OAR launches new campaign
OAR launches new campaign
2/19/2008

“GOOD THING YOU’RE IN OKLAHOMA” CAMPAIGN TO PRESENT THE FACTS ABOUT THE OKLAHOMA HOUSING MARKET


OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, February 13, 2008 – The Oklahoma Association of REALTORS® today announced a statewide initiative that will present the facts about home ownership in Oklahoma and the value of real estate as a long-term investment.

OAR’s “Good Thing You’re in Oklahoma” campaign has been developed to provide current, relevant data about the Oklahoma housing market that will be useful to consumers who are in the market to buy or sell a home.

According to Tammy McCullar, OAR president, the Association’s leadership team moved to create the campaign in response to some of the national media reports about the U.S. housing market.

“Real estate is local,” said McCullar, “and Oklahomans are not buying or selling their homes in a national housing market. Our ‘Good Thing You’re in Oklahoma’ campaign is designed to present the facts about the Oklahoma housing market, which remains an affordable, stable and secure source of value as a long-term investment.”

In a report on the Oklahoma housing market released earlier today, OAR announced that home values in Oklahoma had increased by 4.2 percent in 2007. This was the seventh consecutive year since 2000 that the average sale price of an existing home in Oklahoma had increased on a year-to-year basis.

By comparison, the National Association of REALTORS® reported a decline of 1.4 percent in national home value at the end of 2007. Since 2000, home values in Oklahoma have increased an average of 4.88 percent per year, which has resulted in growth of almost 40 percent in home values over the past seven years.

“As exciting as turning a quick profit may be to some investor, we’re convinced that slow and steady wins the race every time when it comes to the security and stability of real estate investment as evidenced by Oklahoma’s numbers,” said McCullar. “Our 'Good Thing You’re in Oklahoma' campaign will be a vehicle for the Association and its members to lay out the facts that real estate is local and that our real estate market in Oklahoma is vibrant and strong.”

The multi-platform campaign will include statewide advertising, special events, an outreach program to OAR members and associates and a consumer education component. The Association’s consumer Web site, WhyRealtorsWork.com, will be a source of information regarding the benefits and value of home ownership throughout the campaign.