Category Archives: The Contrarian

Real Estate: It’s All About Position, Position, Position

 

http://childpsychiatryassociates.com/contact/ Well, that’s one way to sell a home.

By all accounts, the Texas house for sale looked like a slam dunk: It came with a fenced yard, gleaming hardwood floors and an open-concept kitchen. Starter house, perfect for a starter couple.

But real estate isn’t exactly booming in Conroe, Texas, perhaps because the city, about 40 miles north of Houston, collects water like an aquarium. It suffered catastrophic flooding last year during Hurrican Harvey, which literally ripped nearby homes from their foundations. Like a lot of homes there, the $230,000 house got less than a thousand views on Houston real estate websites, and fewer than a dozen in-person visits in 40 days.

It’s not an uncommon problem in Conroe, where agents have had to take some unorthodox measures to put homes in the River Plantation subdivision on buyers’ radar. Among their tactics: offering $250 worth of tacos with a purchase, listing expensive-looking houses for $1 to spark bidding wars and personally posing in rooms of unwanted houses while dressed in plush panda suits.

Enter realtor Kristin Gyldenege, who decided to go a step, er, longer.

She hired  scantily clad fitness models to pose in the listing photos. In one of the images, a tanned blond woman in knee socks, black panties and an open-backed T-shirt leaned provocatively into the breakfast bar, her back — and back end — provocatively arched.

Other shots showed her climbing the stairs, perching on a kitchen counter and folding towels in the laundry room, all pant-less. Meanwhile, her male counterpart, whose bulging biceps are covered in tattoos, climbed a ladder to change a light bulb and cooked a meal in a cast-iron pan on the stove. Later, he gave the woman — now shirtless and face down — a massage.

Outrage inevitably followed, and offended viewers demanded the listing be removed from the Houston Association of Realtors website, which meekly complied. Even cowardly media outlets caved, describing the pictures instead of displaying them. Apparently, not only is a picture worth a thousand words, but a thousand canceled subscriptions, they figured.

Since The HB doesn’t care about subscriptions, we kindly make a counter-offer to southern media: fuck you. Do some real reporting.

Kristin Gyldenege launched the marketing tactic after her client’s three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in the Houston suburb of Conroe sat on the market for 40 days with no offers.

“When I found out I had 100 complaints, I’m like, ‘Sweet, that’s like 10,000 people that have seen it,’ ” Gyldenege (who goes by “pottymouthedagent” on Instagram) told reporters. “I didn’t want anything slutty. I wanted to represent a young couple who was on top of their game all the way around and who had just moved into this great house.”

She told Fox News: "Of course we needed to show off their amazing bodies and we all know that sex sells so it needed to be sexy but believable.  Something someone could see themselves in or ASPIRE to see themselves in."

Within a week, the house averaged six visits a day. The listing racked up more than 20,000 views.

However, not everyone was a fan of Gyldenege’s advertising campaign. The site removed the photos after receiving around 100 complaints.

Perhaps unaware of of her pun, Gyldenege was unapologetic, explaining that the owners approved the strategy and her job requires “doing what’s best for my client.

“In the end, that’s what matters.” Hear hear, pottymouth.

The house hasn’t sold yet, but Gyldenege isn’t worried. Square footage is good, the foundation obviously solid, and the mortgage is reasonable: 2,300 condoms a month.

Now that’s how you hold an open house.

 

 

 

 

The Unfake News

 

Of my earthly possessions, one of my favorites is a USA Today newspaper box where I keep my old clips stored. In the window of the box is a copy of the paper’s first edition, printed on Sept. 15, 1982.

It wasn’t a great day for news. Princess Grace died in a car crash in Monaco. Image result for princess graceOn the same day, a massive charter plane crashed en route from Spain to New York. Somehow, out of 382 passengers, 327 lived.

The paper took a calculated — and vilified — stance on the headline. “Miracle:” it began, “327 survive.”

Competing papers had a field day with us.  Between our short stories, color photographs and full-page weather forecasts, we gained a reputation we’d never shake: Journalism Light.

Today, here were the top headlines from the Thanksgiving weekend:

  • California’s fire contained; search for bodies continues
  • Trump thanks himself for low oil prices
  • MLB wants $5,000 donation back after senator’s comments
  • Amway Coaches Poll: Georgia up to No. 4, Ohio State rises to 6
  • Snow: 650+ flights axed on post-T’giving Sunday
  • 49ers cut LB arrested on domestic violence charge
  • Travelers scramble to get home ahead of blizzard
  • 2 killed in shooting outside Orlando pizza eatery

Notice anything missing? Miracles.

Scratch that. Forget miracles. Simply find a positive story in the headlines.

After being eviscerated by The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and innumerable competitors, USA Today retreated from its unofficial editorial policy of putting at least one “bright” — a simply positive story — in its front pages.

What a mistake. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then our decision to mimic the competition’s dour worldview was tantamount to a journalistic blowjob.

Well, screw the “No news is (going to be) good news” theorem. Particularly now, the idea that grimaces trump grins has left the media in lockstep with the nation’s fixation on sadness and anger. If anything, USA Today should make it editorially mandatory to note there is good in the world still.

To that end, The HB offers The Silver Linings Journal, outlining when media coverage is actually warranted:

When this gentleman helped this other gentleman with his tie before a job interview.

When these strangers hugged it out in a food court.

When this pizza hero came to class.

Twitter

Just delivered pizza to a elementary school and all of the kids started a “pizza” chant as I walked in and put it on the table. Was giving out high fives on the way out, felt like the fucking man

When this group handed out extra bouquets from a formal event to strangers on the street.

When this tipper made a server’s night.

When this person paid the bill for these new parents of twins.

When this commuter hooked it up.

Twitter

The guy next to me on the train was watching the office, so naturally I not so subtly watched along. He noticed me watching with him and turned on the subtitles. I hope he knows that I would die for him tbh.

When these strangers with similar fashion taste bumped into each other at the airport.

When this man let this woman have the last generator for her father’s oxygen tank.

When these strangers got seated next to each other on a plane.

When this Chick-Fil-A employee went above and beyond.

Twitter

I went through the chick fil a drive through bawling and the girl asked me if I wanted a chocolate or vanilla milkshake. And I was like no I ordered a sweet tea and she goes “no honey you need a milkshake”

Service: unmatched

When these subway riders split a bottle of wine that rolled out from under the seat.

When this gentleman offered to help this man down the escalator.

When this generous neighbor gave the green light to a young basketball player.

When this driver looked out for his passenger.

Twitter

When this person sacrificed their umbrella to save a car’s sunroof.

When this anonymous benefactor paid for a stranger’s tires.

When this man offered to split his tips with those in need.

When these ladies had the best girls’ night of all time.

Twitter

When an undercover parking authority reserved a spot for this special bike.

Children’s bicycle chained to a lamppost.Parking sign for a child’s bicycle.

Twitter

My son has parked his bike by this lamppost just about every day for the last year. This morning, this sticker had appeared. Absolutely made our day. People can be so brilliant. Thank you, whoever did it 😊

When this photographer captured love in one frame.

View image on Twitter

Twitter

Today a stranger took a picture of my boyfriend dropping off breakfast to me at work, then came back to my job to give me the photo.😭💕

When this person helped complete a tribute for a stranger.

View image on TwitterView image on Twitter

Twitter

This note was left on the gate at the water this afternoon. No name or number left but whoever you are, rest assured your rose is in place in the middle of the lake.