Free Electricity and Some Not-So-Bright Home-Marketing Gimmicks

By, David Jones

Builders have tried all manner of gimmicks to sell new homes. Some probably are just a means of getting attention, but the fact we are talking about them must prove they are successful marketing strategies.

Two Houston-area communities are offering to cover new home buyers’ electricity payments for two years.

It’s a “Beat the Heat” sales promo offered by Coventry Homes and Plantation Homes — part of McGuver Homebuilders. According to builderonline, the builders will prepay two years’ worth of electricity bills for customers buying a home between May 13 and June 30. The offer is valid for all the builders’ Houston-area communities and for buyers using Coventry Homes’ Build-on-Your-Lot program.

Obviously, the builders are pretty confident their homes are energy efficient. Builders say that, on average, their homes are nearly 50 percent more energy efficient than homes built in 2000 and 15 percent more efficient than homes built only to Energy Star standards. Homes covered by the promo range from $200,000 to $1 million.

The sweltering Texas heat makes the free electricity more appealing than some other sales gimmicks I’ve read about.

According to thenewhomepath.com, a Virginia Beach homeowner offered a 42-inch, flat-screen television to someone making an offer on his home that couldn’t be refused. The home sold in two weeks.

A Maryland couple held a raffle with the winning ticket holder getting a new home for $50. The owners hope sales of raffle tickets will raise enough money to pay off their mortgage and donate to a nonprofit. No word yet on whether the home sold.

Business Insider references an article about a seller who will throw in a Tesla if you buy his condo. He received a lot of attention with the offer, but it does make you wonder if the property isn’t overpriced by at least the price of a Tesla.

And speaking of gimmicks, don’t fall for the oldest real estate gimmick of all. It’s the I-can-sell-your-home-in-30-days-or-I-will-buy-it ploy. It should more accurately be called the You-won’t-believe-how-little-I-will-list-your-house-for marketing strategy.