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Group Wants More People To Buy Homes In Baltimore City

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- People who work in D.C. know just how expensive it is to buy a house there.

Now, as Mike Schuh reports, a Baltimore group is exploiting those high costs in a push to get folks to buy homes here in Baltimore.

The average price of a home in the city is $112,000.  In D.C., it's three to four times more expensive and it has none of our eclectic, funky and fun essence---or so says a new ad campaign targeting people in D.C.

"The big idea is to promote the sassy, sarcastic way that Baltimore lives and breathes every day," said Anna Custer, Live Baltimore.

For instance, the perfect example is a guy who moved from D.C. who's helping graffiti artists in the arts district.  He bought a warehouse and home at prices that shocked him.

"I came to Baltimore because the prices were really low," said Louis Rosenfeld, The Graffiti Warehouse.

What happened next is exactly what marketers hope happens: transplants are the best salespeople for the city.

"That's what happened.  A friend brought me in.  A guy was buying houses like crazy and ran out of money and credit," Rosenfeld said.

"They see the difference.  In fact, I had one say to me, `I didn't realize how different Baltimore was until I was here,'" Custer said.

So being different is an asset--one worth spending just over $40,000 to reach potential buyers.

"Yeah, the ads have a certain tone and we're really targeting the young creative professional who gets it and wants to be part of the scene," Custer said.

The average cost of a home in Baltimore City is $112,000.

For more information about Live Baltimore, click here.

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