NEWS RELEASE

Information contained in this press release is available for public distribution, StJosephStatue.com, LLC

Modesto, CA-July 22, 2008 - Burials of St. Joseph statues rise 174% with hopeful home-sellers, while 20 out of the 20 top real estate markets continue to experience falling home values.

             A new study, the ‘St. Joseph Statue Home Index' tracks demand for St. Joseph, a religious figurine, sought by anxious home-sellers looking for a little ‘divine intervention' in this trying market. The index charts sales of St. Joseph Statue Home Selling Kits as related to the change in home prices reported in the Case-Shiller Home Prices Index, published by Standard and Poor's.

           The index was developed by an online company that is the leading source for St. Joseph Statue Home Selling Kits. "After being asked a thousand times how our sales are going, we just decided to analyze our data dating back to the unwinding or real estate, October 2005, and see what it actually looked like. And surprisingly, it was pretty revealing", said Phil Cates, founder of www.StJosephStatue.com.

           From Q4 2005 - Q1 2008 national statue sales increased by 174%. By region, the Southern Region of the US has the greatest gain in statue sales, 249%. Charts of the 20 top real estate markets as well as the national chart can be viewed at www.StJosephStatue.com/sjs_home_index. The index will be updated and available quarterly.

          "We are the first Association of Realtors© in California to sell Cates' unique home selling kit and our member's love it. Since May we have ordered four cases, St. Joseph is our most requested marketing item. The St. Joseph Statue Home Index is an innovative way to find new trends in the changing real estate market", said Edward Segal, CEO of Marin County Association of Realtors©. Marin, CA.

           The tradition of burying St. Joseph in the earth began hundreds of years ago in Spain, when Sister Teresa of Avila needed land to build convents. She prayed to St. Joseph (the patron saint of the family and household needs) and buried a St. Joseph medal in the ground. The medals evolved into statues, which thousands of home sellers and real estate agents across the country now use as they seek a little ‘divine intervention' when selling residential real estate.

           In 1990, Cates, a mortgage banker, created the first St. Joseph home selling kit for the purpose of marketing to real estate agent clients.  His successful St. Joe marketing campaign encouraged him to develop St. Joseph: "The Underground Real Estate Agent"^TM Kit which sells for $9.95, including a home listing.

           "When you have a competitive real estate sales market, you need to differentiate your property in a way that consumers can easily understand," said Kathy Mason, president of Mason Works, a business development marketing firm in Boulder, Colorado. "We highly recommend that any serious real estate agent gain a positive, competitive edge by utilizing the beneficial effects of a St. Joseph Statue. The story of St. Joseph is uplifting- a great boon to sellers who are worried about all the bad real estate forecasts- it's an excellent differentiator. The new St. Joe Home Index certainly confirms the statue's presence in the real estate market place" 

NOTE TO EDITOR: Cates available for interviews. Products available for review or demo. Photos available.

CONTACT: Phil Cates 888 287-9563 (888 BURY JOE), cell 209 480 0027 or phil@StJosephStatue.com

Coming soon to newspapers, blogs and websites near you!