So any of us who live in Arizona (or California and Nevada for that matter) and bought a house last year (umm, ME) already know we missed out on some good deals, but the home sale techniques are starting to resemble blue light specials and are beginning to be a bit comical, despite the fact I wish I could take advantage of them.

On the weekend, as I was driving out to the Cardinals playoff game, my husband and I actually laughed out loud as we passed a huge billboard we saw advertising, “End of Year Blow-Out. Home Prices Slashed.” It just sounded too much like a car sale. The again, the next thing we saw were sheep roaming in the pastures out by the stadium, so it’s easy to see why housing might be a bit cheaper out there in no-man’s land.

But the publisher of our company just alerted to me to something I had yet to see in this fumbling housing market – the luxury market turning to gimmicks to sell their mansions. It turns out that Five Star Development Group (a Scottsdale-based company that is also bringing us the new Ritz-Carlton, Paradise Valley resort and community in 2010) is offering free $200,000 Bentleys with the purchase of one of their Paradise Valley estates. Now, these homes are priced around the $4 and $5 million mark, so a fancy car thrown into the deal isn’t all that bad, its just kind of funny.

Of course, its a way of generating and buzz and hopefully getting a few more people out to these estate open houses (where loaner Bentley will be parked outside), so we commend the creativity. In fact, they are not just appealing to the car-lover. If a Bentley will not do, a 50-hour NetJets card or a free month (for life!) at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel are other options. Or buyers can be a bore and just take $200, 000 off their severly discounted home sale price.

Creativity is the word of the day when it comes to survival in this economic state, but its interesting to see the luxury market also adopting non-traditional sales technique. I am just a little sad my house didn’t come with a car – I guess patience really is a virtue. I’ll remember that next time the housing markets spirals downward and I am need of new wheels and a new home.

Hayley Mitchell, editor in chief

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