Press Release: A Bright Spot in Toledo Ohio Real Estate Market

August 6, 2009 - PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Buckeye CableSystem Contact: Lonn Dugan

5552 Southwyck Blvd Real Estate Manager

Toledo OH 43614 419-724-7279

ldugan@cablesystem.com

A BRIGHT SPOT IN LOCAL REAL ESTATE NEWS:
HomeFinder Channel 100 Grows, Welcomes Agents of Danberry Realtors

HomeFinder Channel 100 is proving to be a bright spot in the local real estate scene. Buckeye CableSystem’s 24-hour real estate channel and the companion web site at www.HomeFinder100.com celebrated their first anniversary recently by reporting growth in several key areas.

HomeFinder Channel 100 recently added two new participating Brokers and several Agent Advertisers. Real estate related ad sales are increasing, as is consumer interest in both HomeFinder Channel 100 as well as the HomeFinder100.com web service. Finally, a new ad campaign has been launched to report higher levels of buyer interest and sales activity as the economy begins to recover.

The newest brokerages to join the program include Danberry Realtors, considered the market leader, and Key Realty, which is the fastest growing new brokerage serving Greater Toledo. “With Danberry on board, we are now able to serve agents at 9 of the top 10 brokerages in town,” said Steve Piller, vice president of advertising sales for Buckeye. “Several of the most successful agents in Greater Toledo have come on board recently.” Web or TV ads have recently been placed by top producing agents such as Mark Kruse, Deborah Gedert, and Kendall Gigax of Danberry Realtors, Dick Helminiak at RE/MAX Preferred, Allen Hotchkiss at Sulphur Springs, as well as Tammy Frye and Jack Schroeder at RE/MAX Masters.

“HomeFinder Channel 100 has also experienced growth in terms of advertiser sales as well as daily audience,” added Lonn Dugan, real estate manager for Buckeye. “Channel 100 is now delivered to over 80,000 Buckeye CableSystem digital subscriber homes. In addition, thousands of unique visitors have viewed over 1,000,000 Web pages in a single month according to independent log file analysis report by AWSTATS”, he said.

“HomeFinder Channel 100 helps spread hope and help to an actively buying or selling audience. People have been scared by all the news about credit problems and foreclosures. They need to know that home loans are available, and that properly priced and staged homes really can be sold in today’s market. It’s a fact that buyer interest in real estate is growing again due to low prices, great loan rates, and the $8,000 refundable tax credit offered to first-time home buyers.”

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HomeFinder, Page 2

“The past year proved to be a challenging time to launch a new real estate marketing service,” Mr. Piller said. “But it turned out to be a great opportunity to bring local media into the mix and show our support for those who want to sell their homes,” he added. “Television has always been powerful and effective. Now it’s affordable for Realtors and home sellers. The technology for this was conceived right here in Toledo by Buckeye CableSystem. No out-of-town company could do what we have done.”

A new ad campaign pushes the theme ‘Real Estate Sales Are Blooming.’ Ads run on HomeFinder Channel 100 and many other cable channels, as well as online. “Our promotion of the $8,000 first time buyer tax credit is one example of how we support the efforts of home owners, buyers, Realtors, and allied trades working to overcome market trends”, Mr. Dugan said. “By sharing good news, we offer hope”, he added. The ads also promote unique features at HomeFinder100.com such as an exclusive Open House Guide with unique search and mapping tools. A new Featured Agent Program helps buyers or sellers locate agents who specialize in modern marketing methods as well as those who lead in sales in certain areas or home types.

As for the popularity of the service, Dugan notes that, “A television show is easy to share with a friend or spouse, while our web site offers unique and powerful real estate search engine features. The Featured Agent program at HomeFinder100.com help make the site especially useful.

“Our Featured Agents are among the most active in the real estate market”, Mr. Dugan said. “Several are telling us that 2009 is off to a great start compared to recent years. Some agents may still be waiting for better days, but the ones we are helping are excelling, at least in part because they are committed to providing the best marketing for their sellers,” he added. Sellers working with Featured Agents can have their home on TV 3 times a day, 7 days a week, until the house sells.

Dugan notes that “Our growth signals good news for the broader local economy.” He believes that a recovery is coming in the real estate sector. When it arrives, it will usher in a larger economic recovery for greater Toledo. A number of businesses depend on real estate activity. Obvious beneficiaries include mortgage lenders and title companies. Other businesses that will also benefit from improvements in the housing market include appliance and furniture retailers as well as window and door, siding, roofing, flooring, and landscaping services. All do better when more homes are being sold. “As the economy improves, we can help them reach the increasing number of buyers and sellers who need their services”, says Mr. Dugan.

HomeFinder Channel 100 features homes for sale in Greater Toledo, including areas of Southeast Michigan. The unique service works with the Multiple Listing Service to allow Realtors to advertise homes both online and on TV. Ads at www.HomeFinder100.com are free to all agents and sellers. Listings include homes for sale by all participating Realtors^™ at all participating brokers. Optional upgrades add agent’s photos and phone numbers to web listings and create a TV ad. Participating agents report that they get more calls and showings on the homes they sponsor at HomeFinder Channel 100

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