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Southern California Builders Tout Benefits of Buying Brand New
“Buy New! Buy Now!” is the emphatic message that the Building Industry Association of Southern California (BIASC) is spreading in a 90-day campaign launched on May 22.
Challenged by housing affordability hurdles and a high number of foreclosures in the local marketplace, the association chose to stick to the fundamentals when crafting the campaign’s message: low-interest rates, great selection and lower home prices make this a good time to buy.
“We believe strongly that buying a brand new home is a great long-term investment, and every day is a great time to buy a new home for your family," said Richard Lambros, chief executive officer of BIASC. “People might miss out on a great home if they try to time the market. Right now there are more new homes to choose from, but that may not last for long as home sales are starting to really pick back up."
The campaign also focuses on the value of buying a brand new home and why it is better to buy a new home than a foreclosed home — a twist on the traditional “Buy Now!” message that is customized to Southern California’s market conditions.
New homes are more energy-efficient, require less maintenance and allow for more buyer preferences, to mention a few key points from the campaign’s Top 10 Reasons to Buy a New Home. BIASC gave the list a humorous spin and used clever quips to highlight the benefits of new homes. One example: “Top Reasons for Buying a New Home #4: Energy efficiency — Because you shouldn’t have to wait 13 minutes to take a hot shower.”
Campaign Highlights
Featuring builder members, the campaign drives would-be home buyers to the association’s consumer Web site, www.modelhometour.org, for information and new home listings. Print ads, radio spots and television commercials are running in various media outlets throughout the region, including TNT, TBS, CNN, HGTV and A&E.
Four-minute videos are being shown on Charter Communications’ and Time Warner Cable’s respective On Demand channels, as well.
Several newspapers have agreed to provide free ad space, including: the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Daily News, the Long Beach Press-Telegram, the San Bernardino Sun and the Pasadena Star-News, to name a few.
Media Messaging
When talking to the news media, “we stay on message about the benefits of buying a brand new home,” said Lambros. “We don’t speculate on whether we think the market has bottomed out, because we must maintain our association's credibility with the media and the public, which will continue to be invaluable to us, even after the market recovers."
Since the campaign has just begun, time will tell how much of an impact it has on the regional housing market and subsequent news coverage. A follow-up article will appear in Nation’s Building News after the campaign has ended.
Using information and resources available from NAHB, even markets that are struggling, like Southern California, can find ways to help restore the confidence of hesitant home buyers. Visit www.nahb.org/mythbuster to get started.
For more information on the Myth Buster resources, e-mail Gwyn Donohue at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8447.
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