Fish ’n’ chips with a side of house
Anyone for fish and chips by the sea with a three-bedroom bungalow on the side?
A Christchurch entrepreneur has reeled in his local chippies for a mission to sell his Sumner home, and he’s using the sale as an opportunity to trial a new business idea.
Software developer Adam Hutchinson created a single-page newsletter on food-grade paper called ‘‘The Wrap Up’’, with an advertisement for his home in pride of place. He then persuaded his local fish and chip shops to wrap their takeaway food in his creation.
‘‘It’s a pretty tough time in the market right now, [so] I’ve been trying to think of different ways of reaching people,’’ he said.
The house was marketed through the usual advertising platforms as well, he said, but it was easy to ‘‘get lost’’ in those, so he thought he’d try something new.
Lots of people from Christchurch visited the seaside suburb of Sumner, and having fish and chips on the beach was ‘‘the thing to do’’. Both of Sumner’s local chippies – The Red Snapper and Burger Stop – had been happy to help, he said.
‘‘It’s an iconic Kiwi feed, it’s pretty much our national dish. ‘‘I just thought I’d give it a go.’’ He also wrote up a few other articles for The Wrap Up that could prove useful to Sumner visitors, including one on local walks and one detailing where the town’s four rip currents were.
Hutchinson, who is best known for his virtual reality programme targeted at helping people overcome fears and the freedom camping app CamperMate, said the ploy had already sparked interest in the Heberden Ave property ahead of its auction on May 26.
He had used his tech knowhow to set up a free service where people could text ‘house’ to 9889 for more information, and he had already got some hits.
If The Wrap Up proved successful, he was going to start taking expressions of interest from other chippies and sellers keen to get involved.
‘‘This model could be rolled out in other places.’’
Adam Jenkins, who owns the Red Snapper, thought it was a ‘‘brilliant idea’’.
‘‘I was actually surprised it hadn’t been done before . . . Good on him for having a crack at it.’’
He had been fielding queries from ‘‘everyone that’s seen it’’, he said, including other real estate agents who were keen to advertise in it.
Jenkins said The Wrap Up was being provided to chippies at no charge.
‘‘[So] it’s a win-win for us.’’ According to the latest QV House Price Index, while Christchurch house prices were holding up, sales activity was down.
Property consultant Olivia Brownie said they were also hearing buyers were struggling to get finance.
‘‘More properties have been listed in recent months as buyers look to sell at the top of the property market, which will be another key factor influencing reduced home value growth over the coming months.’’