Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-06-29
Newspaper Ads
Found Best Mediums
To Sell Homes
n. 0. L. G. Official Tells
Group Results Of
National Survey

Newspaper advertising has been
the most effective means of selling
thousands of Home Owners Loan
Corp. homes, Howard Acton, director
of public relations of the Federal
Home Loan Bank Board, said today
In addressing the convention of the
National Association of Newspaper
Classified Advertising Managers,
being held in Biloxi, Miss.
"SpokeSmen for the $4,000 most
progressive real estate brokers of
the Nation who handle H. o. l.. C.
properties are unanimous in their
unqualified praise of classified and
display real estate advertising in
newspapers" he declared
These brokers participated in a
national survey of newspaper ad-
vertiSing results in connection with
the sale of $4,000 H. o. L. Gao
CURED properties. The brokers re-
ports, while varying greatly in de-
tail, all agreed that newspaper
advertising used in moving H. O. L.
G, properties has been most effective
and economical"
Results Are Summarized.
Part of the reason for the sur
vey was to determine the relative
value of the different types of news
paper advertising Mr.. Acton sum-
married this part as follows:
Brokers, irrespective of geo.
graphical location, believe display
advertising is suitable principally
to promote the home owning idea
or to concentrate public attention
on new home designs; on a few
higher priced properties, or to pro-
mote subdivisions, where the voi-
ume of sales involved will justify
the greater proportionate adver-
Using expense.
They believe that classified ad-
VertlSlng, less expensive per line or
inch, brings inquiries from persons
who have already decided to buy
and who look in that direction for
specific offeringS-in other WORDS,
hot prospects"
From the large volume of replies
from the brokers, Mr.. Acton picked
out the following high spots of their
views on classified advertising:
"One broker points out that, when
cuts can be used, classified is more
productive and considerably less ex-
pensive than display. Another states
classified is better for ordinary for
sale lists, as prospective purchasers,
when they are interested in buying,
are accustomed to looking in the
classified section.
Looks for Specific Glass.
This is echoed by another broker
who says: 1T is the habit of the
prospect to search for specific ads on
the particular class of property in
which he is interested, therefore he
naturally turns to the classification
as he is not concerned with any
property except particular type
"A large and progressive Midwest
firm, satisfied to have its classified
advertising produce the prospect
and not expecting it to make the
sale, says: Classified advertising,
with a daily change of copy, per-
sisted in without interruption, deal
ing with specific properties rather
than generalities, is valuable and
efficient in securing prospects. 1t is
up to the sales organization to prop
erly handle the inquiry so as to pro-
duce the sale. Classified puts us in
contact with the prospective pur-
chaser and when this has been
accomplished everything that could
be expected of an ad has been done.
Possibly this may be good
answer to those who admit they
get plenty of inquiries from your
ads, but complain that most are
from curiosity seekers and not live
prospects"