Slowing Housing Market is Forcing Agents to Embrace Unusual Sales Tactics

The slowing housing market is forcing some real estate agents and builders to embrace unusual sales tactics.

That means paying a neighbor kid $50 to stand along a street in a bear costume and direct traffic to one of real estate listings.

Did that get attention? Yes it did. Did it bring a buyer? No.

Home builders are among those most affected. In September, builders posted one of their worst months in a decade. Last month, the number of planned units to be built in the city area was down 48 %, and total permit activity was down 23 % from January through September.