Ground Up — and the Cloud Down
Because we work so closely with on-site sales and marketing teams, Cotton & Company has a uniquely intimate view of how buyers behave at every stage of the journey — from initial curiosity to contract.
We pair that firsthand knowledge with AI-driven behavioral data to refine buyer personas for each individual project. That fusion of human intelligence and machine insight gives us a live pulse on what matters most to each audience — and allows us to pivot faster than traditional marketing models ever could.
We’re applying this approach right now for major developments across Florida and beyond — Kolter Urban’s Florida and Georgia communities, Southstar’s Wildcat Ranch in Texas, GreenPointe Holdings communities throughout Florida and the Bahamas, and new landmark communities from The Lutgert Companies and Barron Collier Companies in Naples. These are brands that understand timing, precision, and the power of intelligent adaptation.
Orchid Island’s recent renovations to its Golf Club, enhanced the Member’s experience with its new Palmer Pub open-air lounge overlooking the 18th green.
Why Timing Matters — Right Now
Florida’s winter selling season is beginning. This is the most critical window of the year, and the developers who move quickly to align their marketing with AI-driven buyer behavior will see immediate results.
AI isn’t a replacement for human expertise — it’s the most powerful behavioral insight tool we’ve ever had. It allows us to listen to what the market is asking for and answer intelligently, authentically, and faster than anyone else.
That’s behavior intelligence — and it’s already changing the way the luxury market thinks, feels, and buys.
