The Grinch may have all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile, but prospective home buyers may overlook that when they see the rowhome he’s helping to sell in Hampden.
That’s the hope Berkshire Hathaway’s Dudley Frank team had when they decided to stage a Baltimore home with the green Dr. Seuss character.
In the photos, the green Dr. Seuss character lounges on a bed, explores a walk-in closet, exercises in the finished basement — and, of course, steals a Christmas tree.
Photo galleries, like the ones the Dudley Frank team has created, are typically used on real estate sale websites to attract potential viewers. They rarely feature people, let alone unusual characters.
However, Christina Dudley said Thursday her team has found success with the unusual marketing strategy. Dudley and her business partner Michael Frank have previously staged homes in Hampden and Canton using a unicorn and Spider-Man, respectively.
The team has another listing agent pose in costume for the photos because “he has the best legs in spandex.”
Frank previously told The Baltimore Sun that the strategy is not meant for every listing, but its charismatic style does show buyers and sellers that the team is open to having some fun.
“If we can show people why it’s a good idea to live in the city, that’s a good thing as well,” Frank said at the time. “It’s not always about the house.”
The team chose the Grinch this time for his nondenominational appeal during the holiday season, Dudley said. The tongue-in-cheek listing mentions “Grinch not included.”
“We’re definitely getting more inquiries for listings,” Dudley said. “We can see on the backend how it’s performing exposure-wise. This is a crazy amount of exposure in terms of the number of people seeing it.”
The home, located at 838 W. 37th Street, has an open house scheduled Saturday from noon until 2 p.m.
