Looking for CP ideas!!! - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Travis Munroe · 06-20-2011, 01:28 AM

I have a CP members home listed in lake Chaparral. You can find a thread on it in the real estate section.

This is a unique home because Chaparral primarily consists of new families and a younger generation. This home is a luxury bungalow with 1 bedroom on the main floor and 2 in the basement.
We have reduced the price 30k and are now at a VERY competitive price for the area.
Feedback is always the same,
Show great, beautiful home BUT 1 bedroom on main floor doesnt work as they don't want their children alone in the basement (although i guarantee the kids would prefer that lol) aka layout doesn't work.

With such a unique property to the area I am looking to see if anyone on CP has any creative ideas. I am tinkering with the idea of a bus bench specific to the home near the professional complex in Sundance to focus on proximity to work.
Before investing a decent chunk of change with the bus bench idea I am curious if any of you have a unique idea to attract people to such a place.
Thanks in advance.

ken0042 · 06-20-2011, 09:41 AM

A bachelor party open house? I am somewhat serious; it sounds like the type of place that might be good for people without kids. Maybe target the single engineer fresh out of university type of person.

I'm just not sure how you could get away with going to a full bachelor type of party though.

Sliver · 06-20-2011, 09:42 AM

I doubt it's a lack of advertising not moving the house so I wouldn't waste your money on a bench. That's a tough layout that isn't going to work for many people. The seller is just going to have to be patient and realistic with his price to move it.

bizaro86 · 06-20-2011, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

A bachelor party open house? I am somewhat serious; it sounds like the type of place that might be good for people without kids. Maybe target the single engineer fresh out of university type of person.

I'm just not sure how you could get away with going to a full bachelor type of party though.

I think the target market is probably more like someone who's kids are grown up and gone, or maybe one teenager still at home (and can stay in the basement).

red sky · 06-20-2011, 01:19 PM

Straighten out the damn TV!

Boblobla · 06-20-2011, 02:43 PM

The problem is Chaparral has a very large density of young families, which is why my wife and I selected the area. We looked at houses similar to the one you are advertising and had the same concern many people are having, we don't want our infant in the basement. That is a tough floor plan, but I agree with trying to sell the to young professionals who are a few years off having a kid.

06-20-2011, 03:03 PM

We have our house for sale and I think we have a similar problem. Ours is a 2 bedroom, 3 level split. 2 bedrooms aren't enough for a family (although you can easily put back the wall that previous owners took down in the master) and then retired people aren't a fans of the stairs.
We're just waiting for the right buyers to come along... I'm not any sure amount of marketing would help.

Travis Munroe · 06-20-2011, 03:43 PM

^^ splits are always difficult to sell if majority of the sq ft is below grade.
I appreciate the insight. Looks like it will be about $1000 for 3 months of bus advertising of this specific property. I think i might just flip a coin on this one.

Winsor_Pilates · 06-20-2011, 07:33 PM

I think that might appeal to older couples who like not having to use stairs to get to the master, and maybe have adult children/grandkids visit once in a while who can use the basement rooms.
Maybe do some targeted marketing at an older demographic.

Travis Munroe · 06-20-2011, 08:51 PM

^^ Its obvious who the demographic is for this property. I am looking for any possible unique ideas to get to them. This is why I am thinking that a bus bench specific to the property in a commercial complex marketing the ability to live 5 minutes from work might target the older professional.
Holding an open house on the weekend as the community is having their stampede breakfast so if anyone from CP is in the market for such a place feel free to swing by.

bizaro86 · 06-21-2011, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Realtor 1

^^ Its obvious who the demographic is for this property.

You've had two people (myself and windsor) say it's empty nester types, and two suggest it's young professionals pre kids. Which do you think is obviously right?

I actually think this place would be great for an older couple who was relocating here for work, so maybe try and hook up with one of the relocation companies? I think a bus bench ad is probably not that likely to be effective. I think you'd be better off spending the same money doing flyers in the neighbourhood promoting it as a chance to upgrade finishes/downsize/move to a single-storey layout, all while staying in the same neighbourhood.

Obviously it's not my $$ though, so YMMV.

Super_Jason · 06-21-2011, 12:05 PM

You'd need to consider the % of the workers that will actually see the bench sign (I can imagine a lot of them drive but I could be wrong?)

Shades · 06-21-2011, 12:19 PM

Whenever I go shopping for a house, I just drive around looking at bus benches. The internet is useless.

Travis Munroe · 06-21-2011, 01:20 PM

Shades, your contribution was greatly appreciated.
The bus bench would have thousands of people driving by each week to go to work. If you just sat in rush hour or spent 45 minutes getting to work the thought of living 5 min from work might appeal.
Bizaro, the demographic is both however IMO there is a better chances of finding people with kids in their early teens than a elderly couple who want to move to Chap.
I appreciate the insight from most of you, especially your contribution Shades!

bizaro86 · 06-21-2011, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Realtor 1

Bizaro, the demographic is both however IMO there is a better chances of finding people with kids in their early teens than a elderly couple who want to move to Chap.

The two suggestions were
1) older couple, either empty nesters and/or with older kids (teens/tweens)

2) Young professionals pre-kids.

I think this place would appeal to #1, but not really to #2. I fit into the #2 category, and most of my colleagues buy either downtown type places, or houses in the 'burbs that will work for the little kids they're planning to have in a few years.

Travis Munroe · 06-21-2011, 01:36 PM

^^ If i put young professionals somewhere I meant to say older with kids in their early teens. My bad

bizaro86 · 06-21-2011, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Realtor 1

^^ If i put young professionals somewhere I meant to say older with kids in their early teens. My bad

I was referring to posts #2 and #6, not you directly.

Shades · 06-21-2011, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Realtor 1

Shades, your contribution was greatly appreciated.
The bus bench would have thousands of people driving by each week to go to work. If you just sat in rush hour or spent 45 minutes getting to work the thought of living 5 min from work might appeal.
Bizaro, the demographic is both however IMO there is a better chances of finding people with kids in their early teens than a elderly couple who want to move to Chap.
I appreciate the insight from most of you, especially your contribution Shades!

My contribution would end up saving you one grand of your money if the only purpose of the bus bench was to advertise the house. Bus benches don't sell homes. It might get yourself more exposure. Unless that's all you really wanted anyways, under the guise of dropping one large on advertising the Chaparral home.

Targeted demographic advertising like WindsorPilates mentioned would have a better chance of success.

Traditional_Ale · 06-21-2011, 04:54 PM

If you're going to drop a grand on a bus bench, why not just go the whole way and drop 10K to get into the rotation on the fan960? I don't know the actual price, the 10K was arbitrary. THAT would get a lot more traffic to your website where you can feature said property.

Boblobla · 06-22-2011, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizaro86

The two suggestions were
1) older couple, either empty nesters and/or with older kids (teens/tweens)

2) Young professionals pre-kids.

I think this place would appeal to #1, but not really to #2. I fit into the #2 category, and most of my colleagues buy either downtown type places, or houses in the 'burbs that will work for the little kids they're planning to have in a few years.

There are quite a few oil and gas offices moving out of downtown though. WorleyParsons, Fluor, AMEC, Jacobs, Bantrel among others all have offices in the south part of the city.