REALTOR OFFERS SAVINGS ON HOME PRODUCTS
By Adnews Staff
It's the mean season for house sales, and Royal LePage Limited has decided to something about it. The Toronto-based real estate firm launched a promotion this week that offers home sellers and buyers a chance to save money on furnishings. Under the Aim Higher Advantage program, a Royal LePage customer signing a deal to buy or sell receives a one-year Aim Higher membership and an information binder listing discounts on products and services. All orders are placed through a 1-800 number. Customers who both buy and sell through Royal LePage are eligible for discounts for two years. Partners in the program are Inglis, Toshiba of Canada, IBM Canada, Rogers Cantel, Atlas Van Lines, London Life, The Co-Operators Insurance, ADT Security and IAO Home Inspections. Radio and print advertising from BBDO Canada in Toronto began last week. Royal LePage is trying to kick-start the residential real estate market which saw profits evaporate in the early 1990s. Royal LePage lost $17.2 million on revenue of $146.4 million in the first six months of the year. Last year it had a profit of $1.1 million on revenue of $176 million. Canada Housing and Mortgage is predicting that housing starts will drop to a 35-year low this year. And trade-ups are slow as well. Toronto analyst Mary McDonough says people are staying put instead of moving up to bigger houses as they did in the past.