"Home Facelift Contest for Massachusetts home sellers announced today by Hallmark Sotheby's Internat

Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty announced today that Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty in Hopkinton, Mass., has joined hands with Weston Nurseries of Hopkinton, Gilmore Building Co. of Grafton, and Phillips Design of Concord to create a contest for homeowners in the Metro-West area, who are thinking of selling their home this spring. This collaboration of Builder, Landscaper, Interior Designer and Realtor is a truly unique opportunity for home sellers wanting to work with experts in their fields.

The Sell By Design Contest is an online contest for 18 Metro-West towns, beginning February 1st and ending March 31st 2010. Entries are limited to the first 1000 qualifying entries only. The main focus of this contest is to showcase to homeowners how to get top dollar for their homes in this market by making the right choices when updating a home. The contest is based on a number of qualifications and will be judged by the partners associated with the contest. The finalist will get an update and have the interior home staged by Gilmore Builders and Phillips Design and Weston Nurseries will stage the exterior and add curb appeal, all worth up to $50,000. Finally, Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty will sell the home. In addition, five semi-finalists will receive Flip Video Camcorders and coaching packages from the partners. Information on prizes is available on the website. Consumers are encouraged to visit the site www.SellByDesignContest.com for more information on the contest.

When asked what convinced them to participate in a contest of this nature the partners had the following things to say.

"The Sell by Design contest presents a perfect opportunity to demonstrate to homeowners that a higher selling price and shorter sales cycle can be realized by enhancing a home’s attractiveness before the selling process begins. We are participating in this event because we believe strongly in this concept’s value to the homeowner and because, teaming with the celebrated talented companies - Weston Nurseries, Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty and Philips Design - to showcase what is possible, is exciting." – Eric Gilmore, President, Gilmore Building Co., Inc.

"Phillips Design, along with this team of experts, believes that a relatively small investment will show homeowners how easy it can be to increase not only the curb appeal but also the actual market value of their home. Moreover, with Phillips Design’s collective years of experience with color, furniture placement, lighting and general staging, the sense of style brought into the home will be unmatched by one’s own singular effort." – James Lipcon, Manager Phillips Design

"We are participating in this event because we think Hallmark Sotheby's has really come up with a great concept that will demonstrate what prudent investing into your home will do for its value. We have stated for years that investing in your landscape will increase the value of your home by more than you put into it." - Peter Mezitt, President, Weston Nurseries, Inc.

"We are participating in this event because it is not everyday that you get the opportunity to work side by side with other industry leaders such as Weston Nurseries, Gilmore Building Co. and Philips Design in such a creative and collaborative environment. We couldn't be more thrilled to have the opportunity to offer one lucky winner up to $50,000 in staging to enhance the overall value of their property and help sell their home!" - Erika Paul, President and Broker-Owner, Hallmark Sotheby's International Realty

"We have all suffered from a really tough economy and a slow market. Selling a home has been a very stressful process for so many in MA. Even though sellers know what they can do to improve their homes, having access to HGTV etc. very few have the means or the right direction to do so. That is when I knew I could not do this alone so I sought out the people who are experts in their field and hence resulted in the sell by design contest." – Muneeza Nasrullah, Realtor, Contest Creator, Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty.
Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty is located at 11 Grove Street, Hopkinton, Mass., 01748, and can be reached at (508) 435-9200. For more information, visit www.HallmarkSothebysRealty.com.

About Sell By Design Contest
Founded in 1976 to provide independent brokerages with a powerful marketing and referral program for luxury listings, the Sotheby’s International Realty network was designed to connect the finest independent real estate companies to the most prestigious clientele in the world. In February 2004, Realogy Corporation, a global provider of real estate and relocation services, entered into a long-term strategic alliance with Sotheby’s, the operator of the auction house. The agreement provided for the licensing of the Sotheby’s International Realty name and the development of a full franchise system by Realogy’s subsidiary, Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. Affiliations in the system are granted only to brokerages and individuals meeting strict qualifications. Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC supports its affiliates with a host of operational, marketing, recruiting, educational and business development resources. Franchise affiliates also benefit from an association with the venerable Sotheby’s auction house, established in 1744. For more information, visit www.sothebysrealty.com.

MEDIA CONTACT
Muneeza Nasrullah
Sell By Design Contest
Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty
11 Grove Street
Hopkinton, MA 01748
(P) 508.254.5312
(F) 508.365.4048