House buyer will get all money back if football club wins promotion

Wednesday 22nd February 2012

We’ve heard of houses being offered in raffles, top-of-the-range cars being given away with houses, and even, on one occasion, a luxury cow being given away with a cottage (a Jersey, since you ask, let’s say no moo).

But here’s a completely new incentive: the person who buys a property in Hove will get all their purchase money back – and that’s £1,395,000 of it – if the local football team go up.

Championship side Brighton & Hove Albion, aka the Seagulls, are tipped for promotion so it is quite likely that the purchaser of Albion House could have a refund as their goal.

The four-bedroom property has been on the market with Winkworth, where Sarah Turck said: “My job is to get people interested in a property. I believe this truly unique concept will generate lots of interest. It’s the first time this has been done anywhere and is certainly a unique opportunity.”

The house been extensively refurbished by its current owners, sculptor Martin Senior and Debbie Deakin. Senior said: “We love living in Brighton and  Hove and it is great the football team is doing so well this season. Our house is a beautiful place to live and we wanted to create a bit of extra excitement about it.

“We promise to anyone who buys my house that if Brighton and Hove Albion get promoted this season, we will give the buyer all their money back. They get to keep the house. No questions asked, every single pound will be paid back.”

Buyers who play the game will get a ‘stunning’ (to coin an estate agency word) residence with a large open-plan living space with bi-folding doors leading to the architecturally designed tropical garden and summer house. The master suite has a large roof terrace including far reaching views towards the sea. Additionally there is a guest suite and two further double bedrooms.

So, what – or perhaps we should say, who – is the secret behind this latest wheeze?

Look no further than sports and estate agency marketeer Boyd Butler, who tells us that the promotion is being underwritten by Airton Risk, a division of Paddy Power.

The knack, he says, is to pick a good promotion at around 10-15% insurance rates, and for the seller to pay for the insurance rather than drop their price. For example, in leafy SW19 the bet might be on Andy Murray winning Wimbledon. Boyd’s firm, KAM Sports International, arranges the insurance and handles the PR.

Ah. But the bottom line is: will it actually sell the property?

EAT will revisit this story when the football league season ends in May and reveal all!

Meanwhile, for agents interested in knowing more, here’s the lowdown.

http://www.kamsportsinternational.com/Money_Back_Promotions