Transcript:
There’s nothing like a market slowdown to get the competitive juices flowing.

Some new home builders have started advertising the fact that they’re desperate to move property. Several ads I saw in the weekend papers state “incentives are available.”

Folks, those are the buzzwords for freebies and deals. What’s being offered? Everything from free upgraded tile and carpet to discounts on room additions and garage bays, to lower prices and extended warranties.

Everything is on the table.

But a new move is how much more realistic builder’s pricing has become: I toured a multi-million dollar mansion recently where the builder decided to price the home $300,000 less – a reduction of 10 percent right off the bat.

No matter what the builder is offering as an incentive, you can put a dollar figure on it. Use those dollar figures to help compare incentives on an apples-to-apples basis.

With practical, informative consumer advice, I’m Ilyce Glink, News-Talk 750 WSB