Buy a Condo Get a Car (Part II)
By Anthony Longo 9 05 2007
Well, its an entirely different condo project, but same title. What are these developers thinking??? This reads ‘used car condos for sale” to me. A few weeks back we saw this “Buy a Condo get a Car” tactic used at a Chicago Condo Development.
 This time in Haverhill, MA …
Attracting potential condominium buyers downtown can require hefty bait - such as a new car.
Dr. Mark Messinger, a chiropractor with an office downtown on Washington Street, converted the upper floors of his building into six condominiums, three of which he is still trying to sell during what he described as a sluggish market.
To get buyers interested, Messinger is launching a marketing ploy - offering a free, new $15,000 Chevrolet Cobalt to the first person to buy a condo.
“The hard part is just getting people to come down and see it,” Messinger said. “The units pretty much sell themselves” once a potential buyer takes a tour, he said.
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Ok now who wants a Chevy Cobalt and why does a developer want to spend $15k for something like this? If they had read our post on “Buyer Incentives” they would know that they just want the cash back or lower the purchase price by $15k. JEASE!!! At least lease the buyer or market this thing with a BMW. Maybe a 2 year lease on a BMW 3 Series would be better…and would probably only cost the developer 1/2 that amount of the Cobalt!
I agree who wants a Chevy Cabolt!! i wouldn’t even know what one looks like unless you provided the photo and i certaintly am not interested in getting one with my new condo. however your suggestion that a BMW 3 series would be better misses the point i think. there is no doubt this is a terrible marketing idea - but i think not because it’s a chevy whatever but because it’s a car. this isn’t a $10 raffle ticket, it’s a $300,000 condo that now comes with a $15,000 piece of junk - no thanks. i just don’t see how it is possible to catergorize what type of car a potential buyer would drive no matter what the price range of the condo is. cars are too individula - some people like SUV’s, some like cars that are good on gas, some like american made, etc…. it’s endless!
but you are also right to critize their choice of car - after all they are using this car idea to “sweeten the pot” as they put it - so they figure that the kind of person who buys this condo would like to drive this chevy thing. imagine how depressing it would be to realize that not only do you now drive a chevy cabolt but everyone in your building drives one!!! If they had read your buyer incentives post - they would know that the real push is for gift baskets!
HA, ya Vlad. Couldnt agree with you more on all points….INCLUDING the ultimate gift basket choice that you made so clear on this post: Comments Section: http://condodomain.com/blog/skip-the-sub-ill-take-the-amana/ Great idea!