Buy a House in the Bay Area, Get a Free Kitten!
Did you like the photo of a free house when you buy a dishwasher? It was too good to be true, as that offer was only good in Maryland. So here’s another “free” gift with purchase. Thanks to Burbed reader Overheard in San Carlos’ Friend for this find.
First, the Craigslist ad, which has been yanked:
Here’s the relevant text:
I will find a reasonably priced house/condo for you, and will give you back a rebate 0.5% from purchase price ($1,500-$5,000 on average), PLUS purebred Ragdoll kitten to people who buy or sell a property with me:
But this amazing offer is on the agent’s website too. Look at the photo in the upper left!
Here’s the cattery the agent uses for the “free” kitten, Ragdoll Palace. Think about that name while considering the palaces we looked at in the upper tier of the Case-Shiller Index earlier this week.
Elena explains why she’s giving away a FREE KITTEN with every home transaction:
According to a popular belief in Europe and Russia, new homeowners should first let a cat walk into their new house, then the owners can cross the threshold. The cat will bring good luck and wealth to the new home. I love beautiful superstitions and want people, whom I help buy a new house or a condo, to have a very good luck in their new homes. That is why I am offering Buyers my appreciation gift of the cutest Ragdoll kitten to step into their new home for good luck.
Go ahead, click on that link to beliefs above. It takes you to a list of Russian folk traditions, not one of which mentions anything about having cats walk into a new home. It does say this, though:
When giving an animal as a gift (a cat, dog, bird, etc.), the receiver should give the giver a symbolic sum of money, for example one Russian ruble.
Returning the promised rebate check to Elena will easily accomplish the same thing.
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:45 am
test2
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:55 am
test 0155
January 23rd, 2012 at 2:12 am
test 0212
January 23rd, 2012 at 2:26 am
test 0226
January 23rd, 2012 at 2:32 am
test 0232
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:36 am
Awesome! Just more evidence of the incredible value that realtors bring to buyers.
Where’s the free market alternative to using commissioned realtors? Where are the companies teaching us to do FSBO, or how to buy from FSBO safely? Where are the flat fee realtors who clearly lay out what their services are and price them by the hour spent on the job, not on the price of the house they are motivated to pump up?
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:38 am
I had a ragdoll cross. He was the friendliest, happiest and highest-maintenance cat in the world. The lucky new owner will never have a moment to himself.
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:47 am
“Just more evidence of the incredible value that realtors bring to buyers.”
A good REALTOR will bring value to many buyers, but finding that good REALTOR seems to be a bit of a challenge.
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:57 am
There’s something else I find interesting about this agent’s site. Look at all the areas she says she represents (this is on the front page of her site, at the bottom):
I mean, any licensed agent can represent you in a sale or purchase, but do you really believe she’s tracking every neighborhood in every one of these cities and knows what’s up with all of them? Let’s just say I find her coverage a mite broad.
January 23rd, 2012 at 10:16 am
Least desirable is a poor agent in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
January 23rd, 2012 at 4:13 pm
There’s in fact a Russian folk superstition involving cat and new house. But Elena is wrong about semantics. It’s not about a good luck but scaring away bad spirits. Believe or not but that tradition is as old as ancient Egypt. Russians added some quirks to it though. For instance, owners should set a bedroom wherever cat falls asleep for the first time.
January 23rd, 2012 at 4:17 pm
While going through Elena’s website, I could not get rid of impression that entire operation is a hidden ad for ragdoll kittens selling business.
January 23rd, 2012 at 5:23 pm
“The value is in the ragdoll kitten.”