Special offer

Are Distressed Homeowners a Marketing Opportunity?

By
Industry Observer

It's no secret that with the current real estate market in many cities and rising unemployment rates that many homeowners are struggling to remain current on their mortgages.  When folks are struggling financially, they often look for a brief "escape" from their day-to-day concerns by going to the movies or attending another local event.  One professional sports organization has found a way to make escaping even more attractive to distressed homeowners!

The Jersey Jackals, who play at Yogi Berra Stadium on the campus of Montclair State University and are a part of the CanAm baseball league, have added to their roster of nightly events what they are calling "Mortgage Mondays".  At one Monday home game in June, July and August, a drawing of the name of a game attendee will take place and the winner receives the cash equivalent of 2 mortgage (or rent) payments, up to $4,000.

What an "outside the box" idea to attract folks to the ballpark in a challenging economy! 

Go Jackals!

Comments(27)

Pat Whitehouse
RE/MAX 1st Olympic Lynchburg Va - Lynchburg, VA
Broker/Owner

Steve-Wonderful marketing idea, CONGRATS on the feature. :-)

Jul 19, 2009 06:38 PM
Steve Shatsky
Dallas, TX

Hi Montana... Thanks you for your kind compliment.  You are welcome to think on my blog anytime! :)

Hi Karen Anne... I thought this was a great idea too!  Quite original!

Hi Pat...Thanks for the Congrats... I'm glad you liked the post!

Jul 19, 2009 06:43 PM
Lenn Harley
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA
Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Folks are struggling and a night out with the Jackals will be welcomed relief.  Good for them and good for the families that enjoy this respite.

 

Jul 19, 2009 10:10 PM
Irene Kennedy Realtor® in Northwestern NJ
Weichert - Lopatcong, NJ

Steve,

Chip and I had a dinner party Saturday. One of our guests is a Montclair resident who regularly attends the Jackals games. He had us in stitches over Mortgage Mondays. A non-drinker, the minute he hears the start of the announcement of the winner "Kevin M" he was on his feet hooting & hollering. Alas, it was premature as the rest of the name was pronounced!

Guess where I and my buddys will rendezvous next? Take me out to the ballgame...

Jul 19, 2009 10:43 PM
TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.
Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN
Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029

Steve, Great idea. Today, it takes a lot of out of the box thinking.

Helping you help others live their American Dream...

Jul 19, 2009 11:14 PM
Fernando Herboso - Associate Broker MD, & VA
Maxus Realty Group of Samson Properties - Clarksburg, MD
301-246-0001 Serving Maryland, DC and Northern VA

I love marketing and that was very creative. . . more likely someone will start doing the same in their hometown

Jul 19, 2009 11:40 PM
Mitchell J Hall
Manhattan, NY
Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

Steve, Great Marketing and thinking outside the box. I just heard about another creative marketing campaign involving real estate.

Daffy's, a discount clothing store here is promoting a "Rental Bargain". Known for unusual marketing gimmicks, the discount chain is having a contest involving a West Village apartment. The apartment is worth $7,000/month. The contest winner will get a 1 year lease for $700/month

The idea behind it is that people in Manhattan are always talking about how expensive apartments are here. So they want everyone to be talking about Daffy's "Rental Bargain"

Jul 20, 2009 01:10 AM
William James Walton Sr.
WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Briotti Group - Waterbury, CT
Greater Waterbury Real Estate

That was a novel idea. I wonder how many other entities are going to imitate that? I would certainly encourage it, if I could.

Jul 20, 2009 02:15 AM
Marcus Valdez
Berkshire Hathaway Rocky Mountain Realtors - Fort Collins, CO

That is a super idea.  I think i should win that contest!  Short Sales are a great new way to get in front of some business i know we all hate how hard they are but really it might be time to get over ourselves and be thankful we have work.  Some may have had it pretty easy for a time and forgot what hard work is. 

Jul 20, 2009 05:30 AM
DriveBuy Technologies
DriveBuy Technologies - Austin, TX

Steve-

Seems like the Jackals are doing something great BUT there are far too many other entities targeting distressed homeowners in less than honest ways, offering fee-based evaluations of little value, etc. Good for HomeSalesRemedy for being one of the good ones. 

