Did anyone else get a call to participate in a RE survey?

NEW -> Contingent Buyer Assistance Program
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Bubblegum_IHB

New member
I got a call to participate in a survey, which I typically say no to, but this was for real estate survey.





They asked if I'm familiar with the Irvine Ranch


Do I live on the Ranch


Do I live in a home I own, I rent, or an apartment


Do I intend to buy in the next 6 months, year, 2 years, 5 years or more


How much are looking to spend 400-600 600-800, 800-1M, 1-1.5M, 1.5 or more


Do I expect the housing prices in 2008 to increase, stay the same, or decrease.


How much a decrease ( I said DECREASE) 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, I said 40%


When do you expect this market to stabilize, in the next few months, next year, in 2 years. I said 2010


Where do expected prices in 5years, to be more than today, same as today, less than today


Do I view homes as an investment, place to live, both, or some others I forgot


Have I started saving for a home


What percentage of my expected purchase have you saved


Have I visited any Ranch Properties (WE, Port Springs, Nortpark Square, Newport Coast) etc


What did you like about them


Have I visted the irvineranch.com website


What was my perception of the website, just the right amount of information, too much information, not enough information


Where do I get most of my real estate news, federal economists, newspaper, internet. He didn't mention IHB but I did!





There were a few more questions, they said they were a consumer research firm, but the questions were sure Irvine Ranch specific.






 
They are throwing a pot of money at thier problem: they aren't clearing inventory.



They are avoiding the obvious why: it's too damn expensive.



These surveys aren't cheap.
 
i got the call this afternoon, after they tried three times in the last two days...I don't know how they got hold of my cell phone no.
 
<p>Definitely take these calls and give them non-sugar coated answers!</p>

<p>It is interesting that they only offer choices of a reduction of up to 20%. Clearly not in step with reality.</p>

<p>SCHB</p>
 
I also took the survey this past weekend and yes, questions where very specific about the city of Irvine and the Irvine Ranch's premium brand.





However, some of the more interesting questions were related to some possible incentives and how effective they would be.





1. What If the builder offers price protection for 5 years?


2. What If the builder offers to pay the mello roos for 4 years?





While these incentives are attractive, I answered that I would still wait.
 
<em>Detached said....





I also took the survey this past weekend and yes, questions where very specific about the city of Irvine and the Irvine Ranch's premium brand.





However, some of the more interesting questions were related to some possible incentives and how effective they would be.





1. What If the builder offers price protection for 5 years?


2. What If the builder offers to pay the mello roos for 4 years?





While these incentives are attractive, I answered that I would still wait.</em>





I received the same survey questions yesterday and they had my work number. Not sure how they got that! I answered similarly: market will drop 20%+, etc.


One interesting question was: if the builder stops building, I answered "a sign that the market is bad" and that if it was good they would continue to build. They also asked for income in ranges, religion, and race!


Sounds like the Irvine Company is getting desperate.
 
>> Sounds like the Irvine Company is getting desperate.





I'm not sure I would say desparate, but I think that inside they had a bit a group-think going on inside and their clients (builders) were telling them a different story.





Remember, TIC was the entity that sent out those postcards for Orchard Hills asking people what they want to pay for a home and the check box with the lowest price was $1.2M (as if!). So, yes, TIC needs some edumacating about public opinion.
 
They didn't ask me about the builder incentives of price protection for 5 years and mello roos. I'd like to see the fine print on how they calculate those price protections. Maybe they know they'll be BK in less than 5 years, so it's a guarantee that'll never see the light of day...





If this is truly for TIC (which I think it is) then I give them props for at least doing some homework and at least trying to get some research into consumer sentiment. I don't think they're going to like the answers to their survey, but hopefully, it'll be an club to the head to wake up and smell the espresso.





Cut your prices! Reduce the ridiculously high % for CFD's and Mello roos and just look back at 2001 or 2002 and resume pricing as if 2003-2007 never existed.
 
<p>To clarify, it is not the builder thinking of offering price protection or mello roos, it is TIC. Risk of BK is therefore almost non-existant.</p>

<p>However, the details of these plans have not been revealed, and that will be important in getting past the headline offerings to judge what their real value (if any) would be.</p>

<p>SCHB</p>
 
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