According to an Associated Press story today, many sellers today want to see their home marketed in creative ways, thinking that that will make the difference and get the house sold.
The creativity sometimes borders on insanity, as in the case of a seller in Florida who is reputed to have offered herself in marriage to some "lucky buyer," or a couple in Pennsylvania who offered to will the purchase price of the house back to the buyer upon their death.
More common incentives include cars, furniture, and other merchandise. In our area on the waterfront, boats are a popular recreation activity and some sellers have experimented with giving away a one-year membership to the Freedom Boat Club (about $6000 in value).
According to the AP story, however, it always comes back to price. Merchandise incentives and whatnot aside, buyers would rather have the cash to spend as they choose.
We've used some pretty creative marketing in our time, too ... and found that you can't make water run uphill, and you can't make buyers run to an overpriced house. Correct pricing comes before everything else -- otherwise, it's a waste of everyone 's time.
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