 

Jul 20, 2009 06:47 AM
Jenny Kotulak
RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc., Brokerage - Oakville, ON
Broker - Oakville Ontario Real Estate

Hey you - we both got little gold stars on the same day!!  I tell you Yogi Berra just keeps popping up in AR this week between you and Ryan.  Ryan even shared his real name (Yogi's, not Ryan's) name with me as I had no clue. 

That is a great marketing technique.  Did I tell you the one about the Agent in Toronto who  hired a dumpster because of the ongoing 1 month long garbage strike?  He is allowing people in his area to unload their smelly trash for a few dollars a bag and he is giving the money to the Childrens Miracle Network.  Now that's thinking outside of the trash can.

Jul 20, 2009 09:09 AM
Bryant Tutas
Tutas Towne Realty, Inc and Garden Views Realty, LLC - Winter Garden, FL
Selling Florida one home at a time

Steve, That is an excellent marketing gimmick!! I bet they have a great turn out.

Jul 20, 2009 09:21 AM
Sandy Shores FL Realtor®, Melbourne Real Estate
M & M Realty of Brevard Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Brevard County Real Estate, Florida's Space Coast

Steve, Sounds like a great plan to get a distressed homeowner out of the house for a couple of hours and to help them out with their payments.   Super marketing!

Jul 20, 2009 10:59 AM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

Steve, I think that's wonderful....as long as the ticket prices aren't too high.  It sure would be nice if New York followed suit (and lowered their prices!).

Jul 20, 2009 11:59 AM
Rene Fabre
ARFCO Media - Renton, WA
Practicing Philosophical Eclectic of the Arts

Steve: Now that's what I call marketing! Awesome idea... Now if that became a national trend, just imagine the possibilities!

Jul 20, 2009 12:08 PM
Steve Shatsky
Dallas, TX

Hi Lenn... I couldn't agree more!

Hi Irene... How funny!  It really is a small world!

Hi Michael... That's for sure!

Hi Fernando... They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Hi Mitchell... I like Daffy's idea.  I'm sure it's getting a lot of attention!

Hi William... Me too!

Hi Marcus... I wouldn't mind winning that contest myself!

Hi Ian... Thanks... and what you say is very true!

Hi Erica... I'd go to a game!  But then I like a good baseball game.

Hi Jenny... Congrats on your Gold Star too!  I love the dumpster idea!

Hi BB... It's really quite a concept, isn't it?

Hi Sandy... I was really impressed with this idea!

Hi Carole... Most minor league games are pretty reasonably priced.

Hi Rene... This is one idea that I really hope catches on!  Huge potential!

Jul 20, 2009 05:05 PM
Kristin Moran
Owner - RE/MAX Access - KristinMoran@Remax.net - San Antonio, TX
San Antonio,TX - Real Estate - 210-313-7397

This is so outside of the box.....I love it! Wish I had thought of it!

Jul 22, 2009 09:56 AM
Marney Kirk
Cummings & Co. Realtors - Towson, MD
Towson, Maryland Real Estate

What a GREAT idea! I love it! I wonder who it is sponsored by....or who MAY end up sponsoring! :-)

Jul 23, 2009 12:20 PM
Todd Clark - Retired
eXp Realty LLC - Tigard, OR
Principle Broker Oregon

It does take their mind of their day to day troubles and maybe even saves one person from foreclosure! Good for them for thinking outside the box to give someone a break from real life.

Todd Clark - www.LivingBeaverton.com

Jul 25, 2009 01:13 AM
Carol Culkin
Diamond Partners Inc - Overland Park, KS
Overland Park Residential Real Estate

Steve - That's creative thinking, for sure.  I remember one time in a bad economy that our bank mailed us a pick your month to skip a payment coupon for our car.  A good will they were providing to all their customers. We decided to use it at Christmas time so we would have more to spend on the kids that year.

Jul 25, 2009 03:54 AM