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When the going gets tough, innovate

Email|Link|Comments (2) Posted by Binyamin Appelbaum April 14, 2008 04:57 PM

A local real estate agent has created a clever video to help sell a $499,000 home in Franklin. As in many communities along Interstate 495, the Franklin market is molasses slow right now. Warren Group says the number of sales and median prices both fell last year, and fell even faster during the first two months of this year.

Mike Lefebvre, an agent with Century 21 Commonwealth, told me he created the video as a roundabout way to get the owner to reduce the asking price. Century 21 is running a contest offering $21,000 to the seller who creates the best marketing video with their Century 21 agent. Lefebvre figured if the Franklin seller won the contest, he might agree to a commensurate price cut.

Lefebvre said it took about two days to learn the technology and make the video.

"Right now," he said, "I have two days."

Seen a clever marketing gimmick lately? Tell us about it below.

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2 comments so far...

That is by far the best video of the bunch. It's cute, and it gives off a good vibe--something that can help to sell a house.

The others are well worth a look, for the unintended humor value alone. Some prove the rule that nothing is less cute than Other People's Children--especially when the seller's kids physically attack buyers at the open house. And I love the one where the homeowner's voice is drowned out by the feral barks of the neighbor's rabid dogs. You're sure to get a lot of quiet enjoyment out of that place.

Gimmicks can sure be fun. However, they don't work.

Posted by Marcus April 14, 08 05:58 PM

Thanks Marcus. I appreciate your kind words and your vote. Voting continues through April 25th at youtube.com/century21. Although I'm super excited about all the new opportunities that web2.0 and social media are offering real estate agents, at the end of the day, it still comes down to pricing and marketing. If property videos on social networking sites can help spread the word about a property for sale I'm all for it! The methods may be changing, but the goal is still to sell the home for the most money in the shortest time.

Posted by Mike Lefebvre April 14, 08 07:10 PM