Portford Homes takes bold step to stand out from the crowd - June 03

With competition so strong in the property industry one housebuilder has introduced a different style of marketing itself to ensure it stands out from the crowd.

Explains David Mackintosh, Sales & Marketing Director at Portford Homes: “Competition nowadays is rife in almost every market, but particularly in the property industry, which makes it more difficult for businesses to attract new customers.

“We are dealing with a very challenging market at the moment and whilst we are confident we have a great product that competes in both quality and price, we want to reassure buyers that we can still help them move.

“Faced with a sea of competition we have to draw buyers with an eye-catching deal that will get us noticed and get them moving! We hope buyers will notice our cheeky advertising but more importantly realise that with us they can relax and look forward to moving in to their new home with limited hassle!”

In order to achieve a marketing campaign with the ‘wow factor’ that highlights its Home Exchange scheme, Portford Homes worked in partnership with its marketing agency, The GSM Partnership.

Says Jo Murray, Director at The GSM Partnership: “With the ever deepening credit crunch that we are all starting to live with today then if you are in the property development business you have to offer something really special.

“We worked closely with the marketing team at Portford Homes to produce a new advertising campaign that is designed to position each development and deal uniquely in the press, and to show potential buyers that there is no other housebuilder they can get what they need in order to move onto, up or across on the property ladder.”

The Home Exchange Scheme offered by Portford Homes has already proved very successful in getting buyers moving. Available at all developments including Chantry Square in Wakefield, Cypress Heights and Ingleton Mews in Barnsley and Spenmill Grange in Cleckheaton, the scheme works like part-exchange, allowing buyers to buy and sell in one easy move.

Taking the strain out of the moving process, the Home Exchange Scheme couldn't be easier, with buyers only needing to follow four simple steps:

Firstly, visit your Portford Homes development and select the housetype and plot of your choice. Portford Homes will then arrange two independent valuations of your existing home and make you an offer based upon those valuations.

Once the purchase price for your existing property has been agreed you can reserve your new Portford home. And then finally, subject to a survey of your existing home, proceed to an exchange of contracts within 28 days.