Realtor.com's Real Life House Whisperer Is Here to Help Struggling Homebuyers
In a constantly changing housing market with conflicting advice coming from many sources, it’s hard to know who to trust and where to find accurate information. Realtor.com today introduced a real life house whisperer – here to help homebuyers navigate the tricky process with his uncanny ability to communicate with houses. Born and raised in houses, this hero can solve any home buying conundrum and is a new, trusted voice to help tell Realtor.com’s brand story.
Developed in collaboration with Erich and Kallman, the creative campaign embodies Realtor.com’s tagline ‘To Each Their Home’ beginning with a four spot TV campaign and continuing online across digital channels. Whenever and wherever a homebuyer is struggling, the helpful house whisperer will be there in heroic fashion, serving as an expert guide and trusted partner to help each one find their perfect home with Realtor.com tools including the RealEstimate valuation data which shows three different home value estimates, the Buying Power tool which shows how much house you can afford, and many hyper-specific filters if your heart is set on a fireplace or you prefer to live on a cul-de-sac. With digital campaign extensions, the traveling house whisperer could show up anywhere he’s needed, across the world wide web.
While the new campaign is light-hearted, it comes at a time when the housing market is rapidly evolving and becoming increasingly challenging. Mortgage rates are at levels not seen in 20 years and home prices are hovering at all-time highs, adding hundreds of dollars to monthly payments. Home shoppers aren’t sure where to turn, especially those looking to purchase their first home. Behind the hero who sweeps in to save the day, there is real value in the advice he provides for struggling homebuyers. Realtor.com is a real estate marketplace built for everyone that provides useful housing market data, relevant news and tips and advice for homebuyers.
“At Realtor.com our mission is to be a trusted guide for consumers as they navigate the ups and downs of the housing market, something that is more important now than ever before. Real is in our name, and it’s something we’ve always been. We’re not trying to push someone toward a home they can't afford, we advocate for each and every homebuyer and help them find a home that is perfect for their family,” said Mickey Neuberger, chief marketing officer at Realtor.com. “The wise house whisperer really embodies our brand voice and how we want home shoppers to think of us – as a trusted source for unbiased information, a guide throughout their journey and yes, even a renegade with a cool hat.”
A strong and trusted presence, the heroic house whisperer has the uncanny ability to speak to and understand homes on a level no one else can. Armed with his housing market wisdom and the Realtor.com app, he helps demystify the homebuying process.
Eric Kallman, co-founder and chief creative officer at Erich and Kallman said, “The homebuying process can be an emotional roller coaster and homebuyers are dealing with a lot of noise. Realtor.com is a trusted and reliable source that you can turn to for impartial guidance, but we needed some help from a standout spokesperson in order to illustrate that in a memorable way. The knowledgeable house whisperer is a straight-talking, sage guru who cements Realtor.com in people’s minds as the transparent guide you can trust to give you the real picture of the real estate process.”
In the first spot, So Many Houses, a family is overwhelmed by the sheer number of homes to choose from. The Realtor.com house whisperer appears out of nowhere in their living room. He shows the family how to use the Realtor.com app’s detailed filters to narrow down their options to just the ones that work for their family.
In the second spot, House Bitten, we learn about the Realtor.com house whisperer’s origin – when he was bitten by a house as a child. Lucky for the family struggling to understand how much home they can afford, the ever-helpful house whisperer shows them the Buying Power tool on Realtor.com – so their young child no longer has to get a job to help pay for the new house.
